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Is Sciatica Pain Normal After A Colonoscopy?
Question: I had a colonoscopy two weeks ago, and a small polyp was removed. The pathology came back that it is cancer and can only be fixed by surgery. The doctor said it was unusual that a polyp so small was cancer. The very next day, I experienced pain in my left buttock and left side - not all the time, just when I sit down or turn in bed or go down steps. It continues. Tomorrow I get a Pet Scan and hopefully the cancer isn't anywhere else. I'm worried that this pain indicates that it has spread. Is sciatic pain normal after a colonoscopy?
Brief Answer:
This pain is not from the cancer for sure.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Is the cancer removed completely (so there is no cancer cells in the polyp margins)? Can you please attach the pathologist report of this polyp?
Generally if there is a cancer in the polyp, we assume that this is an early stage and for 99% it has not spread anywhere else. You were kind of lucky that it has been found so early. The colon cancer does not give any pain at this stage and for sure no pain in the buttock or sciatic area. Colonoscopy can sometimes cause such pain, but right after it, not 2 weeks after.
So most likely your pain has nothing to do with the cancer. Spine problem seems most probable. I suggest you to consult orthopedist with this issue.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
This pain is not from the cancer for sure.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Is the cancer removed completely (so there is no cancer cells in the polyp margins)? Can you please attach the pathologist report of this polyp?
Generally if there is a cancer in the polyp, we assume that this is an early stage and for 99% it has not spread anywhere else. You were kind of lucky that it has been found so early. The colon cancer does not give any pain at this stage and for sure no pain in the buttock or sciatic area. Colonoscopy can sometimes cause such pain, but right after it, not 2 weeks after.
So most likely your pain has nothing to do with the cancer. Spine problem seems most probable. I suggest you to consult orthopedist with this issue.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
After the Pet Scan, I will be scheduled for surgery. The doctor says it's in a good place to take out a small section of the colon and reattach it. I don't know what the Pet Scan is expected to show, but I hope it doesn't change things, or show that the problem is worse than expected.
Brief Answer:
PET scan seems pointless at this point.
Detailed Answer:
If its "cancer in the polyp" PET scan is pointless. Either there is no metastases (for 99% there is no) or the metastases are too small to show up in the PET (its too early for this test).
Surgery must be done for sure. Lymph nodes must be removed to make sure no cancer in lymph nodes.
PET scan seems pointless at this point.
Detailed Answer:
If its "cancer in the polyp" PET scan is pointless. Either there is no metastases (for 99% there is no) or the metastases are too small to show up in the PET (its too early for this test).
Surgery must be done for sure. Lymph nodes must be removed to make sure no cancer in lymph nodes.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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