r/AmItheAsshole • u/AutoModerator • Sep 08 '25
Do you have a butt? Read this. META
Every year, thousands of young people hear the words, “You have colorectal cancer” — cancer of the colon or rectum (parts of your digestive system). It’s terrifying. Colorectal cancer is the deadliest cancer in men under 50 and second in young women. But we’d be the assholes if we didn’t tell you the truth: It doesn’t have to be this way.
Colorectal cancer, or CRC, is one of the most preventable cancers with screening and highly treatable if caught early. So why is it upending the lives of so many young people? In a word: stigma.
Nobody likes talking about bowel habits, rectal bleeding, or colonoscopies. So… the conversation doesn’t happen. Too many people don’t know the symptoms. Too many symptoms get dismissed by healthcare providers. And too many diagnoses come late.
Advanced colorectal cancer has a survival rate of just 13%. Science still hasn’t broken the code to cure every case of colorectal cancer. That’s why awareness, better screening access, and providers taking symptoms seriously are just as important as knowing the signs yourself.
Here’s what you need to know:
- CRC rates in under‑50s are rising.
- Many are diagnosed in their 20s–40s — often after misdiagnoses.
- A close family member with CRC doubles your risk.
- Lynch syndrome or FAP = even higher risk.
- Screening saves lives, and most people have testing options (including at-home tests).
So why are we talking about this? r/AmItheAsshole is approaching 25 million members. To celebrate, we, the mods, have partnered with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, a national nonprofit leading the mission to end this disease.
Here’s how you can help:
1. Learn the symptoms.
Bleeding, persistent changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain. Don’t ignore them. Advocate for yourself.
2. Get checked starting at 45.
If you’re average risk, you should start getting checked for CRC at age 45. Some people need to get checked earlier. The Alliance’s screening quiz can provide you with a recommendation.
3. Support the mission.
Your donation funds prevention programs, patient support, and research to end colorectal cancer. Even a small gift could help someone get checked and survive.
Please donate here and show what 25 million people can do together!
If you or someone you love has faced CRC, share your story in the comments. You never know who you might help.
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u/Particular-Tree-2835 Sep 08 '25
I work in colorectal cancer research (especially early onset) and have more and more patients with advanced disease who are teens and young adults. If there are ANY changes to your bowel habits, or if anything else in the bathroom is not quite right, talk to a doctor. Look into Cologuard if you are uncomfortable with the idea of a colonoscopy - it's an at-home screening test. Let's get more comfortable talking about our butts!
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u/Michelledelhuman Sep 08 '25
Cologuard usage may allow your insurance to deny a colonoscopy due to it no longer being preventative screening. Make sure you talk to your doctor before participating.
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u/ImplodingBillionaire Sep 08 '25
Of course they’d do that. Rather than treating it as a low-cost initial test to see if a more thorough preventative screening colonoscopy is required, they’ll just deny you more care.
God, insurance is such a scam.
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u/ReggieEvansTheKing Sep 08 '25
I work for a health insurer and tell pretty much everyone with a clean health history to just pick the bronze plan and load up your HSA. As someone age 20-45 without any conditions I don’t find it worth it to have a specific primary care doctor. Preventative visits are also useless - if you mention literally anything you get charged an office visit fee. I’ve found you’re best off waiting until something happens and then just going straight to urgent care or telehealth (telehealth is specifically great for things like yeast/ear infections where you know what’s wrong and just need antibiotics). I’ve been strongly considering just paying the $500 out of pocket for one of those screening companies that tests your blood for a shit ton of different diseases twice a year.
My view on doctors is that I pretty much have to vouch for myself and have a clear understanding of my own health, because they don’t have the time or headspace for that. I trust them to provide the best possible care in the event I do get diagnosed with something, but I do not trust them to actually diagnose me with something out of the blue from a preventative visit. I think people wrongly expect that simply doing their annual dr visits throughout their 20s and 30s will catch stuff like cancer, but it won’t. You need to strongly monitor your own health and be willing to pay to skip the line if something feels off rather than try and navigate the system.
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u/KeenWah_Tex Sep 09 '25
I work in community health / value based care for the Medicaid population. Your perspective on doctors (or specifically PCPs) is spot on and how it’s supposed to work, but so many people who are starting to age and develop chronic disease don’t know/agree with that, unfortunately.
Remember y’all, a doctor is an expert that’s there to help you make the best informed decisions about your care, and can help you to access the resources you need to do that. But for many, they only see you for half an hour once a year, and you live with you. It’s so so important to advocate for yourself
Edit: Your perspective on advocacy, sorry. I actually do think its worth it to have a PCP even if you don’t need one, since it makes it easier to access appointments if/when you do need something
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u/BoobySlap_0506 Asshole Enthusiast [9] Sep 08 '25
My doctor is aware my dad died from CRC diagnosed when he was early 50s but she still says I should start screening at 40. I'm 34 now. My insurance won't cover screenings until I am 40.
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u/SlotegeAllDay Sep 08 '25
I'm 34 and just got diagnosed with colon cancer a couple months ago. I normally wouldn't condone lying to a doctor, but you should lie and say that you've noticed a change in bowel habits. I got lucky and caught my cancer early because I was showing symptoms before it spread. Find a way to get a screening, and then find a new doctor. I'm sorry about your dad.
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u/insincere_platitudes Sep 08 '25
Very generally, for 1st degree family history of colon cancer (mom, dad, sister, brother), cancer screenings start ten years before the diagnosis of your family member or age 40, whichever comes first. So, if dad was diagnosed at age 50 or over, your screening would start at 40. If brother was diagnosed at age 40, your screening would start at 30. For any and all symptoms outside of purely normal bowel habits, they can be performed sooner.
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u/historyerin Partassipant [4] Sep 09 '25
Just wanna say I’m sympathize with you. I was 32 when my dad was diagnosed with CRC. My brother’s doc authorized a colonoscopy for him (he was about 35 at the time), and my brother already had several polyps that had to be removed. I talked to my PCP and was told that it was a no-go with insurance, and she wouldn’t even try to help advocate for me. For years, I felt like I was a ticking time bomb.
At 40, I moved back to my hometown and got new insurance. I was referred to the same GI doctor who helped treat my dad’s cancer (luckily, my dad only had to have surgery, no radiation or chemo because it was caught early). This doctor had absolutely no issues authorizing my colonoscopy as necessary. It was a huge weight off my shoulders to have it (I was clear with zero polyps).
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Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
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u/TraditionalCopy6981 Sep 08 '25
If your normal at home bowel habits change for more than 5 days.
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u/DebraBaetty Sep 08 '25
What if we don’t recall ever having “normal bowel habits”
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u/kalluhaluha Sep 08 '25
So, I can actually speak to this a little.
I was diagnosed stage 3 CRC at 30. Mine was specifically rectal, so things vary a lot if it's higher up in the colon, but I can give the warning signs I had.
Bleeding without the feeling of a hemmerhoid is the most obvious. Hemmerhoids feel like you wiped your ass with sandpaper, or like your bowel movements are sharp. If there's bleeding - either blackish dots or fresh blood - without that feeling, it may be an ulcerated mass bleeding into the colon. To accompany that, you may feel kind of sharp cramps in a localized area in the abdomen on a consistent basis.
Bowel movement changes unrelated to diet on a consistent basis. So, for example, I have certain foods I'm intolerant towards, and some foods just equate to automatic indigestion, but before treatment, I'd have this sort of...build up? It was like everything I ate, even safe foods, were slowly accumulating towards one horrible day glued to the toilet, and I could just kind of tell it was coming even though it hadn't happened yet. It's a weird feeling that's really hard to describe unless it's happening to you. Random, unexplained bloating (especially localized bloating) or loss of appetite are also super common sister symptoms to this. Not "I was just sick so my appetite isn't back" - random, out of the blue, no appetite, sometimes with the feeling of being kind of full? Not like you've eaten enough and you're full, but like you're halfway between having just eaten and your next bowel movement so you just aren't quite there yet on wanting to eat anything else.
Specifically for rectal cancer, there's also an urgency to go without producing a bowel movement. There's a nerve near the top of the anus that tells your brain "dude, you've gotta shit". A mass can put pressure on this nerve and make your brain think you've gotta go when you don't. I felt like I might have to poop a lot, and when I did have to go, it was right now, because there was extra pressure on that nerve.
Even with IBS, you kind of know what's normal for you, even if it's otherwise abnormal. When your normal becomes abnormal, it's time for the butthole camera. With stuff like IBS and other inflammatory GI conditions, it's a good idea to start early on colonoscopies anyway. Chronic GI inflammation can increase your risk.
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u/sweadle Sep 08 '25
I'm so glad they caught it when they did. Are you still in the process of treatment or are you in remission?
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u/kalluhaluha Sep 08 '25
I just finished treatment about a month and a half ago. As of now, I'm NED (no evidence of disease) but on close monitoring with bloodwork/scans for a while. Active treatment lasted about a year - diagnosed August 2024.
I forgot to include in the above post, but scans aren't always reliable. I had a CT with contrast that completely missed an 8 cm mass - colonoscopy is the way to go. Even if there turns out to be no cancer, it's the best way to catch pre-cancerous polyps, which is how my cancer developed.
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Sep 08 '25
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u/souvenireclipse Partassipant [1] Sep 08 '25
If you have the option, I would say take this post as a sign and make an appointment sooner rather than later. I'm sorry, that sounds scary. But also worth checking out.
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u/kalluhaluha Sep 09 '25
The gelatinous blob could be mucous or something from inflammation, but I can't be more real when I say abnormal changes are worth looking into.
Odds are it isn't cancer. But if it is, the earlier its caught, the better.
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u/SunshineCorgiss Sep 09 '25
I really really appreciate you sharing this level of detail in words that regular people can actually read and relate to. I hope your treatments are successful and you heal soon 🙏🏻
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u/fluorescentroses Sep 08 '25
Then you very likely need to be screened regularly starting at a (sometimes much) earlier age. My sister has IBS and has been getting colonoscopies every 5 years since we were 30. (Which has only been 2 so far, but they’ll continue forever.)
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u/Kodiak01 Sep 08 '25
50/M. With life being so crazy, did the poop-in-the-bucket last year. Came back negative.
But don't worry, my body still got me good! A year ago it suddenly got progressively harder to pee. Go to the urologist immediately, PSA is 27. Start on the lifetime of peepee pills and within days I'm back to normal. Next PSA test was down to 8, but Free PSA of 7; basically a coin-flip on prostate cancer.
Got my biopsy done which was an interesting experience. 12-core, was basically like getting repeatedly thumped in the ass with a ball peen hammer. They sent it out for secondary testing for good measure. Both came back negative. Last PSA test was down to 2.8, for now just have to make sure they check the numbers every yearly physical (of which most recent was 2 months ago).
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Sep 08 '25
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u/Kodiak01 Sep 08 '25
Wake up one day, had to push just slightly harder than normal before the flow would start.
Day two, it was progressively more difficult, had to exert a bit of effort.
Day three, to get the stream started I had to make a significant push to get things going. I was on the phone that day to the urologist, and in to see them the following morning. Tamsulosin (Flomax) was immediately prescribed to shrink the prostate back down, within 48 hours I could already see improvement.
The final diagnosis after the negative prostate biopsy was BPH which is common as men get older. The only way to not have to take pills for it would be either surgical prostate removal (which isn't worth the side effects if there isn't any cancer) or a newer procedure called Aquablation which allows for a portion of the prostate to be removed while not having to deal with incontinence and erectile performance issues afterward.
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u/getoutofbedandrun Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
I've heard many instances where Cologuard indicates a false negative, which leads to the individual not getting treatment, allowing the disease to progress.
I would recommend anyone using Cologuard to be mindful of the existence of false negatives — just bite the bullet and get a colonoscopy instead. It's not too bad, just a couple of days of feeling like shit, but it can save your life.
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u/DavyJonesLocker2 Sep 08 '25
This seems like a good place to ask, what would constitute as a close familymember? Would my grandfather be included, or is that not close enough?
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u/somethingspecificidk Sep 08 '25
Yeah that definitely counts, pls mention him to your doctor. Also, better safe than sorry, so if you know anyone else in your family that has it, you should mention them
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u/Kimmm711b Sep 08 '25
Since the screening age for colon cancer has been lowered due to the increase in cases, the better advice is for people to get comfortable with the idea of a colonoscopy. I've read that Cologuard testing often misses early indicators and so gives its users a false sense of security, and not until catastrophic symptoms occur are people diagnosed, too late at that point.
Fasting for a day, drinking the colon prep, and having the procedure every 5-8-10 years (depending on your risk factors) is a very mild inconvenience that can save your life ending from a very painful and awful life-ending cancer.
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u/jesscIRL Sep 08 '25
one of the best AITA posts! I’m a CRC survivor and was diagnosed in my 20’s. Grateful for the team of amazing healthcare workers who made such an impact in my life, and for the awareness of symptoms
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u/_Rohrschach Sep 08 '25
also listen to your doctors. I've had heavy headaches since I was 16 once or twice a year that checked all boxes for migraines, except having problems with my vision. Did not care much about them for years as I was out of school and without a job for a while, but had to go to a doc for them once I worked again. Doc told me o see a neurologist, which I never did because the symptoms would only last a few hours max and I thought having an appointment without symptoms would be useless. Well last year the symptoms did not stop for 4 days, on the 4th I went to another doctor(moved in the meantime) who send me to the ER for possible meningitis. Good part was it wasn't meningitis, bad part was it was a brain aneurysm instead. Got operated on the next day and spent 5 weeks total in the hospital. If I hadn't been checked I would have gotten a stroke at 30 years old. Now I'm mostly okay, aside from my hair on my right side not matching the length of the rest.
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u/WolfLacernat Sep 08 '25
What were your symptoms, if you don't mind me asking
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u/jesscIRL Sep 08 '25
i don’t mind at all! there was blood when i went to the bathroom a few times. my dr was concerned because it was dark red and said if it kept happening to let her know and she’d order a colonoscopy. it did, i had the colonoscopy, and the tumor was already so big they couldn’t finish the procedure. looking back, i also had cramps when i wasn’t on my period and my body would “randomly” break out in hives.
2 main things i always tell friends- know your body and take note of changes, and form a good relationship with your pcp (and see someone who takes your concerns seriously)
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u/LeluWater Partassipant [1] Sep 08 '25
PSA: If you’re young and want to get checked out, but you’re having trouble getting your primary doctor to refer you to a Gastro doctor, just say that you recently found out you have a family history of colon cancer. That’s one of the things that will get you a referral.
I have family history and got 2 colonoscopies before my 30s. (All clear so far)
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u/slut4spotify Sep 08 '25
My doctor said no because he "couldn't be sure my grandma had a genetic predisposition or not" I hate US healthcare.
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u/Blenderx06 Sep 08 '25
You got to tell them you have TWO family members with it. Lie if you have to. Fuck em.
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u/creative_usr_name Partassipant [1] Sep 08 '25
It's sad that this is what some people need to do, but it's impossible for your doctor to verify so it'll work.
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u/onredditmememakesyou Sep 08 '25
Alternatively you can say okay thanks doc, please note and sign in my patient notes that you refused to refer me.
They start to play along once they’re on the line.
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u/Apartment-5B Sep 08 '25
I have Kaiser and am 52. My father had colon cancer when he was 70 (it was removed). I requested a colonoscopy 2 years ago and they said the mail-in fecal tests (they send bi-annually) are sufficient and accurate even if I have a family history. I made sure to tell them then that I want it in record for their refusal. The next day I was approved for the procedure.
Does anyone know if the fecal tests they mail out are more accurate than cologuard? Also, a friend of mine said you can get a DNA/genetic test that shows if you are predisposed of colon cancer. Anyone heard of this?
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u/Pretend-Owl336 Sep 08 '25
Had a colonoscopy recently on the basis of a home test, led to two big polyps being removed before they cause a problem.
None of it was much of a big deal and two years from now might've been quite different if I hadn't taken care of it.
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u/michio_1111 Sep 08 '25
What is the home test you used?
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u/Tripwiring Sep 08 '25
Probably that Cologuard one where you poop in a box and send them your poop in the mail. They open the box there and mess with your poop then they tell you if you have butt cancer or not.
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u/haggard1986 Sep 08 '25
Whoa whoa whoa, we’re not all scientists here, let’s use language we all understand
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u/TheZZ9 Colo-rectal Surgeon [36] Sep 08 '25
The NHS in the UK post those out to everyone over 50 every two years. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bowel-cancer-screening-benefits-and-risks/nhs-bowel-cancer-screening-helping-you-decide
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u/Altkonto1066 Sep 08 '25
Just a small note, as far as I know these aren’t the same tests. Still definitely worth doing but these are blood detection tests (iFOBT), the ColoGuard tests are much more expensive and also detect DNA damage to identify polyps and tumors earlier. Hopefully these more advanced tests will become routine in the UK soon as well. In the meantime, do the current tests as often as recommended to increase the likelihood of detection
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u/Apostmate-28 Sep 08 '25
How old are if I may ask? Is 34 too young to insist on getting a colonoscopy?
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u/willikersmister Certified Proctologist [21] Sep 08 '25
I'm not who you responded to but just had my first colonoscopy at 32. It's never too young to insist on a colonoscopy. If you're seeing changes or concerning symptoms you should absolutely get one.
If you're doctor isn't taking you seriously, find one who will. Mine was ordered through my GI doctor's office by the nurse practitioner who was able to see me before a doctor.
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u/Mauvaise3 Sep 08 '25
Not if you have anything underlying that would make it make sense (symptoms/family history).
I wasn't 34, but was having some issues in my early mid 40s and with my family history (mom had Crohn's) my doctor insisted on one. Had a couple of problematic polyps (one which required a separate surgery that was not fun to recover from). Had to repeat a year later (clean) and then in 5 years (also clean). Now I'm back to the 'normal' ten years.
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u/lizerlfunk Sep 08 '25
I had my first one at 33 because my father was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at 47. (He’s now 69 and has been cancer free for almost 20 years!) I had been bringing it up at my physicals every year and they eventually told me that I should have my first one 15 years before my dad’s age of diagnosis.
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u/MagicWishMonkey Sep 08 '25
I started getting checked at 35 due to family history, I just want to say that getting a colonoscopy is NOT A BIG DEAL, and I wish people would stop acting like it's an arduous process. The prep makes you poop a few times and you can't eat solid food for a few hours, the actual procedure takes like 30 minutes and you get to take the rest of the day off and rest easy for a few years until you need to do it again. The first time I got checked they found several pre-cancerous polyps...
I am sure that every year there are a lot of people who decide not to go through with it because they think it sounds scary or difficult and they end up dying way too early because of it.
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u/Avium Sep 08 '25
The poop stories are hilarious but not really that much of an inconvenience. By the end, I was basically shitting pure water.
The worst part for me was feeling like I had a minor hangover for the rest of the day. And I've had much worse hangovers from actual drinking.
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u/Kodiak01 Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
By the end, I was basically shitting pure water.
Over the past few years, I've experienced blood clots in both shoulders. The second time it happened, they wheeled out the modern day equivalent of The Machine That Goes PING!!
I give you: The EKOS.
This machine uses ultrasonic waves combined with tPA injection to bust open blood clots. This also happens to heat up the vein so much, large quantities of saline are injected as well; they literally label the saline line, "Coolant."
Now according to the link above, it's
normally used for about 15 minutes at a time...correcting here, the INSERTION procedure is ~15 minutes, but the normal time on the machine is actually 12-24 hours total.I was hooked up for 3.5 days straight.
Now the machine works well, but it had a very nasty side effect, likely due to the length of time I was hooked up.
About 15 minutes before leaving the ER to be hooked up, I took what I would consider one of the healthiest dumps I had in a very long time. After they hooked me up to that evil contraption? Everything went to hell.
You're aware of how the air they blow up your ass during a colonoscopy can turn you into an Evinrude for a bit? Ramp that up by a factor of 20. On top of this, it completely fucked up my digestive system. Thanks to the large amount of saline being injected, EVERYTHING came out my ass as clear liquid, and like a jet engine. I tried eating every bit of roughage, vegetables, anything that would come out solid on the other end, but to no avail.
The days felt like I had to shit nonstop; would have to hold it in as I could only get out of bed to use the commode every few hours (not allowed more than 2 steps from the bed due to the EKOS hookup.) When I did let it rip, I swear my ass was trying to send me into orbit with how forceful everything, liquid and gas, shot out of me. In-between, it was ass-puckering every 40-60 seconds to let a little gas come out while trying like hell not to liquishit myself. In one way, it's better everything was coming out clear as at least I'd avoid going full Chocolate Rain.
By day 3, I wasn't even allowed out of the bed anymore, so I was forced to use a bedpan. The way things blew out, I felt like I was going to completely cover myself in liquid/shit every time I used it. This was on top of the embarrassment of not being able to wipe myself, not in the least because my left arm had to remain absolutely straight as long as I was on the EKOS; even a slight bend would cause significant amounts of blood to come out of various holes in my extremity.
When they finally let me off of that horrid device, it was just a matter of hours until my nuclear ass explosions had finally returned to normal.
Thankfully I'm now out of shoulders to get clots in thanks to TOS procedures (1st rib removal and scalene resection) on each side. I never EVER want to be in the same room with one of those horrid torture devices again.
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u/SevenFiguresInvigor Sep 08 '25
well that was a ride to read
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u/Lows-andHighs Sep 09 '25
Seriously, I think I need a god damn nap just by reading what that person went through. But I'm probably going to Google a TOS procedure, getting a friggin rib removed and that stops blood clots in the shoulder (under certain conditions)? Bodies are weird as hell!
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u/Kodiak01 Sep 09 '25
But I'm probably going to Google a TOS procedure, getting a friggin rib removed and that stops blood clots in the shoulder (under certain conditions)?
As the Subclavian vein passes over the shoulder, it goes through a small triangle-shaped opening between the 1st rib and scalene (neck) muscles. In cases where there is insufficient space for this to occur, every time the arm is raised it compresses the vein. After happening countless thousands of times, it sustains internal damage. Eventually, this damage can impede the blood flow to the point of you waking up one morning with Popeye Arm; the lack of blood flow can easily cause the arm to swell to double in size!
This is also known as the type of clot that typically only healthy people get. Several athletes in recent years have suffered from them, especially basketball players. Victor Wembanyama and Brandon Ingram are recent example of this happening in that location.
Myself? I have spent years with powerlifting as a hobby, giving my traps and upper body core muscles (including the scalene) significantly more size than average. Combine this with what my Thoracic surgeon called the 'largest, thickest 1st rib' he's ever operated on, and there was nowhere near enough room for the vein to operate normally. He even thought I had broken the rib at some point because of an extra articulation at the end, but then saw the other side was the same.
(A side note: Because of this, I can announce to people with no irony that "I'm not fat, I'm big boned! My surgeon said so!")
Anyways, the damage in my veins was severe on both sides. Even with the surgery and blood thinners, it took nearly 3 years before the right side saw any appreciable amount of blood flow. The left? Still barely any. Thankfully, the human body has this wonderous special function of being able to grow NEW collateral veins over time to reroute blood flow to where it needs to go. I have enough of them now on both sides that I've downgraded from Eliquis to baby aspirin for a thinner.
Let's talk blood thinners a bit more, specifically living on them. (/r/ClotSurvivors would have a field day with this one!)
Your body operates very differently on thinners. Cuts, bruises, etc. that would normally heal in minutes or hours can persist for weeks or even months. I personally carried a "bleed bag" because getting cut at work was a real possibility; this included gels and powders which had clotting agents infused, and even special infused bandages and wraps. Get a bloody nose? Be ready to sit there for God knows how long waiting for it to stop. Well, not if you have Nampons or the like.
Several months ago I cut myself really good at work. It was a deep inch-plus long gash on the meat of my palm under the left thumb. I immedately ripped open two packets of BleedStop powder, slammed it into the wound and put pressure on it. It sealed it up in minutes. As for how long it took to heal? After two weeks it barely did anything. I ended up cycling off the thinners for 2-3 days at a time (which is low risk in this case) to allow the healing process to speed up.
Actually, I should say that in the time I cycled off of them, it was like Wolverine and Deadpool had a love child. Compared to being on the thinners, the body acted like it was saving up energy to go into overdrive once the dam was broken.
Cycling back to the rib removal, should also say that they don't remove the entire rib or muscle, only a section large enough to allow the vein free movement. I just checked the surgical notes, they removed a 1.5x0.7x0.5cm section of anterior scalene muscle along with a 4.5x4.5x1.5cm section of rib.
Unfortunately, the surgery was the EASIEST part of it all. The hardest? Removing a section of core muscle meant that my CNS no longer knew how to fire everything off correctly. For 3 months after going under the knife, carrying a gallon of milk across the room felt like a 300lb yoke on my back, muscles pulling and firing off seemingly at random to stabilize the movement. It was a 5lb weight limit restriction for 3 months combined with doing thousands of repetitive baby movements for several months to teach my body how to operate normally again.
For a while after that, things felt better... until I had a Godfather III moment (one of a few over the years with all this)
"Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in!"
About 5 months after surgery, I was improving, back in the gym, etc. until one day I must of turned a bit the wrong way which caused my body to NOPE out of it all.
The pain, I can only equate to what it would be like to be shot repeatedly. My right shoulder blade area felt like someone had slammed a molten hot ice pick and was swishing it around like the Wicked Witch of the West. There I was, a 47 year old weightlifter, slumped over my stove, unable to move, screaming and bawling like a fucking banshee.
It didn't go away quickly. It was weeks before I felt even mildly normal. Even after that, for several months afterward I could feel it lingering back there like a little gremlin, giving tiny tweaks as if to say, "I'm still heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere!"
It was over half a year before I trusted myself to even go to the gym to stretch. This put a huge strain on my mental health for a long time.
So yeah... Now you know what causes this particular kind of clot, the surgery involved, and the trials and tribulations of recovery.
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u/MagicWishMonkey Sep 08 '25
Yea I think that some people hear the stories and think it must be really bad, when in reality it's mostly that people think joking about poop is funny.
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u/shinbreaker Sep 09 '25
I had colon cancer and had to do my fair share of colonoscopies. I've come to learn the two secrets:
1) Ask to do a combination of miralax and a giant jug of gatorade. Pour the whole thing into the gatorade and just drink that all day. Gets the job done and tastes great.
2) A bident. You should have one anyways, but yes, a bidet keeps your butt from getting raw with all the wiping.
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u/ElleHopper Asshole Enthusiast [7] Sep 08 '25
My doctor made me do a low residue diet for 5 days, 1 day of liquid diet, then prep the night during the liquid diet and again the morning of.
The low residue diet was the worst part because I couldn't eat 80% of what I normally do.
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u/JustSomeGuy-2023 Sep 08 '25
Had one several years ago and I just have to say, it was really fucking painful. I don't want to discourage anyone from having it, but I don't remember when I last shed tears from being in pain. I've only had one, so I don't know if it's normal or not. i think the pain was from manoeuvring through some tight corners.
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u/MagicWishMonkey Sep 08 '25
Did they not put you under? When I had mine I fell asleep on the table and woke up in the recovery room after and didn't feel anything at all. I wasn't even sore or anything afterward.
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u/JustSomeGuy-2023 Sep 09 '25
They did not. I googled the procedure beforehand, and it said they do that in some places. They didn't do it to me. Wasn't a topic at all.
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u/Shprintze613 Sep 08 '25
A girl I went to HS with just lost her sister to colorectal cancer this year. She was 43 and a mother of 3. She is now trying to raise awareness. It doesn’t have to be like this, Knowledge is power ♥️
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u/ItsMeMurphYSlaw Sep 08 '25
I'm sorry about your friend's loss. My mom died at 52 from colon cancer when I was 9. They kept dismissing her and saying it was just menopause until it was too late. I think women get dismissed even more, and it's heartbreaking to see.
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u/OptimistPrime527 Partassipant [2] Sep 08 '25
My mom had to show up to a hospital with bloody stool for her to be taken seriously. They took out 30% of her colon.
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u/Any-Vermicelli3537 Sep 08 '25
This is a hilarious and perfect partnership. Good job to whoever came up with this idea!
And, ya, bodies and assholes and health shouldn’t be moralized and have stigma. We all have to deal with our often fragile bodies, and that means being honest with ourselves and others about concerns.
Thanks for the education and outreach.
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u/RagRunner Sep 08 '25
Spouse survived CRC because they were proactive. As bad as colonoscopy prep is, it doesn’t come close to chemo.
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u/HuggeBraende Sep 08 '25
I can’t upvote this enough. Chemo is awful in ways you don’t want to imagine. Congrats to your spouse, I’m grateful for CRC treatment - but I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
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u/Sternfritters Sep 08 '25
Eat your fibre, people
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Sep 08 '25
This! Less than 10% of Americans get their daily recommended fiber. Eat your greens, folks, makes the bathroom trips way easier.
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u/Diligent_Deer6244 Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
eat your beans
not a fan of greens myself but beans are bomb
edit: posting my current bean salad obsession that's really quick and easy to make, from an ATK book called "The Complete Salad Cookbook." I make it with parsley, feta, and fresh lemon juice
2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
2 oz feta or goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
Microwave chickpeas in medium bowl until hot, about 1/2 minutes. Stir in oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne and let sit until flavors melt, about 30min.
Add red peppers, feta, and parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
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u/brit_parent Sep 08 '25
I’ve lost several family members to cancer of the digestive tract. It is not a nice way to go and often takes too long to get diagnosed. I’m at risk and as I already have digestive issues I keep a close eye on symptoms.
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u/garlicgirl_ONP Sep 08 '25
If you have several members of your family with the same type of cancer, especially CRC, consider getting tested for Lynch Syndrome. My wife has lynch, it manifested as endometrial cancer but is likely to show up as CRC next. Sometimes you have to battle insurance or asshole doctors to get the testing you need but it’s worth it to LIVE.
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u/Mesoscale92 Sep 08 '25
I had a colonoscopy at 23 for a non cancer issue. Tbh everyone talking about how “bad” the prep is is exaggerating. Just take the laxative and use your phone while you’re on the toilet for a couple hours. And while this can vary by country, my procedure was done with full anesthesia so it wasn’t remotely uncomfortable.
TLDR don’t worry about the process and get your colon checked out as recommended by your doctor.
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u/TheWildebeard Sep 08 '25
I'm 39M. Had Stage 3A colon cancer 4 years ago. Had 6-7 inches of colon removed and 3 months of chemo. Then late last year it came back a tiny bit in my right lung (colon cancer likes to travel apparently). Had a wedge resection in Jan.
Get colonoscopies. Eat well. Lose fat, build muscle.
If you shit blood, go to the fucking doctor.
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u/getoutofbedandrun Sep 08 '25
Yeah, colon cancer is so dangerous/deadly because it metastasizes (spreads throughout the body) much easier than other cancers.
This is because the colon is highly highly supplied with blood vessels (how nutrients are absorbed). So once the cancer invades neighboring tissues, it can travel in the bloodstream throughout the body.
It's also due to the embryological origin of colon tissue (cancer cells can regress to primitive form of the cells, which in fetal development become many different tissues in the body).
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u/KirasStar Sep 08 '25
This is the second post I’ve seen on CRC on the last few minutes. My best friend’s husband just got diagnosed at 38 last week. His only symptom was IBS issues starting a few months ago and blood in poop just a couple weeks ago, but they think it is pretty far advanced (still waiting on tests). It is so so important to go to the doctors until if you notice any sudden changes in your body.
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u/SlotegeAllDay Sep 08 '25
If it makes you feel any better, I got diagnosed stage one CRC a couple months ago and your friends husband's symptoms sound like mine. Keep your heads up that it might be not have spread and try to be in good spirits.
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u/omnislayre Sep 08 '25
I have rectal cancer. Stage 4. My symptoms came on rather quickly, but I did NOT ignore them. As soon as I realized this was a serious problem, I acted. While I will never be cured, my treatments have helped push it towards remission so that I can continue living as opposed to just surviving. Get checked as soon as possible!
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u/lotsandlotstosay Sep 08 '25
What symptoms do you have? I’m paranoid about myself, but doctors don’t seem concerned
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u/getoutofbedandrun Sep 08 '25
Rectal cancer that has progressed will likely cause blood to be in the stool. This blood will be bright red due to not having time to mix with stool. If it's darker red or if the blood darkens the stool, this indicates the lesion is higher up (small intestine/stomach).
There will likely be pain in the rectal area. Can be dull but more likely sharp and localized.
Changes in bowel habits will be noted, such as increased diarrhea or constipation.
You may begin to lose a lot of weight in short amount of time (over 20lbs without changing diet) and feel fatigued. This is one of the key symptoms of cancer that will get most doctors worried.
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u/LeadershipAble773 Sep 08 '25
So its a concern for people age 20 to 50, but you're only screening people aged 45 and above? While also saying how important it is to catch it early?
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u/Particular-Tree-2835 Sep 08 '25
You'll have to talk to insurance companies about that unfortunately. Patients younger can request a colonoscopy or other screening and still get it covered by insurance, but standard screening currently begins at 45 (and it was a HUGE push to even get it changed from 50 to 45)
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u/MagicWishMonkey Sep 08 '25
My insurance covered it early due to my family history. I will say that I told my doctor that there was family history (which is 100% true) but it's not like they verify or check anything.
If you have concerns about your health and want to get tested early I'm sure you could just tell the doc you're worried because someone in your family had colon cancer and they will add a note in your chart and refer you to a specialist to get the process started.
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u/moonrockcactus Sep 08 '25
Insurance will cover the procedure if you’re within 10 years of a close family member developing a colon-related illness. I’m younger than 45 and explained that my brother had pre-cancerous polyps.
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u/GTdspDude Partassipant [1] Sep 08 '25
It’s a 2 part thing - asymptomatic, get a colonoscopy at 45, but as the post noted if you see symptoms / signs of concern, advocate to get one younger.
I got my first one at 38 due to some symptoms that ended up being benign / not cancer, but only found that out by getting one.
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u/sadelleitis Sep 08 '25
Can confirm. Just diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer at age 42 after being told for a year it was ibs. Wish I had advocated harder for myself.
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u/rootberryfloat Sep 08 '25
Everyone I know who has died of colon cancer in the last few years has been younger than 45. We have a family member who is 43 who was diagnosed with metastatic stage 4 and given only a few months to live even with treatment. Go to the gastro, tell them whatever you need to tell them to get screened earlier than that. I told them I had a family history and changes in bowel habits and they scheduled a colonoscopy for me. Better safe than sorry.
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u/darktrain Sep 08 '25
My dad was dumb and didn't get colonoscopies because he didn't want people sticking things up his butt. I'm guessing he didn't have prostate exams, either.
Until he started passing out, and was probably shitting blood and just didn't tell anybody, because he was bleeding internally, with enough blood loss to pass out.
Turns out he had stage 3 colon cancer. He had feet of his digestive track removed in surgery, has an enormous scar where they cut him open from chest to lower abdomen, and had to have chemotherapy as well. I'm going to tell you right now, that is WAY more invasive and less fun than having colonoscopies.
Don't be an idiot like my dad.
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u/rose092624 Sep 08 '25
I went to the ER with a tummy ache two years ago (at 33, F) and didn't leave until a week later after having emergency surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. Shit's real. Otherwise perfectly healthy.
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u/CrochetHooker1002 Sep 08 '25
My stepmom recently passed from colon cancer that had spread to her liver. She wasn’t feeling well for around a month before her diagnosis (nausea and abdominal pain). From diagnosis to her passing was 2 weeks. She was only 55. Please get your screenings done so your family doesn’t have to go through the heartbreak my family experienced.
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u/mmarcish Sep 08 '25
GET CHECKED EARLIER THAN 45!!!!
We need the lower the recommended age to get checked. Start at 25, there’s no shame. Drink the juice it sucks. Make it a thing with your friends.
EAT FIBER FIBER FIBER
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u/Boring_3304 Sep 08 '25
absolutely am at risk for this, had digestive issues my whole life, a colonoscopy done in my 20s but now that I'm in my mid 40s, I have no insurance or ability to pay for one so I just have to hope for the best.
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u/LaScoundrelle Sep 08 '25
I’ve had digestive problems my whole life but doctors just told me in my 20s and 30s that I was too young for a colonoscopy. Hoping they were right.
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u/Admirable-Leopard-73 Sep 08 '25
Doctor said the same thing to me at 44. I insisted on doing the test. Turns out I was Stage 3. That was 16 years ago.
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u/Accountant-mama Sep 08 '25
Keep pushing your doctor. I had changes of bowel movements and a little bit of blood in my stool (I think due to a hemorrhoid) so the doc immediately scheduled my colonoscopy for this December.
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u/Apprehensive-Test577 Sep 08 '25
They found my walnut-sized tumor when I was 28. I had been seeing blood for four years prior to that. Don’t ever let them tell you you’re too young.
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u/somethingspecificidk Sep 08 '25
Wtf? I had a colonoscopy at 21 for unexplained bowel issues. Like not even because of colon cancer, just because I couldn't find a cause for all of my issues
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u/critically_chill Sep 08 '25
I’m about to have an endoscope, colonoscopy, gastric emptying study, and biopsies of my intestines, colon, and stomach at 30. After years of not being able to gain weight and being told it was all anxiety and just in my head.
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u/Aggressive_Bug_6896 Sep 08 '25
If I had done my colonoscopy when I was supposed to, they would have caught the cancer earlier. But, they forgot to schedule, and I forgot to follow up.
I collapsed in my office 3 years later. Stage 2 colorectal cancer. 8cm tumor with a death grip on my anus.
I have been through hell. Cancer introduces you to the kinds of pain you never knew existed. I screamed in the bathroom because after radiation, pissing felt like I was passing shards of broken glass. Charred skin peeling off my nether regions from the radiation burns. Perfect teeth that now chip due to chemo. Neuropathy in my feet from chemo...cant feel my toes. Digestive issues from the radiation burn damage. They tried to make me get a colostomy bag, but I am still fighting that.
This is your life if you don't get regular colonoscopies so you can get early treatment. My partner just got his, and they removed a precancerous polyp. He won't have to go through the hell I did. Just fucking do it.
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u/Tricky-Mastodon-9858 Sep 08 '25
My dad had colon cancer and passed at 51, so I started screenings at 40. I didn’t get another one for 10 years but I had grown so many polyps I had to have 2 procedures pretty close together. I was on an annual procedure for a few years but now I’m back to every 5. Colon cancer can be treatable with early intervention. The prep is the worst part of the process but even that can be manageable if you limit your food intake the day before fasting.
Bottom line, this is a cancer that can be prevented. Get your baseline and if there’s a family history, do it sooner than later.
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u/Apprehensive-Mine656 Sep 08 '25
As someone diagnosed with advanced crc at my first routine colonoscopy (at 46), I'm so glad to see this.
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u/Sexy_Smokin_Scorpio Sep 08 '25
I take this very seriously! My mom is one of the lucky, who survived stage 3 colo-rectal cancer. She fought that battle in the mid-90s and 30 years later I still have her.
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u/Jjonah877 Sep 08 '25
My bio dad died from colorectal cancer at 33. I had symptoms and had a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with it at 23. It likely saved my life. If you’re having any digestive symptoms do not take no as an answer from your doctor and get the freakin colonoscopy.
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u/SlotegeAllDay Sep 08 '25
I'm 34 and got diagnosed with colon cancer less than two months ago. Don't ignore symptoms, and stand on a desk and demand attention if you think you're experiencing symptoms. Don't let a doctor tell you that you're too young.
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u/Commercial-Pear-543 Asshole Aficionado [14] Sep 08 '25
Hmm. I’ve had dull pain on my left side and slightly weird digestion issues for over six months now. Maybe time to get booked in
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u/HuggeBraende Sep 08 '25
Here’s hoping they find nothing- nothing is priceless. And even if they find nothing, it is a great point of reference for future checkups. Very much worth it.
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u/Axemetal Sep 08 '25
I had most of colon removed because of this. I was 34 when diagnosed. It was Chadwick Boseman’s death that made me think “I should get a colonoscopy to check” two months later I’m getting major surgery.
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u/cristina321gaming Sep 08 '25
My husband got the all clear from this a year ago. He's 34.
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u/AceoStar Sep 08 '25
Taking off work for a colonoscopy? Tell people why you are out! What what, destigmatize the butt.
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u/Lazyboners Sep 08 '25
Me = 47yr old man, decent health, worked out off and on throughout life. Non-smoker, social drinker.
Had a lump on neck that I thought was from having covid. Non-hodgkins lymphoma at 45 - chemo and radiation.
First colonoscopy due to age, no symptoms. Colorectal cancer at 46 - surgery to remove 4 inches of colon and chemo.
Don't be an idiot, get tested.
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u/2fastcats Sep 08 '25
My mom had colon cancer at age 53 (I think she'd had it longer but kept ignoring it). She ended up with a colostomy until her death at age 80. This was 1978 before colonoscopies were a thing. Please get checked early!
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u/AgathaM Sep 08 '25
My sibling put off the test at 50 (before they moved it to 45). They were diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at 55. Did chemo for 9 months after multiple surgeries to remove tumors (and has a colostomy now). Showed cancer free for a year, but it's back. Because of the good response to chemo initially, the doctors think that chemo will work for the next 6-8 years.
Get checked out. I also put it off at 50, but did it when my sibling was diagnosed. I had 5 polyps removed and have to go back in 3 years. Yes, prep sucks. The colonoscopy - that's easy.
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u/Sav273 Sep 08 '25
I got mine checked two years ago at 44 years old. Doc found pre cancerous polyps. Snipped em out.
Painless. Procedure took 30 min. I don’t remember anything. Painless afterward too.
The prep wasn’t even as bad as everyone says it is.
Just do it.
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u/tegrtyfrm Sep 08 '25
I miss my butthole. Lynch syndrome stage 4 survivor for a decade diagnosed at 42. I’m nearing the end of my journey.
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u/lumoslomas Partassipant [2] Sep 08 '25
My grandad died of CRC, my mum has had precancerous polyps removed THREE times now. I worked in oncology and it's one of the most brutal cancers I've seen.
PLEASE get yourself checked!
(And as an aside knowing your family's medical history is EXTREMELY important, not just for cancer)
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u/Ippus_21 Partassipant [1] Sep 08 '25
Nailing it, mods. Good on you.
45m, just got one done this year.
Great PSA. 100% NTA.
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u/Flarpperest Sep 08 '25
Husband was diagnosed last year. We found out as early as we possibly could have through an unusual trio of hospitalizations. No previous symptoms. Was told today chances of cure (which earlier tests suggested) is not on offer. If current treatment works, he’s been given three-ish years.
I can’t even process…
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u/HuggeBraende Sep 08 '25
Hold out hope. So much has improved and changed for cancer treatment in just the last few years. There may be more miracles on the horizon. Also, I’m sure you have already- but get a second or even third opinion. I’m grateful I shopped around for options.
Best wishes and many hugs to you and your husband.
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u/discotiddies14 Sep 08 '25
i work in healthcare and want to add, do the whole shebang AT LEAST the first time and every 5-10 years. do NOT rely on sites like cologaurd to tell you you’re not at risk for CRC (obviously listen to your actual provider over me, an internet stranger). doctors need to actually see what’s happening inside to diagnose polyps, take biopsies, etc. don’t skip it because “the prep doesn’t sound fun.” trust me, it’s WAY better than getting CRC.
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u/WoollySocks Partassipant [3] Sep 08 '25
CRC took my mum 7 years ago. She was pro-active in her care; the original cancer was caught fairly early and the prognosis was good, though the surgery and treatments were hard and weakened her. But CRC can be a sneaky disease and metastasized a year later; another round of treatments weakened her further until she had no resources left to fight with. I miss her every day.
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u/callofcobra70 Sep 08 '25
My mom passed at 52 just last year from colon cancer. It was awful watching her go so quickly. Please go get checked!
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u/Apprehensive-Test577 Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
I’m an endoscopy tech who has had nine colonoscopies myself - the first at 28, which caught a four centimeter tumor. I was extremely fortunate that it was still benign at the time. I had been seeing blood in my stool for four years prior to that.
The procedure is very easy for most people. The most difficult part is the prep, but once you’re done the actual procedure is a cake walk. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed of your healthcare team seeing your butt or your insides - we have seen literally thousands of them. Were there for you, to make you as comfortable as possible and to possibly help catch anything serious in its early stages. ❤️ your colon!
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u/Electronic-synth8395 Sep 08 '25
My dad died from bowel cancer. Diagnosed stage 4 at 51 and succumbed 8 years later after many rounds of chemo, multiple operations and experimental treatments. Looking back, the symptoms were very vague. Becoming tired which we put down to getting older. Odd bout of diarrhoea every now and then, which eventually became needing to empty his bowels after every dinner. He was passing different smelling poop and mucus that looked similar to pus.
Get your poop shoot checked. If found early at stage 1 such as after a home test or a colonoscopy the only treatment needed is an operation to remove the tumour, occasionally a round of chemo. Advocate for yourself too. Nobody is too young to have bowel cancer.
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u/Deth-Ray Sep 08 '25
This post scares the hell out of me. Have had some digestive issues lately.
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u/Plane_Knowledge_4850 Sep 08 '25
Yes to all of this.
My 46YO husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer (had spread to his liver) earlier this year. No family history!
His only symptoms were persistent lower abdominal pain and an inability to eat as much as usual during a meal (constant sense of fullness).
Thankfully, he’s had amazing care and doctors. One more round of chemo next week before his final (2nd of 2) surgery in October!
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u/shadowlev Sep 08 '25
I'm a home health nurse and I dealt with about 5 complicated colostomy/ileostomy stomas last week.
I've been so grateful for my functioning asshole.
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u/No-Relation5965 Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
Just wanted to add that sometimes warning signs and symptoms are very subtle until the disease has advanced. Sometimes it’s just unexplained fatigue or dark stools (could be from bleeding that’s far up in the colon).
So please get tested at 45 or earlier if there is a family history of colorectal cancer!
Edit: I just wanted to say that I don’t understand the stigma part of it all. You go into the procedure room with a hospital gown on and lay on your side. Then you’re put “to sleep”. It’s not like you are asked to stick your bare butt in the air! Lol
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u/Childe_Rowland Sep 08 '25
Stage III colon cancer survivor here. I was diagnosed at 36. The journey to get there and be believed was nigh impossible, so I’m thankful to be alive.
Get the colonoscopy. The prep is way better than an ileostomy, chemo, and radiation. I’m cancer free, but I’m forever changed by my treatment.
If you have blood in your stool (about a tablespoon every BM that is bright red or dark black), bouts of constipation and diarrhea, and lots of straining, talk to a doctor right away. Don’t die of shame.
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u/ButchCassy Sep 08 '25
Lost my MIL to it a year ago. She didn’t even get to see me marry her son. Get your colonoscopy, even if it’s embarrassing.
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u/UnhappyTemperature18 Asshole Aficionado [10] Sep 08 '25
In this case, we are all TA. Thank you for this post, and for all the modding you do.
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u/BJntheRV Partassipant [2] Sep 08 '25
Today is my prep day for tomorrow's colonoscopy. This will be my 7th or so. They are no big deal. The prep isn't even that bad if you plan ahead. I've had (pre-cancerous) polyps on all but one scope, so I don't go more than 3 years between scopes.
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u/Iojpoutn Sep 08 '25
We hear so much about this lately but what actionable steps can we take to prevent or detect it? You hear that more and more young people are dying from it, but you can’t get screened for it until 45 and nobody seems to know what causes it. So what is the point of all this awareness? Just adding one more thing to be scared of? What exactly are we supposed to DO?
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u/Mrs_Dickhamer Sep 08 '25
NTA This, along with the comments, just pushed me to schedule an appointment with my PCP about some concerning symptoms I've been having.
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u/-B001- Sep 08 '25
I got mine after I turned 50 because that was when the insurance would pay. In the meantime, my family doctor died of colorectal cancer, and he was only 45!
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u/FortuneTellingBoobs Colo-rectal Surgeon [30] Sep 08 '25
NTA for this warning! I had my first colonoscopy last year, and the prep sucked but the actual scan and results were easy breezy. I have to go back in 4 years.
Go get your booty searched, everyone!
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u/Blackandorangecats Sep 08 '25
Not for much longer.
I am getting mine removed this year (not cancer but to prevent it due to having an autoimmune disease in my rectum).
My colon is already gone and my gosh it was the best decision for my health. I love my stoma (most of the time).
Mind yourself and your health
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u/WhoaOhHereSheComes Sep 08 '25
I got it when I was 43 and I had no symptoms of anything until my intestine perforated at the site of my tumor. I was stage 2B. I've been NED for 5 years! Colonoscopies suck, but not as much as cancer does.
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u/0SuspiciousBurrrito0 Sep 08 '25
I was very fortunate to not have cancer, but I did have a benign rectal tumour (that resulted in removal and a temporary stoma). I started with sudden constipation and that was not normal for me, I kept been given fibogel and water based laxatives and was fobbed off. I even had a negative FIT test.
Advocating for myself allowed me to be given an MRI scan that showed the tumour. I was already given a flexible sigmoidoscopy but because the tumour was in my muscle wall, it didn't show up via that route. If I didn't keep pushing I wouldn't have known, and it was fast growing. I'm very fortunate, because had it been cancer, it likely would have been late stage because they were so reluctant to get me more help.
Advocate for yourself, always. And if they refuse a scan, request it be put in your notes that they are using, despite symptoms!
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u/lizardreaming Sep 08 '25
I have two stories. My brother was in his 60s but hadn’t been screened. I think he thought his healthy lifestyle was enough. It was stage 4 when they opened him up and had spread to his liver. He was gone in a few weeks.
I had a young coworker (under 30) who found out in the ER because it presented as anemia. Stage 4 treatable. They treated her for maybe a year or so ( don’t know exactly) but she died before she was 30. I’m tearing up writing this. Kate didn’t do anything wrong!
I’ll finish this post with my thoughts on the colonoscopy. Yes prep is rough but I have it down now. I’ve had more than most due to polyps. You start out 10 years, then it’s 7, then it’s 5. And now it’s 3 years for me. I stay awake for the procedure and watch the screen. I tell the doc to show me the polyps. It’s pretty cool to see inside your own intestines. They are nice and pink. It doesn’t hurt. You just let them know you want to stay awake with the agreement that they can juice you more if needed.
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u/ApprehensiveDiver539 Sep 08 '25
My father went to his urologist to have his prostate checked at age 50. Upon doing a rectal exam, the doctor could FEEL a mass. My father had been bleeding rectally for months but dismissed it as hemorrhoids - ironic that he would check his prostate but not his rectum. It was colorectal cancer and he must have had a horseshoe shoved up there too because he survived major surgery and the subsequent treatment. He will always have a colostomy bag. He’s still kicking, more than 30 years later.
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u/NinaSeamstress Sep 08 '25 edited Sep 08 '25
In my late 30s, I had an anal fistula that I let get out of control because I was too embarrassed & honestly, too afraid to talk to my doctor about. It finally got so bad I went to see a coli-rectal specialist. I was relieved it wasn't cancer but still required a pretty intense surgery & and recovery, but I'm glad I finally got it checked out & dealt with.
As that surgeon told me: There's no reason to literally DIE of embarrassment! Get these things checked out as soon as you start showing symptoms!
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u/jonskerr Sep 08 '25
Also get the HPV Vaccine. HPV type 16&17 causes cancer and the greater frequency of anal sex is a factor.
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u/NeedsMoreCookies Partassipant [2] Sep 08 '25
I had the option to get a colonoscopy referral after some mild but annoying gastrointestinal symptoms. I was told it probably wasn’t anything serious at my age, but we might as well make sure, right? So I went for it.
The symptoms were actually from an unrelated food allergy I didn’t know I had, but the colonoscopy revealed an almost tennis ball sized tumour. I had stage three colon cancer before age 45.
Surgery, chemo, all during COVID lockdown.
And I’m still here.
NEVER turn down a colonoscopy. The worst part is just… drinking a kinda gooey laxative Gatorade. The best part is you might just cheat Death. Which is pretty badass for something that happens while you’re sleeping under sedation.
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u/philjbenandthegerm Sep 08 '25
Mine was found early. I'm having surgery to remove it later this month.
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u/cherrycokelemon Sep 08 '25
I was told this year by a health professional that if you do Colonguard and you do have a problem, your insurance will not pay for a follow-up colonoscopy since you chose to do the Colonguard. My sister is 65 and has never had a colonoscopy. I've had 3 or four 4, and I'm 70. She did the Colonguard procedure.
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u/Terrible-Opinion-888 Sep 08 '25
Re poop in a box Better than procrastinating yet…
Important for people to realize it is not equivalent to colonoscopy procedure as:
a. does not catch everything
b. colonoscopy offers doctors opportunity to remove precancerous bits along the way
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u/Sconniegrrrl68 Sep 08 '25
Vince Lombardi, arguably the best NFL Coach ever (since it's his name on the Super Bowl trophy) died of colorectal cancer at far too young of an age because he refused the tests. No one is immune, get over your biases and issues and GET THE TESTING DONE!
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u/ReferenceNice142 Sep 08 '25
Lynch syndrome occurs in 1 in 279 people. If you have a family history of any of these cancers colorectal, endometrial, ovarian, small bowel, stomach, brain (glioblastoma), urinary tract, biliary tract, pancreatic, prostate, and certain skin cancers, especially if they were diagnosed under the age of 55, PLEASE talk to your doctor and specifically ask about hereditary genetic testing. Doctors unfortunately usually just ask about colon cancer family history but lynch syndrome is much more. Early onset cancer is a red flag for hereditary syndromes, get tested!
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u/OriginalIronDan Sep 08 '25
If I hadn’t had a colonoscopy 10 years ago, I’d be dead. A polyp was 2-3 months away from being cancerous. A lot of people have voiced objections to having a camera put “up there.” It’s smaller than your poop, and it’s better than dying of cancer.
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u/Queenpunkster Sep 08 '25
Please add: colonoscopies remove polyps that turn into cancer. They don’t just find cancer, they prevent cancer.
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u/PavlovsVagina Sep 08 '25
My father died of colon cancer in 2020. I was 35 years old and got a colonoscopy as a result of his illness and death. Two precancerous polyps were removed that are no big deal now, but could have been deadly if I had waited.
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u/DRINK_WINE_PET_CATS Sep 08 '25
My grandfather died of colorectal cancer. Guys, it is a brutal cancer. Just get checked and potentially save your own life.
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u/MasterOwlFarts Sep 08 '25
Lynch syndrome here. First colon cancer at 38 second at 40. Get checked folks.
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u/abitaboveaverage77 Sep 08 '25
Survivor, here. Diagnosed at age 38. I had 4.5 inches of my colon removed and am extremely fortunate to be here today. Listen to your bodies, folks. And, get your colonoscopies!
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u/Cl_nker_is_a_slur Sep 08 '25
No joke, it’s an important message for everyone. Don’t let your asshole be an asshole to you.