So I had cancer ...

MsGizmo

GLP-1 Enthusiast
Member Since
Jun 27, 2025
Posts
821
Likes Received
3,046
Location
Toledo, Ohio
United-States
To start off with. I'm ok. Let's get that out of the way. It was stage 2 colon cancer. This type of cancer has a 91% survival rate.

The second thing I want to say is that my cancer is in no way related to my taking a GLP1 or any other peptide. Based on the size of the tumor it had been growing in a cancerous state for at least 5 years if not more. Long before I had even heard about ozempic/wegovy. If anything it is much more likely that my taking a GLP1 might have slowed its progression. I also don't want to hear anyone suggesting that this was linked to vaccines or anything else stupid like that. My tumor would have started as a precancerous polyp about 15-20 years ago.

I want to say that following through with routine tests from my doctor ultimately saved my life. The doctor wanted me to do a colonguard test so I did it. This very embarrassing test is basically taking a shit in a box and mailing it off to be processed. If your doctor wants you to get it done .. just do it. Since that tested positive it led to me being recommended to get a colonoscopy, which again, is an embarrassing test that people should get done if that is what they need. At this point (May 13th) I was told that I had a tumor and it would most likely be cancerous based on its size. A week later that info was made official. After that I had a very quick succession of doctor appointments and tests that ended with a surgery on June 10th to have the tumor and a small section of my colon removed. The test results of what they removed was posted sometime today and I just read it a few hours ago. Now that my family and I have celebrated a bit I am willing to talk about it here.

The next thing I want to say some people might hate to hear because it tip-toes into politics but I don't care. Its information that matters. This whole thing, from the colongaurd test to the surgery .. it all cost me about $1700 out of pocket thanks to my having the cheapest of the cheap insurance that I got off of the ACA marketplace. That cheapo plan covered more than $200,000 of surgical costs. The most expensive part that I have to pay for was the CT scan .. that one bill is a little under $800 for me .. the rest of the costs that I need to cover are co-pays to various doctor appointments. The colonoscopy and the surgery itself cost me nothing at all. I want to officially apologize for my past complaints about the high insurance co-pays of the drug plan. While I FULLY accepted even back then that the drug co-pays were high based on my own choice of insurance plans I still grumbled about it publicly. I take it all back. Every whisper of it. Thank god for my cheap insurance.

Whelp. That's how my month has gone. I am now just nursing the stitches from the 7 stab wounds inflicted upon me by a robot and one large slice from where I was partially eviscerated. I expect a full recovery soon.
 
Congrats on following through on the recommended testing and having the tumor removed. Wishing you stellar health ahead!
Western medicine has its place it seems.
 
So glad you're ok and congratulations on your recovery. I was wondering why we hadn't heard from you lately. My father went through a very similar experience and after that small section was removed he was cancer free the rest of his life. Because of his history, I have had a colonoscopy every 5 years since I was 45. Any embarrassment I had around the procedure was gone when I heard his diagnosis. Party on!
 
I'm glad they caught it early and that you're going to be ok. 🙏 I went through this with my late husband and unfortunately he wasn't as smart as you with the due diligence.
That is the main reason I want to talk about it. People just need to follow through with the tests even if the test is unpleasant. Men get those prostates checked. Women get the PAP smears and mammograms. Poop in the box. Don't die for nothing. And yes, buy that cheap insurance you can afford because its still better than no coverage at all when the shit hits the fan.
 
So glad you're ok and congratulations on your recovery. I was wondering why we hadn't heard from you lately. My father went through a very similar experience and after that small section was removed he was cancer free the rest of his life. Because of his history, I have had a colonoscopy every 5 years since I was 45. Any embarrassment I had around the procedure was gone when I heard his diagnosis. Party on!
I didn't want to talk about it until I knew my prognosis. I was originally thinking stage 3 from the way the doctors kept talking about how large the tumor was and the speed they were moving to get me on the operating table. That I was actually just stage 2 was nice to hear. All in all I feel very lucky tonight.
 
Good luck with your recovery. It is way too early to be sure about anything, but there has been at least one study with colon cancer and GLP's where survival was a lot better on GLP's, and studies of other cancers showing similar results, so might be worth sticking with them.
 
Thank you for sharing. I'm going to schedule a colonoscopy, prostate exam, and bloodwork now. Been putting it off.
Spongebob Squarepants Good Luck GIF
 
I was wondering where you've been. Glad you pooped in the box and followed all the way through. Preventative care isn't to be trifled with, it makes a difference. You're proof of that! Good to have you back!💝

Thank you for sharing. I'm going to schedule a colonoscopy, prostate exam, and bloodwork now. Been putting it off.
Let us know how you make out. Glad you'll go.
 
Was wondering if everything was okay with you and so glad to hear that you’re on the mend.

What a scary ordeal. Thank goodness it was only stage 2 and thank goodness for crappy ACA healthplans. I also have loudly complained about my employer’s sponsored insurance plan because it won’t cover glp-1s, but in reality it’s pretty good insurance otherwise. I should probably stop complaining….

I agree that Cologuard is a little embarrasing, for me, mostly because they don’t even attempt disguise the box. The UPS driver for my neighborhood knows I’m shitting in the box and then the folks inside the UPS store know what’s in the box 😂😂😂. Can’t they just put that thing in a plain box and call it a day? But I do one every year or something like that, I’m not that embarrassed to do it. I’m on Cologuard direct. They email me directly and I don’t even go through my pcp. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Glad you’re okay. Hang in there.
 
Was wondering if everything was okay with you and so glad to hear that you’re on the mend.

What a scary ordeal. Thank goodness it was only stage 2 and thank goodness for crappy ACA healthplans. I also have loudly complained about my employer’s sponsored insurance plan because it won’t cover glp-1s, but in reality it’s pretty good insurance otherwise. I should probably stop complaining….

I agree that Cologuard is a little embarrasing, for me, mostly because they don’t even attempt disguise the box. The UPS driver for my neighborhood knows I’m shitting in the box and then the folks inside the UPS store know what’s in the box 😂😂😂. Can’t they just put that thing in a plain box and call it a day? But I do one every year or something like that, I’m not that embarrassed to do it. I’m on Cologuard direct. They email me directly and I don’t even go through my pcp. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Glad you’re okay. Hang in there.
Yea I complain about mine too, my deductible is crazy but the care i get is really good quality. Sometimes we dont know how good we have it.
 
For some unknown reason the colon cancer rates have gone up for younger people. The new recommendation starts at age 45 now. It is not just for us old people any more. Yeah, a colonoscopy is unpleasant, but a lot better than finding out you have stage 3 or 4 cancer.
 
So glad you took all the proper steps! I have been on my hubby for a couple weeks to go get a colonoscopy, both of us. I'm going to show him this post! Thank you for sharing and so happy it turned out the best possible way for you.
 
I'm glad you're okay, and this is all very good advice. Pretty good time frame on the care you received.
 
All this talk recently of colon cancer should hopefully keep the topic on top of minds for everyone. My dad was a doctor and my mom a retired nurse, a cousin who is a kidney specialist, and a sister who was a surgery room tech, so I've been surrounded by medical professionals my entire life and I'm thankful that this instilled in me the belief that check ups and tests are the way to go. I just sent in my colonguard "sample" 2 weeks ago when I had blood work for my annuals. I was very glad that the results just had the one word: negative. But for sure, if it came back as positive I would have hounded my doctor for the soonest colonoscopy I could get!

Happy you're on the other side of that, MsG!
 
Glad to hear it was only stage 2 and your prognosis is good! Obviously it's horrifying news to receive but thanks to catching it early you should be in great shape.

Most of all though, thank you for telling your story and putting it out there. Who knows, by doing that you might inspire more than a few people to get a colon cancer screening and could even save a life or two!
 

Trending Topics

Forum Statistics

Threads
18,064
Posts
188,129
Members
60,571
Newest
Hhgofantioch
Back
Top Bottom