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Colonoscopy experience anyone?

FutureMrsDenmanFutureMrsDenman member
in Parenting after 35

Hi everyone,

I don't post on The Bump very often anymore, but I thought I would post tonight to see if any of you could offer information or reassurance from first hand experience.

I am turning 40 in a couple weeks.  I had my first colonoscopy a couple days ago - I know it is on the early side to be having one, but there is family history of colorectal cancer ... an uncle got it in his early 40's and died, and I have a cousin who is 2 years younger than me who was just diagnosd last month with late stage rectal cancer.

Anyway ... I was completely out when the doctor talked to my husband after the procedure and he was probably a bit shell shocked and didn't know what to ask and he also couldn't remember half of what the doctor told him. But he was given a 5 page set of photos and text with circled areas, underlined phrases, etc. and was told that I should get results of biopsis in about a week.  They found several polyps (which they removed and sent for analysis) and they found lots of "hyperpigmented macular tissue".  I understand what the polyps might and might not mean, but I have no clue what the hyperpigmented macular tissue is all about.

Have any of you had a colonoscopy with abnormal results?  Have you ever heard of hyperpigmented macular tissue in the colon and, if so, do you know what it might mean?  Any chance at all that you have had several polyps and all of them turned out to be benign?

TIA for any info you might be able to share.  I know I need to talk to my doctor about all of these things, but she won't see me until the biopsy results are in and a week is a long time to stew.

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Re: Colonoscopy experience anyone?

  • JillAlyJillAly member

    Of course, my first answer is speak to your doctor- but you know that already.

    I'm not a doctor but my dad was a colon/rectal surgeon before he passed away.  I've grown up with colonoscopy talk for dinner talk since I could walk. Some of the terms sound familiar to me. 

    Hyperpigmented tissue is tissue that is discolored - so if it was on your face- it would be like sun spots that discolored your skin.  So the macular tissue has some discoloration- like brown spots on it.  What that means, I can't tell you.  I'm sure that is why your doctor is waiting for the biopsy results. 

    My dad would talk about removing polyps all the time and them being all benign so sure- they could all be benign.  Most polyps in the colon are pre-cancerous (meaning if they left them there, they could turn into cancer).  That is why they remove them.  Again, I've heard my dad talk about how people live totally normal lives once polyps are removed and it doesn't mean that you will get cancer in the future at all.  Of course, anyone could get cancer, but just b/c you have polyps doesn't mean you're going to get cancer.

    I hope this helps. I guess I should have paid more attention when he talked.  As a kid, it was more like "dad....stop...pleeeease...that's gross"  My dh just had his first colonoscopy and I had to call my dad's friends to make sure I knew what was going on.

    Good luck!

     

     

    3 IUI's and 2 IVF's later- Brady arrived. Born at 36 weeks after PUPPS and pre-e/HELLP.
    IUI- BFN IVF #1 -BFP! Allie is our 2nd IVF baby. Born at 36 1/2 weeks after pre-e again
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  • FutureMrsDenmanFutureMrsDenman member

    Thanks JillAly!

    I just wish that I had some idea of the possibilities so that I could be more prepared going in to talk to the doctor next week.  I'm used to being able to Google things and find lots of information or pull things from the Mayo Clinic site, etc. But there is just about NOTHING out there anywhere about hyperpigmented macular tissue in the colon.  I see the stuff about sun spots, etc. but nothing about hyperpigmentation inside the intestines.  The spots that I saw in the pictures were bright red spots and the spots I do find any information about in the colon are brown or black.

    Oh well ... I'll just have to be patient.  But I do appreciate your reassurances.  Thanks!

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  • fiazofiazo

    I had a couple colonoscopies done already & I am 41. For me it was paranoia, seeing some blood. Turned out to be fissures. They did remove a couple small polyps. No problems. My mom just had it done & also had some polyps removed with no problems.

    Maybe they are taking extra precaution with the tissue because of the family history. Try not to get yourself to worried before necessary. I know easier said than done.  I hope all goes well with your reslts. You are very smart having it done so early. I also have a firned of a friend who had colon cancer when she was in her 20's. She is my age & is still cancer free today.

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  • DaisiesinmygardenDaisiesinmygarden member

    I haven't but my DH has. He also has a strong family history so he went in at 40. He had one large pre-cancerous polyp that the doc said had obviously been growing for a while and several smaller new ones that were benign. The doc said that if he had waited until he was 50, the big gnarly one would have been malignant.

    They asked him to come in every 2 years and he didn't have any new ones last time (YEAH!), so now he gets to wait 3 years in between tests.

    He didn't have any of the hyperpigmented skin, so I can't speak to that.

    GL and good for you for going in and getting your test early. I know no one looks forward to getting that bad boy.

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  • RaeAntRaeAnt member

    As the pp poster mentioned, polyps are usually nothing to worry about. We were told there are 2 types of polyp growths. The person who has a bunch of them normally isn't going to have to worry about cancer. Now the person who tend to get only a few of them and larger in size has a greater chance of them eventually turning to cancer. DH had colon cancer at the age of 28. he had no symptoms at all. I actually drug him to the Dr. thinking he had low blood sugar since the last time they tested him on that it was borderline. Anyway, fast forward to when they did the colonoscopy. They didn't find a single polyp, but found a singular small cancerous tumor that was barely even a stage 1, but enough so they it cause him to become anemic.That was in'05. His most recent colonoscopy was in'10. They found a couple small polyps that were non-cancerous. His prior tests they didn't find anything.

    As for the pigmentation you spoke of this is what I found
    https://skinpigmentation.net/illnesses-causing-hyper-pigmentation-peutz-jeghers-syndrome/

    https://www.clevelandclinic.org/registries/inherited/pjs.htm

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