Worried about my wife (colon cancer possible)

[Gordknight]

So over the past year or so my wife has had constant bloating and stomach pain off and on. Four or five times it made her double over in pain.

Anyway fastforward to last night I finally made her go in to the ER as her primary Dr didnt think anything was wrong. They did a regular and a transvaginal ultrasound and everything was clear. Then they did a CT scan and found a mass in her colon that is a little bigger than a 50 cent piece.

Dr said there is no way to know if its cancer or something benign until they do a colonoscopy. She has one scheduled for monday.

She is 28 tomorrow (happy birthday right?)
Has no family history of colon cancer though her grandmother had some colon polyps removed and diverticulitis.
She hasnt had blood in her stool.
She has been pretty constipated but that has been the case for well over 10 years and is normal for her to a degree.

Im really worried as my mind jumps to the worst case scenario all the time. It saved my life once though.. was diagnosed with a stage 1a melanoma a year back because of my constant worry.

Is it possible that this could be benign? So many forums and websites say most masses are colon cancer.

Thanks!

[RoseEve]

It absolutely can be non cancerous. I have a friend that had a huge polyp removed. I know it's hard but stay off the internet. Try to think positive.

[swajj]

I would want to know why her GP didn't send her for further investigations. She has had symptoms for more than a year. I would definitely be finding a new GP. I hop everything turns out ok.

[countrygirl]

You will be worried that is perfectly natural even in someone without HA. Just remember that there is just as much chance of this mass being benign as in polyp or even impacted poo as there is of it being a cancer.

Take it one day at a time, Monday will soon be here and by end of the day you should hopefully know more.

Please let us know.

[spacebunnyx]

Hi,

As others have said, it's totally normal to be worried - even without HA. BUT there's a lot of factors pointing to the fact that it's probably something benign. The fact she has a family history of polyps, the absence of bleeding, her age... if doctors find something they have an obligation to investigate. I'm 34 and have had two masses found in the past that I've had to have biopsied etc. One in my liver and one in my breast, neither were cancer.

I hope it's the same for your wife as well. xxx

[Gordknight]

Thank you all for your responses. I will definitely let you know what I find out on monday. Its so hard as someone with HA to stay positive. All I can think of is losing her. She is my whole world. Id gladly change places with her right now.

[pulisa]

The waiting over the weekend must be absolutely horrible and gives you time to imagine the worst possible scenarios and absolutely nobody can put your minds at rest until the definitive colonoscopy on Monday.

I just hope the time passes as quickly as it possibly can and that you get reassuring news on Monday as there are so many benign causes for this, especially in view of your wife's history and her age. I know age isn't everything but it does make some things less likely.

Warmest wishes

[Gordknight]

The waiting over the weekend must be absolutely horrible and gives you time to imagine the worst possible scenarios and absolutely nobody can put your minds at rest until the definitive colonoscopy on Monday.

I just hope the time passes as quickly as it possibly can and that you get reassuring news on Monday as there are so many benign causes for this, especially in view of your wife's history and her age. I know age isn't everything but it does make some things less likely.

Warmest wishes

Thank you. Of course I know you are right. Google has floored me already and Im trying to stay away from it. I know that the internet is saturated with bad and rare stories because that is what gets attention, and the close calls and scares and benign thinks seldom see the light of day online... Im trying to stay positive and not read the stories of the 28 year olds that got colon cancer lol. The worst part of it is just the feeling useless and helpless to help.

[pulisa]

But you are far from useless and you are there emotionally and physically for your wife. You can't find out what you want to know until Monday but supporting her through the waiting process is such a major contribution to her wellbeing and is the hardest thing to do.

[swgrl09]

You know, I can't imagine the stress I would feel and anxiety if I were you and you are being so supportive, what a great partner she has.

If it helps at all my mom had a cancerous tumor in her colon and from the time they did her CT scan they basically told her it was most likely cancer before even having the biopsy. So really avoid google, google has no idea. Monday is on it's way. Hang in there.

[rachael t]

How did your wife get on

[Gordknight]

Good and strange news! Her colonoscopy came back completely normal. It stumped the GI doc who then double and triple checked to CT scan to make sure that the mass was not located in front of or behind the colon and he said he is positive it should be IN the colon.

The mass is nowhere to be found in the colon. He took some tissue samples for biopsies to be sure but said that he thinks it was possibly impacted stool that was passed during the colon cleanse. He wants us to follow up with her primary care Dr if problems persist and also recommends that she takes miralax daily to help her be more regular.

Thanks for all your positivity and support. It helped mountain loads. I just hope that the DRs didnt misread the CT scan and it isnt a mass on her ovary or something, but I think that isnt likely right? Can CT's misplace where a mass is actually located?

Hmm well we will follow it closely. Thanks everyone again!

[swgrl09]

Wow, what a relief!!! I don't know about misplacing where a mass is located on a scan, but it sounds like your doctor was extremely thorough and they are really trained in reading them.

I'm really happy for you and your wife.

[pulisa]

That's very good news but please try to accept that nothing has been missed and in all likelihood it was just impacted stool which has now been shifted by the cleanse. Colonoscopies show up everything as you know.

Maybe you and your wife can now celebrate her birthday belatedly?

[MyNameIsTerry]

Think of it this way, would he send you off if he thought there was a possibility of a mass still there? No way, he would be still dealing with it. He triple checked it to be sure and reading those scans are basic functions of a doctor like that.

It's a scary time that has passed and as pulisa mentioned I reckon if ever there is a time to get celebrating its times like this so get and spoil her and enjoy yourselves.