Colon cancer, experience report: a person concerned tells
Raquel A., 33, did not have cancer on the screen, even though she had symptoms that worried her. A few years ago, their bowel movements became more and more abnormal, which they did not diagnose Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Or pushed a food intolerance. From the concern of specialist costs, she hesitated the doctor's visit and tried her symptoms Fiber preparations and to relieve the change of diet. But the complaints remained. When they struggled to see a doctor, he first diagnosed her an anxiety disorder. The actual diagnosis is only determined years later: colon cancer. The health journalist Julia Ries told her about her experience with the illness, why we all have to talk more about the “gender-health gap”-and what she advises others who are in a similar situation.
It was in 2019 when I first realized that something was wrong. I lived in a shared apartment and suddenly had to go to the toilet- sometimes eight to ten times a day. And yet I never had the feeling that I was really “empty”.
It must be sure that I didn't take enough fiber to me, I said after a few days of the symptoms to my roommate. Maybe I also had irritable bowel syndrome, gluten intolerance or lactose intolerance. So I wanted to improve my nutrient balance. For a long time, I couldn't think that my symptoms were the symptom of cancer.
Instead of one: n general practitioner: I started to see, mine, mineTo change and temporarily take the Metamucil fiber preparation. That helped - at least for a while - against the diarrhea attacks. It was not until 2022, three years later, my symptoms came back, this time worse than before.
I had to go to the toilet again frequently, and minebecame uncomfortable. My chair was (as one says in specialist circles) “pencil thin”, sometimes orange -red, and occasionally there was even a little blood to be seen. AfterI always had an extreme fullness - even after slight meals. Bloating and pressure pain in the lower abdomen became my constant companions, regardless of my now gluten -free and lactose -free diet.
So I went to a doctor. After a not insignificant waiting period, I finally had an appointment with a general practitioner in May. I told her that I already had similar digestive problems in 2019: the frequent - and sometimes painful - chairs, the bloody chairs, the early saturation. And: that I had the impression that my symptoms worsened.
Your guess: stress and a possible anxiety disorder. She referred me to a psychiatry - and I was left behind with the feeling of having increased myself into something. I thought: "I think too much about these symptoms and should just let it be good."
In retrospect, the doctor acted quite irresponsibly - and simply took me and my symptoms seriously enough. Maybe she thought something like "Remember everything ”. Or“ a young woman, what should she have serious? ”.. “”Means that the phenomenon is how I should learn later.
Three weeks after my doctor's appointment I got severe abdominal pain. The pain was no longer "only" limited to my front lower abdomen, but radiated into the entire abdomen and the lower back. The pain was so bad that I was worried about fainting. So despite the omnipresent thoughts, I went straight to the emergency room.
Fortunately, the doctor immediately took my pain seriously in the emergency room - and ordered computer tomography, made an ultrasound of the abdomen and examined the entire blood count. When the results arrived, she sat down and informed me that cancer had been found in my ovaries and my liver. So I wasdiagnosed.
And if you think now, some now, this is not the story of a intestinal cancer: yes. But a very advanced intestinal cancer. After the shattering, but at least finally tangible diagnosis by the doctor in the emergency room, I met an oncologist and a liver biopsy was carried out. It turned out that the cancer, adenocarcinoma, was created in my large intestine and had metastasized or "scattered" in other organs.
I diagnosed colon cancer in the fourth stage. I then underwent endoscopy and colonoscopy so that the doctors could assess the possible forms of therapy inside. At the time, my colon cancer was so big and so far advanced that the doctors were difficult to lead the endoscope through my large intestine.
Later I learned that colon cancer grows very slowly. So it is quite possible that I have carried this cancer with myself for eight to ten years. Possibly even the larger half of my life. I also learned that with colon cancer, noticeable (or even difficult) symptoms only appear when the cancer has already reached a third or fourth stage. In addition, the symptoms such as nausea, constipation, diarrhea or difficulties when going toilet can be attributed to many other diseases - which is why it is often not recognized in my case when symptoms occur.
After my diagnosis, I started chemotherapy. The cancer had caused a fluid accumulation in my stomach that was the trigger for the flatulence. I went to a specialist in gastrointestinal diseases that advised me to change my diet even more than I had already done-less to no meat, do without raw fruit and vegetables and consume soft foods such as pudding or potato pureing for a time to relieve the intestine during therapy.
During my therapy, blood tests were made again and again to assess the progression of my cancer- including a cea-(A marker for colon cancer), a CA125 test (a marker for ovarian cancer) and a CA19 test (another cancer marker). I also undergone a genetic test to better understand whether I might even inherit cancer.
For a long time I had to do chemotherapy every two weeks, although I have meanwhile switched to a different chemotherapeutic agent. With the first active ingredient I had very unpleasant side effects, and the cancer in my liver and lung did not respond to the first treatment. But nothing more was possible. My doctor: Inside, I informed me early on that chemotherapy will no longer work because my condition is not “exploited”, that is, not curable. An operation was also out of the question. But at least the therapy measures were able to extend my life.
If I were to ask me today what I learned from this whole experience, it is definitely: to stand up for me! Because not only could I have had my diagnosis earlier if you had listened to me, I would have taken me seriously, there were always doctors in chemotherapy: inside that ignored my wishes, worries and questions. I have learned how important it is to get a second opinion - you only need one: n Doct: in, who listens and stands up for you.
That is why I can only advise everyone who suspects a serious illness: maybe you will not find this person immediately, but stay tuned: you know your body best - and if you feel that something is wrong with you, the probability is high.
Rapuel A. lost her fight against colon cancer in the summer of 2024. OnandIn the months and years before her death, she campaigned for more visibility of people with colon cancer and against the “gender health gap”. Your social media channels are still accessible to the public and will be looked after by your next relatives.
This article comes from our “Self” college: inside from the USA.
