Hi. I’m sorry to be writing about this again but I feel like I’m losing my mind. In December I had a colonoscopy done because of bright red blood in my stool. It came out clear, no polyps and nothing else. A few times since then, i’ve had the blood back again. Sometimes it can be explained by a possibly fissure. The last two days, i’ve noticed it again. There is no pain when I go so not a fissure. I guess a hemorrhoid could have developed but in December I had none seen on colonoscopy. I don’t have any other symptoms. I’m just at a loss with what to do here. Was colon cancer missed completely? I went through 2 months of serious colon cancer health anxiety hell before that colonoscopy and it was one of the lowest points of my life. I’ve now convinced myself i’m part of the 6% whose cancer was missed. I already paid out of pocket for the last colonoscopy and I can’t afford to do it again but I don’t know how serious this is and if I really do need another colonoscopy. It’s only been just barely 6 months! I’m absolutely terrified something was missed. It’s always bright red blood, not a lot, and happens every once in a while. I’m 26 years old.
Another colonoscopy?
- Thread starter Linnoix
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I tried calling the nurse at my GI doctor and asked if someone could just go over the colonoscopy results from December with me just so I can realize there was nothing found and she just said that “I can’t tell you what’s going on with you now based on your December colonoscopy.” So looks like I’m going back to the GI when I thought all this crap was behind me.
Phillies Phan
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First of all the nurse sounds let’s just say, uneducated. CC is caused by polyps which go bad. The process from the start of polyp growth to cancer is at least 10 years. Plus, of the several types of polyps that can develop in the colon, only one type has the potential to become cancerous. 1 out of every 100 polyps if left alone will eventually become cancerous.
So, for her to say no conclusions can now be made from a scope 6 months ago, when not even 1 polyp was found is just plain ignorant. You really need to try to talk to the doctor, or if you have a GP have them intervene.
Next, let’s talk about the 6% miss rate you quote. For purposes of this conversation only, I’ll accept that number but it seems very high. Those people who have polyps missed are due to an inexperienced gastroenterologist doing the scope, or a poor cleaning out process by the patient. Even if the cleaning out was not optimal, usually the gastroenterologist has the ability to wash away those obstructed areas. If the clean out was so bad that the doctor can’t clear the colon, the patient will not be scoped, or the scoping will stop, and the patient will be told to reschedule.
While it’s sad to say, most shall we say bad doctors who would miss a polyp are in areas of town/country where there are many poor and racialized people. The chance that a gastroenterologist with experience and in a respected hospital and practice would miss a polyp are rare.
Do you believe your doctor is qualified, given the above? Was your clean out satisfactory? If yes to these questions it’s highly unlikely any polyp was missed.
Finally, a hemorrhoid can be external where it’s obvious, or internal where a small one might be hard to see. Hemorrhoids will bleed, be they big or tiny. Same with a tiny cut/fissure. It might be so tiny that it doesn’t really hurt, yet any cut of any size there will bleed. Are you subject to constipation, or straining when you go? Both promote hemorrhoids and fissures.
Of the very rare person who gets CC in their 20’s, the cause is typically a condition called Lynch Syndrome, where from childhood on, polyps grow to the point where by the 20s there could be hundreds. If you had LS, even a really bad doctor couldn’t miss it.
Bottom line, ignore the nurse and speak to a doctor.
Bob
So, for her to say no conclusions can now be made from a scope 6 months ago, when not even 1 polyp was found is just plain ignorant. You really need to try to talk to the doctor, or if you have a GP have them intervene.
Next, let’s talk about the 6% miss rate you quote. For purposes of this conversation only, I’ll accept that number but it seems very high. Those people who have polyps missed are due to an inexperienced gastroenterologist doing the scope, or a poor cleaning out process by the patient. Even if the cleaning out was not optimal, usually the gastroenterologist has the ability to wash away those obstructed areas. If the clean out was so bad that the doctor can’t clear the colon, the patient will not be scoped, or the scoping will stop, and the patient will be told to reschedule.
While it’s sad to say, most shall we say bad doctors who would miss a polyp are in areas of town/country where there are many poor and racialized people. The chance that a gastroenterologist with experience and in a respected hospital and practice would miss a polyp are rare.
Do you believe your doctor is qualified, given the above? Was your clean out satisfactory? If yes to these questions it’s highly unlikely any polyp was missed.
Finally, a hemorrhoid can be external where it’s obvious, or internal where a small one might be hard to see. Hemorrhoids will bleed, be they big or tiny. Same with a tiny cut/fissure. It might be so tiny that it doesn’t really hurt, yet any cut of any size there will bleed. Are you subject to constipation, or straining when you go? Both promote hemorrhoids and fissures.
Of the very rare person who gets CC in their 20’s, the cause is typically a condition called Lynch Syndrome, where from childhood on, polyps grow to the point where by the 20s there could be hundreds. If you had LS, even a really bad doctor couldn’t miss it.
Bottom line, ignore the nurse and speak to a doctor.
Bob
Aries
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I find it hard to belive that a high % of polyps get missed. I googled it and the only think I saw could be Angiodysplasia. This is a condition in which fragile, abnormal blood vessels lead to bleeding. But it's pretty rare in young people.
sTeaLth
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Just FYI, I’ve had a LOT of blood in stool before multiple times and it was never serious. Usually fissures. Especially bright red is generally not serious. I had several toilets completely red at times. Likely something similar.
I've been having toilets FILLED with blood lately. Nonstop diarrhea seems to have irritated something. It's definitely external bleeding and not in huge amounts but enough to be pretty alarming if you're not used to it.
You're 26. The odds are super low that you'd have it in the first place, and super low that it would be missed. I had a "just in case" colonoscopy two years ago that revealed a surprisingly large polyp. They took it out and I have to go back every three years for the rest of my life because I guess it's rare for one to grow that big in someone that age. (Same thing happened to my cousin, I wonder if it's a genetic thing.) I had ZERO symptoms, no bleeding, nothing. I had it done for chronic symptoms involving nausea and diarrhea. I would bet pretty much anything that your tests showed no polyp because there IS NONE and your symptoms have nothing to do with one.
You're 26. The odds are super low that you'd have it in the first place, and super low that it would be missed. I had a "just in case" colonoscopy two years ago that revealed a surprisingly large polyp. They took it out and I have to go back every three years for the rest of my life because I guess it's rare for one to grow that big in someone that age. (Same thing happened to my cousin, I wonder if it's a genetic thing.) I had ZERO symptoms, no bleeding, nothing. I had it done for chronic symptoms involving nausea and diarrhea. I would bet pretty much anything that your tests showed no polyp because there IS NONE and your symptoms have nothing to do with one.