General Chat

actor Leslie Phillip's wife , actress Angela Scoular. She was suffering from bowel cancer and took her own life.

It was on This Morning recently that bowel cancer test kits are being sent out to over 60s , if you get one don't be too embarrassed to use it, or if you think you have any odd symptoms do go to your doctor.

Not meaning to lecture :) just know how cruel a disease this is as my mum's cousin died from it.

It was sad Rose, she apparently drank bleach. His first wife had a stroke and Leslie and Angela nursed her. So sad.

Hi Rose, was so sorry to read this as you say please everyone do the test when it is sent out to you but of course there are people under the age of 60 that are dying from this awful cancer, my brother died in February this year from it and he was only 55 and he was told he has ibs, so really l feel the doctors need to start listening to us and not put it down to ibs or other things.
The hospital told my brother to let his family know that it was hereditary and for us to get a test done, well l had a call from the hospital this morning to go to see them on the 26th and then have the Colonoscopy on the 28th...........oh dear l just went cold and told them l couldn't do it then so they are going to send me a appointment for May, what a idiot l am, this could save my life ( l'm only 57) but l think it was just the shock of them phoning to say l was having it but l will go in May and they have assured me l will be sedated for it.
Also lost my mum to bowel cancer back in July 2010 so l know l need it done and l really do not want to go through what they went through, its heartbreaking :((

Yes, I read this today, and was equally saddened. Bit close to home, not me myself, but my best friend from school, her husband. He did the tests with the kit that is sent, and had the offending growth removed, about three years ago. Now it is in his spine, and he has had radiotherapy, and about to undergo chemo. Such a shame for anybody, but he was such a fit and active man, by nature of his former employment. Just shows it can attack anybody, no matter who you are.
Julia in Derbyshire

PS. Sometimes I think the doctors do not understand just how much pain you are in, and do not prescribe the correct amount of painkillers, when you need it.

Am glad to hear you have an appointment in May, Mummo, and of course it must have been a shock to you considering the family history of colon cancer.

I would advise everyone over a 'certain age' to have this test done as it is so important. I did a test last year with negative results and I was one of the lucky ones as my cancer had not spread too far so they removed the tumour and I live in hopes!

And, I would also advise you to badger your doctor if you have any changes in your bowel habits (sorry if you are having lunch:-) lol)/ Don't ;et them fob you off and insist on having whatever investigations are necessary.

BC XX

I learned this weekend a friends mum is having treatment for this cruel invasive cancer,but they are all hopeful.

I have done two of these tests but of course they are not sent out to over 70s now.anyone know why, are we written off over 70?

OH had colon cancer in 2005. Had 18" of his colon removed, no chemo or radiation needed 'cos biopsies showed the cancer had not spread anywhere.

He is in fine condition now.

It was found because he had a blood test done, and it showed he was a little bit anaemic. The doc asked questions, and OH confessed that he had seen a little blood in a stool ...... but he has always had haemorrhoids so thought that was it.

He was sent to the specialist, had a colonoscopy, it showed two polyps. The specialist removed them both there and then, and sent them for biopsy.

One of them was cancerous, and the cancer cells had spread into the stalk of the polyp. They weren't sure whether the cells had spread into the wall of the colon, so they scheduled him for a re-section ....... obviously not too worried about it, because it was scheduled for 2 months later!

They did a second colonoscopy a week before the re-section so that the surgeon could put a big black X on the region to be removed. He found a few more polyps, and removed those ...... they were OK.

OH was back at work 2 weeks after the operation.



His father died of colon cancer, and it is probable that HIS mother (ie OH's grandmother) also died of it ................. but diagnosis back in the 1920s was not as certain.




Over here, we do the stool test every year after the age of 65, continuing past 70. But all relatives of OH have to start having it at the age of 40, and continuing on after that.


I've aso had a colonoscopy ....................... and there's nothing to worry about. They give you a little relaxant over here.

The worst is that they do pump some air in ......... and you are awful gassy afterwards until you can get rid of that!



sylvia