Thanks a lot for your very good insights. I will follow your advice. Very sorry to hear of your post-operative problems.
OT Having Large Polyp Removed from Colon (Cecum) Removed in Early March -- Any Suggestions
- Thread starter dailybuck777
- Start date
Thanks a lot for your very good insights. I will follow your advice. Very sorry to hear of your post-operative problems.
Thanks for your insight. Sorry to hear of your peripheral neuropathy, but glad you are otherwise good.
I have no idea why you would be speaking with an interventional radiologist, unless it was about the possibility of doing an embolization procedure in case you developed post procedure bleeding following colonoscopic removal of the benign tumor (? Lipoma or Hamartoma). Perhaps you meant to say gastroenterologist.
The best way to find the better physicians is to ask other doctors who they would go to if they were having the procedure done. Don’t rely on “best doctors” articles because as someone else stated, these doctors are either self-promoting or being promoted by their employer if they are an employed physician in order to drum up more business.
Like Fayette Lion, I had the same procedure for prostate cancer. Due to Agent Orange exposure and a Gleason 8 biopsy I had the robotic surgery to remove the prostate immediately. I was already in Stage 3 after just four months post the rise in my PSA. Some things just can't wait but as Fayette points out, you need to know as much about the entire process, including post-op, as you can.
Though I have a unique situation I would still recommend option 1. No sense in taking chances to save six weeks or recovery.
I too waited on the colonoscopy until 54. No family history of polyps or cancer, I was low risk going into it. Like others have said the procedure itself is no issue. It's basically a nap. But the prep sucked. The stuff you drink is awful and you piss out your @ss for several hours.
Doc says I'm clear for 10 years. Glad I did it. Peace of mind.
Misspoke. It is interventional endoscopy.
Just by chance my son is having oral surgery today, and I asked the oral surgeon how he would go about finding a surgeon. He asked about what group my surgeon was in and after I told him, he said my surgeon was in a good group. Something that i heard from another person. Also, I called surgeon's office today and asked how often the surgeon had performed my procedure, and he has done tons of them. His manager said on occasion, he has done 3 in one day. So far, I am feeling reasonably good.
I always like the movie part in Cadyshack when the doctors 'beeper' goes off and he responds: "Must be a routine emergency!" And ignores it. LOL!!
Ct. Lion, can you private message me as I also am a Viet Nam vet. I'd like to discuss a few issues with you.
@Fayette_LION @Ct. Lion Much respect, appreciation, and love to both of you. About a thousand times over. Just wanted to take a minute say that.
I’d get it all out at once for the same reasons you mentioned. One and done, baby! Good luck.
I hope you mean that you will be having a colonoscopy and not a colostomy. Get yourself an appt with a gastro doctor and have a colonoscopy. I assume from your statement regarding non-cancerous polyps you've had one or more in the past. We need you posting here, Glov. Get yourself checked.
I've had 3 preventative screenings since colon cancer runs in my family. My maternal grandfather died from the colon cancer. My mom survived colon cancer. She was diagnosed at the same age as her father, 59 and 1/2 years. Scary stuff. Unfortunately, my mom dies from pancreatic cancer 13 years after having colon cancer. I am 55 and have had 3 colonoscopies. Only small benign polyps. Just had one in September of last year.
For the prep, I don't use the solution the docs typically prescribe. That **** is horrible. I use a combo of Ducolax (3-4 capsules), one 12 oz Magnesium Citrate (lemon lime since it is nearly colorless), and Miralax mixed with G2 Gatorade (lemon-lime, or any flavor that is clear). Two nights before your procedure, drink the Mag Citrate in the evening. Then, the day before the procedure, you take the 3-4 Doculax first. Then, about 4 hours later you mix the Miralax with the Gatorade (32 oz). Then, 6 hours later, mix and drink another 32 oz of Gatorade and Miralax. I typically mix about 3 oz. of Miraxlax in with the Gatorade. You'll have to drink some Gatorade before mixing, otherwise, your bottle will overflow.
When I went in for my consultation I saw a nurse practitioner and not the Gastro doc. I told her I don't use the prep they prescribe. She said that the Miralax prep works well for people when used with Ducolax and Mag Citrate.
Good luck, Glov!
Just an update that may be helpful to some people. Mostly things are going well. Met with interventional endoscopist and he tried to convince me to have his procedure. However, he did say that until he went in and looked at the particular polyp, he couldn't say whether he could remove it. I just want to get this over with, so I will go with removing 4 inches of colon. He said one thing that conflicted with what the original endoscopist told me. He said that my large polyp was pre-cancerous. My previous endoscopist said the polyp was not pre-cancerous, but was in the final stage before it would become pre-cancerous. Understand their are subtleties here, but I wish the docs would get their terminology together.
When I saw, surgeon, he didn't originally tell me that I needed a pre-op physical and an ekg. Was told that when I confirmed schedule and operation. My family practitioner was real good about getting those scheduled quickly, for which I thank her. Wish I had been told originally.
As a side issue, all of my blood tests were real good except HDL (which was 52 -- not bad, but not good) In such a situation American College of Cardiology recommends an anti-high-cholesterol anti-statin drug, which I am strongly predisposed not to take because my family history has very little heart disease and I am in pretty good shape.
Hope this general summary may be useful for some posters.
When I saw, surgeon, he didn't originally tell me that I needed a pre-op physical and an ekg. Was told that when I confirmed schedule and operation. My family practitioner was real good about getting those scheduled quickly, for which I thank her. Wish I had been told originally.
As a side issue, all of my blood tests were real good except HDL (which was 52 -- not bad, but not good) In such a situation American College of Cardiology recommends an anti-high-cholesterol anti-statin drug, which I am strongly predisposed not to take because my family history has very little heart disease and I am in pretty good shape.
Hope this general summary may be useful for some posters.
Daily Buck:
The pre-op physical and ECG is pretty standard for any surgery so is considered best practice to avoid unanticipated complications. The HDL of 52 is actually normal. An HDL > 60 is considered protective against heart disease so you are right that higher is better but 52 is still normal. Best of luck for a speedy recovery!
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WISE ADVICE! TO ALL OF YOU 50 OR OVER (or with family history) GET THE DAMN COLONOSCOPY!!! It's really not that bad...unless you wake up to bad news.
Sounds like we walked a similar path. I put off the colonoscopy until I was just over 51 (b/c I was invincible), finally, I responded to my PCP's persistent nagging, and was shocked to learn I had colon cx that had spread to the liver. Waiting could have cost me my life. Thank God, I got great surgeons and oncologists involved and treatment yielded far better results than I could have ever expected and I'm doing great.
As for the OP's question - I agree with those who suggest the definitive course. Recovery won't be that bad. Don't leave anything to chance.
Very glad to hear of your good results. My first wife, being a hepatitis carrier (but not having the disease --she was exposed to blood as a Chinese doctor) didn't check for liver cancer as she should of about every 6 months and when they finally found it, it was the size of a football. She died 3 months later.
My mom beat colon cancer at age 55. She is now 90. If detected early enough, colon cancer is pretty easy to beat. Get those colonoscopies, polyps removed, and PSA tests on a scheduled basis.
I'm very sorry to hear that. My sympathies. The tumor on my liver was only about 1cm. All things considered, I'm pretty fortunate.
I was like this guy^^^^. At age 47 I had an irritation in the abdomen. They found a mass the size of a peach at the junction of the small and large intestine (ileo-cecal junction). Biopsy reveled what was thought to be non-cancerous mass. Because it was so big it was blocking the emptying from the small intestine to the large intestine (ileo-cecal valve). Went to Mayo in Rochester and they removed the mass. Surgery was a Hemi-colonectomy. 6" of the small and 12" of the large intestine were removed and I was spliced back together. Turned out to be a Lipoma (fatty tumor). About the recovery...… you will have "ileus", this is where the intestine ceases to have the great contractions that it normally does. It will take a few days for this to come around. (feels like a bowling ball in your abdomen)
NOTE: they won't let you out of the hospital until you have a bowel movement. Today I am as good as ever. Recovery was about 4 weeks and took a lot out of me (and yes I was in good shape). Only side effect that I ever had was "eating lettuce". The ileo-cecal junction slows down movement of some stuff so that it can be digested.... without this junction... stuff seems to move through me faster than normal. Good luck and do what's right. By the way, with my surgery, because I was thin (not fat) they did a 3" incision so that was minimal.
My wife just had this surgery. She recommends half a fifth of
The Yamazaki single malt as soon as possible after surgery.
Good Luck .....
The Yamazaki single malt as soon as possible after surgery.
Good Luck .....
Great to hear EB. The liver, pancreas, and lungs are what they told me are the most likely placed for C to potentially spread.
Hope your path continues to be positive!
Sorry to hear of this Buck. You have experienced both sides of this from the "couple" perspective. God bless you! I honestly could not have done it without the support of my wife. What they go through on these journeys is indescribable, and it is rarely discussed.
Good luck with your procedure - please keep us posted on your progress!
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One other suggestion. Surgeons are very good these days and they specialize. Find one who does LOTS of these.... just not the guy at the local hospital who has done a few. You probably don't have a MAYO in your area, however, my surgeon did 2-3 of these per week and was very good. The old surgeon that I saw stated: "Heck no I won't do your surgery... these young guys are way better and more advanced then me". So don't shy away from the young Docs
One other suggestion. Surgeons are very good these days and they specialize. Find one who does LOTS of these.... just not the guy at the local hospital who has done a few. You probably don't have a MAYO in your area, however, my surgeon did 2-3 of these per week and was very good. The old surgeon that I saw stated: "Heck no I won't do your surgery... these young guys are way better and more advanced then me". So don't shy away from the young Docs
Thanks for the suggestion. The surgical coordinator told me on occasion, my surgeon had done 3 of these surgeries in one day. He has had a lot of experience. He is also 42 years-old.
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If you are disposed to tell me: How long was her recovery period?
You must be thankful every day you wake up in the morning. My wife's gastrointestinal specialist said that if liver tumors were more than 3 cm, there was a 100% chance they would re-occur. If you had waited several more months, you could have been in a really bad spot. Very glad that you have had such great results.
I’m on life support tonight in La Quinta, CA having played The Stadium Course at PGA West this afternoon, so this will be brief, very brief.
Fonzie is back in IL barking for dailybuck777 and all of you that have been (or are) fighting various medical issues.....and barking for all of you that have shared your experiences and / or have offered words of encouragement.
Fonzie aside, you will all be in my thoughts and prayers tonight.
Fonzie is back in IL barking for dailybuck777 and all of you that have been (or are) fighting various medical issues.....and barking for all of you that have shared your experiences and / or have offered words of encouragement.
Fonzie aside, you will all be in my thoughts and prayers tonight.
Put your head between your legs and kiss your polyp goodbye
That's the guy you want to cut you
Good luck and my prayers will be with you.
Yep, and I believe in many instances the Dr. would have just removed a smaller polyp during the colonoscopy. As I remember he removed a couple small polyps when I had mine.....
Absolutely right. Get the colonoscopy even if there is no family history. The company I have worked for for over 40 years always had a 5 year required physical. At 40 years of age, it is first required, and then those follow ups every 5 years after that.
Just out got out from surgery about an hour ago. when I got out it felt like a four or five in terms of pain on a scale of 10. Right now it feels like a one or two. Unless there are complications, seems like I made the right decision. of course, I have to wait for the pathology report to see the full picture of what has occurred. But since it was only one polyp and they took out a fair amount of colon, I am not that concerned about that. One minor issue is that they have a tube going into my penis. Not that easy to pee.
This spooked me a bit. However, as I said, I'm feeling pretty good. Thanks to everyone for their help and concern.
This spooked me a bit. However, as I said, I'm feeling pretty good. Thanks to everyone for their help and concern.
I assume you are staying in the hospital for a couple of days since part of your colon was removed. Glad to hear you're feeling okay following the surgery. You made the right decision. I've had 3 colonoscopies since colon cancer runs in my family. I've just had small polyps removed.
The catheter will probably be removed in 24 hours. They most likely will have you up and about later today or first thing tomorrow morning. Best of luck in your recovery. I hope the pathology is negative and you can get on with your life once you heal from the surgery.
An hour? It took you an HOUR to check in here? You’re just laying around in bed with nothing else to do?
Seriously, glad you are doing well.....
Seriously, glad you are doing well.....
Thanks. Literally I do have nothing else to do.
Also, hoping that my experience might help others. Not everyone is going to have a good result, but in my one instance so far I have had one.
Thanks. Literally I do have nothing else to do.
All the best to you sir.
And, what about the HOT NURSES fawning all over you??
All the best to you sir.
And, what about the HOT NURSES fawning all over you??
My valuables are on display for all to see and admire under my gown.
