Not been posting much recently
 

Some of you may have noticed I've not been particularly active of late ( or maybe you haven't:getmecoat:)
Long story short I turned 50 last year and one of the joys of being a Scottish citizen is that once the glorious 50 is reached NHS Scotland send you a bowel screening test to screen for bowel cancer. I got mine late March.
Now although carrying excess timber I am fit and healthy so I was surprised when the letter arrived in April to say I was to travel to Glasgow and have a colonoscopy. Again I wasn't worried, but the procedure showed a tumor which was indeed cancerous.
Two weeks ago I had a colonic resection ( basically they cut out the part of my colon with the tumour).
On Tuesday I got the call to say the operation was a complete success and that I am cancer free:D
My gratitude to the workers in NHS Ayrshire and Arran has no limit

My reason for posting this is not to garner sympathy or such like but to ask, beg, plead and implore you to make sure you carry out the screening if you receive it. ( I believe in England it's from age 60). If you have a change in your bowel movements which doesn't feel right, speak to your doctor.

The wake up call was I almost didn't do it but after Mrs Simondi nagging me I did it to keep the peace. If I hadn't, the cancer would have continued to grow, I would have felt fine right up to the point that I wasn't.

All of us have an opportunity to save a life,our own. Please, please do it.

Thanks for posting this Simon, awareness is key in these situations. Many of us simply bury our heads in the sand when it comes to matters like this, just to avoid the embarrassment of it all, silly really. Glad you got sorted and got the all clear.

I had a colonoscopy a few years ago due to suffering hemorrhoids, thankfully I got the all clear, the piles got banned and off I went, walking like John Wayne. :getmecoat:

Funny enough, I'm actually back at the hospital today to have them checked again, and the prostate. I'm not looking forward to it, but it's gotta be done.

This getting old lark isn't fun, my health has been cr*p of late as many of you know. I'm due back at urology next month, but I guess it's best to listen to the doctors and do as they say, no point arguing with them.

Awareness fellas. ;)

Thank you Simon for letting us know what you have been through and for the alert for bowel cancer screening. Thank goodness it was detected early and the treatment was 100% successful. Look after yourself, it will take you several months to get back to your old self.

Tell me about it, I've been kicked in the teeth with several conditions that had no signs, symptoms to give any clue of. A heart attack that came completely out of the blue caused by high cholesterol I didn't know I had, the specialist reckoned a lump of cholesterol came adrift from somewhere and parked itself where it could do the most harm! While in hospital after the heart attack I was told I was diabetic. The heart hasn't bothered me since, diabetes is so well under control its nothing more than an inconvenience then a I was smacked in the face with non alcoholic liver disease, you can get liver disease without being a drinker. There is no treatment for it, its a condition I just have to live with and try to cope with the effects of.

Glad everything is ok now and this shows how good our NHS really is

Thanks for the reminder about this. So many people turn a deaf ear while worrying, then find out it's too late. Glad you caught it.

I carnt agree more with this advice. I have regular colonoscopy. My father died from bowl cancer and my brother as had a lot of bowl removed and is now on a stoma. It can all start with something as small as having alot of wind. Blood in stools is must visit to th doc's. Black blood in stool means th problem is higher up and of greater concern. But i must mention that by no means does it mean you have cancer. Many other problems that th bowl can have is not cancerous. My bowl as been a problem from th off but th wondeful NHS as put me on a program were i can test my self at home. Its new to our area but will be rolled out to all if it is concidered accurrate. It matches my blood sample results and so i think its a great tool. As they say... Please please dont die of ignorance.

Never had a colonoscopy but had the camera in the other way, endoscopy, several times, God awful procedure! Because of the liver problem I am liable to varices in the gut and was facing regular endoscopies. I'd had a couple then they changed me to a new blood pressure medication that specifically targets the gut, no more garden hose down the throat :jig:

Sorry to hear that Steve, keep a check on that diabetes, my father had heart problems and got diagnosed with diabetes, the diabetes just made matters worst for him and aided towards his major heart failure. My mother now has the same problem, she has been diagnosed with diabetes which is affecting her heart, her eyesight and mobility/her legs.

I agree John, that drink they make you take at home is lethal, you need to strap the toilet to ones a$$. :eek:

As you say, it's odd watching the whole process on a large colour screen, its a weird feeling as they guide the camera up where the sun don't shine. :getmecoat:

Good advice and Speedy recovery mate. I just did my third bowel screening kit a few weeks ago. All came back negative.