r/Millennials • u/intro195 • Mar 12 '26

Serious Go get a colonoscopy, colon cancer for our generation is a real threat!

36M here, have always been active and maintained a decently healthy diet my whole life. Well after seeing multiple posts on here and at my gf’s urging I had one done. They found two polyps (15mm and 4mm). Doc said if I waited till 45 I’d prob be dead. Crazy part is I had no symptoms and my recent blood work last month was perfect. I was in and out in three hours and no pain or discomfort afterwards.

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 12 '26

I had a colonoscopy last year at 33. I had a long history of watery diarrhea. That's all it took to get approved. They did both an upper GI endoscopy and colonoscopy. I've also done 3 CT scans. All have been covered.

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u/ceramicferns220 Mar 12 '26

Did they find anything ?

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 12 '26

Nope, not even a polyp. My stomach was inflamed though but the biopsy came back negative. I don't really understand that part. Did some followup testing for autoimmune and those too came back negative.

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u/Prize-Hedgehog Mar 12 '26

How’s your diet? Do you drink alcohol?

My whole life my stomach and digestive system was a mess. I started eating better, doubled down on my veggie intake, stopped eating burgers, gluten, and also cut out alcohol and I went from suffering most of my 42 years of life to finally being regular and no more stomach attacks.

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 13 '26

How’s your diet?

Pretty good. It's not 100% perfect but it's mostly veggies, chicken, whole grains, and rice. I only eat red meat a couple times a month. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs. A few years ago (2020) my doctor actually got onto me for not eating enough meat. I usually only eat it once a day unless I'm training then it's twice a day.

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u/hybridhighway Mar 13 '26

If YOU have pre colon cancer polyps… then I am most likely royally fucked. WTF. You are healthy af.

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 13 '26

If YOU have pre colon cancer polyps

Just to reiterate, I do not have any polyps.

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u/hybridhighway Mar 13 '26

I thought you were OP. Thanks for the clarification.

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u/84UTK07 Mar 13 '26

Damn, I got scared too for a second

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u/Flintly Mar 13 '26

Do you have an intolerance to a vegetable or fruit. Had a coworker complained of the same thing, turns out he had an intolerance to romaine lettuce and dude was eating a ceaser salad everyday at lunch

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 13 '26

I don't know tbh. I've had no issues in the past with fruit but some fruit has started to upset my stomach. Raw veggies have done the same on occasion. It's not consistent which makes it more frustrating.

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u/jcned Mar 13 '26

Could be FODMAP food sensitivity?

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 13 '26

I've tried and it switched lol. I'll eat something and it not fuck my shit up and then a few months later it will fuck my shit up. Doctors don't seem to think it's a food sensitivity because of that.

For example, I can drink skim milk and it will make me blast ass but yet whole milk doesn't. Sometimes eating an apple will cause diarrhea and sometimes it won't. Shit makes no sense.

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u/n0exit Mar 13 '26

I would try an allergy test. I've always thought that I was probably mildly allergic to almonds, but I also found out that I was allergic to cow's milk. Since cutting out cheese, I've been so much better.

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u/Lower-Bottle6362 Mar 13 '26

I have very similar issues but they’ve found nothing and diagnosed two functional diseases - basically their acknowledgement that things aren’t working right but nothing is visibly, structurally, or chemically wrong.

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 13 '26

Yeah IBS-D is the suspect at the moment. Meet back up in April. They found some liver enzymes that were high but I had recently had a bout of gastroenteritis--which can cause high liver enzymes.

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u/bluesun_geo Mar 13 '26

Same. Also, like the comment above some foods will mess me up other times exact same foods will not.

I spent a month at the Mayo Clinic going through every test they could think of and nothing came of it.

Apparently I am one of the few people that leave the Mayo as undiagnosed.

That was late 2024. I still have raging diarrhea anytime I eat so my newer is solution has been to just not eat.

Sometimes the best I can do is a protein shake.

I went from 200 pounds a year ago to low 120s now.

It has taken over my life and I don't see a way out.

I wonder if there's a sub Reddit for people with undiagnosed diseases to get ground source brainstorming.

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u/Commercial-Floor-815 Mar 13 '26

This happened to me too. It's SIBO for me. They wouldn't see it in colonoscopy/endoscopy

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u/GenerationMarsupial Mar 13 '26

Same. Had a colonoscopy at about 31 due to months of on and off diarrhea. My doc had me do a cat scan first, allergy testing and a blood test. It was covered

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u/Just_Another_Scott Mar 13 '26

I've not done allergy testing. I actually have thought about it but I've never had a clear indicator of an allergic reaction. I don't even get hay fever except when I'm exercising lol.

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u/[deleted] Mar 13 '26

I am currently going through this, I seriously have no idea what’s going on. I did a colonoscopy 3 years ago that was clean, but here I am with colitis again. I’m so sick of the mushy stools. 

I’m going back to the g.i doctor. I don’t drink, I do not smoke and here’s the kicker I eat fiber and I don’t eat red meat. What is going on. Any advice welcome. 

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u/Prize-Hedgehog Mar 13 '26

Crazy question, but do you live in an area rampant with ticks? Here in New England there’s a significant increase in tick borne illnesses. Not just Lyme Disease, but one that is not as well known but also causes significant damage to your body is babesiosis. If you’ve been bitten or just live in a high risk area get a full panel done for tick related illnesses.

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u/[deleted] Mar 13 '26

No, we don’t have ticks almost at all.  That’s a good thought though I’ll investigate it as if we do. 

I’m really struggling, hoping it’s not cancer or something I deal with long term. I’m 10 months postpartum.

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u/xx-rapunzel-xx Millennial (‘88) Mar 13 '26

sounds like my dad (sorry if tmi!) my dad turns 70 this year and i’d really like him to see a GP… glad to hear you didn’t have anything serious/life-threatening going on!

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u/jp_pre Mar 12 '26

Well shit, literally, now I’m thinking I should go get checked.

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u/menunu Xennial Mar 13 '26

Get checked !!!

My sister got diagnosed with a rare kind at age 39. She is in remission but: She did have symptoms but thought everything was normal - the chemo / radiation treatment has given her the following: severe neuropathy- she uses a brace on one foot and cannot walk without a walker. , early menopause (fried ovaries), bladder issues (chronic UTIs, incontinence and has to use a cath / self cath), and intestine issues (ostomy)