Symptoms of Colon Cancer
I was fat, dumb, and happy - literally. I hadn't the smallest clue that anything was going on in my belly.
After a
lifetime of regularity, on approximately November 8, 2004 I became constipated. During the first week I tried mineral oil without results.
On the 8th and 11th days I used Fleet enemas with minimal results.
On the 13th day I called my HMO's advice line and they recommended a trip
to the emergency clinic.
I saw a
doctor at the emergency clinic and told him the history.
He ordered a set of abdominal x-rays taken standing, looked them over and
said my bowels were blocked. He
went over the details with me again and ordered another set of abdominal x-rays
taken lying down. He prescribed a
laxative and sent me home.
I took the
laxative as directed on the 13th, 14th, and 15th days with no results.
On the 15th day I called and made an appointment with a doctor at the
clinic.
The
appointment doctor was new to me. I told him the history.
He ordered a set of abdominal x-rays, looked them over and said my bowels
were blocked. He directed his nurse
to administer two Fleet enemas. They
produced minimal results. He
prescribed a laxative and sent me home.
When I got
home I took one dose of the laxative, but was unable to keep that or anything
else down. Thanksgiving day I was
unable to eat, drink, sleep, or anything else.
By about 3am on the 18th day of constipation I gave up and called 911.
I was
evaluated by a surgeon and scheduled immediately for exploratory surgery.
The operation revealed extreme blockage caused by a circumferential colon
cancer. The surgeon tells me that
another day or two might have resulted in a rupture.