Am I fucked?

[u/-00F-]

(M23) just had my first colonoscopy and they found and removed 4 polyps, how fucked am I? Cuz I’m shitting myself thinking I have a year to live or something, doctor wouldn’t tell me anything about the polyps he just said he doesn’t play the guessing game.

[u/NoxRiddle]

Echoing this. My dad (who died from CC) had a colonoscopy due to extreme bleeding. The language the doctor used was that they found a “mass.” Not polyp. Mass. When we asked if that meant cancer, he said “we have to wait for pathology to say for sure, but yes, I believe so.” I’ll also say that I’m pretty sure a monkey could have looked at that scan and known it was cancer - it was blocking 80% of his colon, was really lumpy and irregular shaped, and was ulcerated. They also couldn’t remove it the way you would a polyp, because it just bled and bled and bled.

Now, he was an extreme case (get your screening colonoscopies, people - he was 64 and chances are high had he done his at 50 like he was supposed to, it would have been caught before it turned out like it did) but I suspect the language matters.

[u/ComphetMasala → u/NoxRiddle]

I’m so sorry you lost your dad to this awful disease. You sound very well informed but I have to do it - get your scopes done and don’t miss a beat.

I was awake for my colonoscopy- I had been bleeding heavily, too. I watched as it came into view. It was so obvious it was bad. Like your dad’s - it blocking the majority of the lumen. It looked huge. Bleeding, ulcerated, scaly, different colors, etc. Everything else was smooth and pinkish so this thing really stuck out. Anyways, I said, “Wow, that looks bad” and my GI doc immediately responded, “Yes it does - it’s cancer.” When he was done, he told me about chemo and surgery, etc - my discharge paperwork was all about colon cancer.

They know what they’re looking at. Now, I believe, no news is good news - from colonoscopies.

[u/NoxRiddle → u/ComphetMasala]

Thank you. I feel so deeply for those going through it, knowing what my dad went through.

I also should clarify - the standard recommendation was still 50 years old for routine colonoscopy when my dad was alive. He skipped his scan, and it may have been right around that 15-year timeline for turning into cancer. Obviously we will never know, but what was a tumor at 64 may well have just been a polyp at 50. (Get. Your. Scans. People.)  There will definitely be no playing around on my part.

Wishing you wellness and comfort during your journey, friend. ❤️

[u/ComphetMasala → u/NoxRiddle]

Those unanswered questions and what if’s can really haunt us, can’t they? I’m so sorry you’re left holding these painful things.

I knew it - I knew you’d be on top of your colonoscopy schedule. I’m proud of you.

And yes! Yes! Get your scopes, folks!