To all - a loving reminder...
#322246 - 01/13/08 09:31 AM
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KEEP UP WITH YOUR ROUTINE COLONOSCOPIES. Don't just have the one for the diagnosis. Ask when you should have your next one. I say this because my father had his first routine colonoscopy this fall (he's 66 and they found cancer.) Because he hadn't had one before, it had already spread to a lymph node and the liver. Now he's going to have to have half his liver removed and has at least 6 months of chemo as well.
Please, please, everyone. Do NOT assume it's IBS. Get your first colonoscopy and KEEP getting them. If they had found my Dad's polyp earlier, it probably wouldn't have spread. Now he's in for the fight of his life, and we're all so scared.
So please, spread the word. Tell your family, parents, EVERYONE - get your colonoscopies. After 50 for most, and routine ones if you have other diagnoses like IBS, Chrohn's and Colitis; or if you have any significant changes in your symptoms.
XXOO, Yoda.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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I'm so sorry to hear about your father, Yoda. I'll be thinking of you all. Please take care.
And this is excellent advice which I heartily second. A colonoscopy is an incredibly effective test. Do it regularly and - unlike most cancer screening - it can actually stop cancer before it starts. That's a great payoff for undergoing a few days of ickiness - or even misery - every 5-10 years.
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[Research tells us fourteen out of any ten individuals likes chocolate. - Sandra Boynton]
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Excellent post Yoda. I third this motion!! And I'm very sorrt to hear about your Dad - I will keep him in my prayers.
I would also recommend that you have them more frequent and at younger ages than the docs recommend. I have an uncle who died from colon cancer (He was too stubborn to get the colonoscopy until he was in excruiating pain and couldn't function at all). Colon cancer is highly treatable, but we have to do our part in getting the tests done.
I'm only 46 and they found and removed polyps this year. My doc told me to have another in 10 years - NO WAY I'm waiting 10 years. It's pretty rare for someone as young as me to have polyps in the first place which indicates to me that I have a very high chance of getting more so I'll definitely be getting another colonoscopy in 3 to 5 years. My mom died of stomach cancer and an uncle (on my dad's side) with colon cancer - So, I have bad gut genes on both sides and I'm not taking any chances!!
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Jeanette IBS-D, then switched to IBS-A, now stable with Udo's Choice Super Bifido Plus Probiotic
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Yoda, I am so very sorry to learn about this diagnosis of your father's cancer. My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your family as your begin this journey. May your father come through this with flying colors. Thanks for the advice. My husband refuses to have a colonoscopy (he will be 60 this year). I am going to share this post with him and try to get him to get one. As for me I am a regular at the GI so colonoscopy is not scary to me. My GI has already removed two polyps from me and I wouldn't think of delaying my followups. I guess having IBS has some good things associated with it!
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IBS-D, Gas & Bloating
Barbara50
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I'm so sorry..... I'll be praying that your father will soon get a clean bill of health....after the chemo. and I'm gonna make Shane read this too.... guess what he is getting for his 50th brithday!!
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www.facebook.com/shell.marr
www.myspace.com/shellmarr
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