Today, I'm faced with having a partial colectemy in the near future due to a polyp (not the good kind) in my colon. It could not be entirely removed at the time of my colonoscopy and the surgeon is recommending right hemicolectomy. Six to eight weeks recovery.
I've spent some time reading up on this kind of polyp (including at least one other potential approach to removing it that is not as invasive) and discovered that while age and gender play a role in there development, so does smoking.
And I believe it.
I'm 61. I quit at age 54 knowing that my health would improve on a daily basis, but, that the longer term risks would not be reduced right away, and not as much as a nonsmoker. It seems that this is one of them.
I'm lucky to have a choice going forward. Quitting was the best thing I could have done.
Are you still smoking? If you won't stop, yet, have a colonoscopy at age 50. And know that there is a ton of quit support out there if you are willing to seek it.
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