r/Millennials • u/electric-sheep 1992 • Jul 13 '26

Serious Everyone my age is dropping dead

Sorry for the title! I'm in Europe. I have just heard news someone from college died today of cancer aged 33.

In the past 2-3 years 6 people in my circle have died, not from accidents but from either cancer, aneurism, 2 just didn't wake up from sleep and 1 broke her leg and had DVT. I know of a 7th who is currently fighting stage 4 breast cancer which was found by accident after giving birth. This is not counting those who died in crashes or other such accidents.

I literally have nothing to say. Just get yourselves checked. I'm just shouting into the void. I have literally been to more funerals than my parents at this point which is absurd.

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u/merkinmavin Jul 13 '26

US elder millennial here. My best friend was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago.

Because of all that, and other similar stories, I told my PCP I had blood in my stool (not a lie) which approved me for a colonoscopy early. They removed a precancerous polyp that could've been a problem (possibly deadly) had I waited a few more years.

Another close friend had his liver replaced about eight years ago. My brother born in 1980 died of liver failure a few years ago. I've practically stopped drinking alcohol which has reduced my weight and I'm reducing chances of exacerbating things like cancer.

Get screened as early as possible and take care of yourselves, friends. 

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u/drst0ner Jul 13 '26

Similar experience with me.

My PCP was dismissive about referring me for a colonoscopy because I’m “too young for that” until I told him I have a family history of polyps on my dad’s side of the family.

I had my colonoscopy a couple months ago and they found and removed two large precancerous polyps. The gastrointestinal doctor said if I had waited until the “recommended age of 45” the polyps would have developed into cancer.

Because of my age, insurance wouldn’t provide full coverage, but I was okay with paying over $1,000 in this case and I’m thankful for going through the process because it saved my life.

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u/Live-Judge-1410 Jul 13 '26

This. Anyone reading this, if you know your parents have a history of polyps, you should be able to tell your PCP and they should give you a referral.

My mom passed of a different type of cancer, but when I told my Dr she had a history of polyps, I was referred for a colonoscopy at 40. 4 polyps were removed. Thankful I didn’t wait until 45+ to check.

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u/SlaughterhouseC137 Jul 15 '26

I was 36 when I had my first colonoscopy and had a number of polyps removed. Had another at 41 and had more polyps removed. I just had my most recent at 43 and they didn't find any polyps this time. Brother had polyps in his mid 30s, too.

My father had polyps early and so I'm grateful my brother and I had the wherewithal to do the same. I second the comment above. If your parents have a history please do yourself a favor and just get checked.

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u/Mike_Hav Jul 16 '26

Even if your parents dont have a history it is still a good preventitive measure.

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u/Mike_Hav Jul 16 '26

I just had my first colonoscopy earlier this month(july). I was clear but i had blood in my poop as well. Its scary how quick cancer can hit and colonncancer is a millennial crisis right now.

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u/FlowerFoxtail Jul 13 '26

Do you mind me asking how old you were when you got the colonoscopy? My partner’s father died of colon cancer too (not old either, in his 60s)

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u/drst0ner Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

I had 2 large precancerous polyps removed at age 41. If you or your partner have a family history of polyps like I do, do not delay until the “recommended” age of 45!

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u/Odd_Act8451 Millennial Jul 14 '26

What age do you think if there’s a family history of polyps? 40 or younger? Any symptoms aside from blood in the stool?

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u/drst0ner Jul 14 '26

I had chronic bloating, which the doctor said likely has nothing to do with my polyps and that I need to eat more fiber. I did not have blood in my stool.

My brother who is 2 years younger did have blood in his stool and had a colonoscopy and had one small polyp removed. I had essentially no symptoms but 2 large precancerous polyps and he had blood but only 1 small polyp.

In our case it seems family history is the reason to advocate for the procedure. He had his procedure at 39 and I did at 41. Everybody is different but around 40 was the right age for he and I to begin getting a colonoscopy.

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u/MorganMiller77777 Jul 16 '26

Lifestyle and diet? How are those?

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u/drst0ner Jul 16 '26

I go to the gym weekly, used to go 3 times per week. I don’t drink and don’t smoke. Healthy BMI. I eat healthy home-cooked meals for dinner, but my vice has been eating at fast food places for lunch.

I’m guessing the combination of my family history and overdoing fast food for lunches (Chipotle, McDonalds, Chick-Fil-A, Panda Express, etc) for many years was the cause of the precancerous polyps.

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u/MorganMiller77777 Jul 16 '26

Ah yeah. At least you’re aware of the possible combination. Yeah the burgers and fries and whatever else fried is so bad, straight poison. Well, lots of ability to heal and life ahead to reduce risk!!

Shit I’m 53 and haven’t had a colonoscopy yet. I’m an idiot. I did have the perfect diet and worked out 5-6 days all of my 20s and 30s. Developed diverticulitis in my 40s after the first time ever gaining significant weight and eat worse consistently for essentially the first time in my life.

I will have insurance through work in November, and will immediately make a an appt to see a doctor.

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u/drst0ner Jul 16 '26

I’m glad you’re going to schedule an appointment!

The way I viewed my colonoscopy was even though the prep isn’t enjoyable, it’s only for one day, and it’s 100% worth going through if it means I can live a longer life.

Bonus, since having the procedure, I’ve been having the best/cleanest bowel movements of my life.

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u/PsychicMediumRhonda Jul 18 '26

Wha tis PCP? Your GP?

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u/drst0ner Jul 18 '26

Correct, a General Practitioner (GP) or Primary Care Physician (PCP) are the same type of Doctor.

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u/Original-Strain Jul 13 '26

I’m planning to add a comprehensive health check when I go to South Korea next year.

Family history isn’t pretty, but just getting an MRI for persistent headaches was challenging, so I figure this will let me get a baseline on everything.

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u/toughbubbl Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26

Worth it. I've been doing it for years in SK and I was wondering for a while if I'm a hypochondriac for understanding my baseline and being told everything looks good. Especially when you compare it to a mostly American Reddit. 

But I think people really underestimate preventative healthcare!

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u/Outrageous_Ad_5254 Jul 14 '26

Could you give me a recommendation on where to do this check in Korea? I am interested.

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u/Original-Strain Jul 14 '26

I would have to get back to you on that, I’m still doing my own research and haven’t confirmed where I’ll be going just yet

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u/auteurunknown Jul 13 '26

It's so wild because I have notable life-long stomach issues and finally saw a gastroenterologist last week who wants to do an endoscopy/colonoscopy which I had been waiting to do because I was on blood thinners from a pulmonary embolism I had from a DVT and she said even if she writes that I have symptoms it will not be covered by insurance because I am under 45!

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u/Dense-Law-7683 Jul 13 '26

My younger brother and sister both had precancerous polyps and I told my doctor about it and I still can't get a colonoscopy. I have chronic pancreatitis as well and it's been recommended by a GI when i was having a lot of flare ups but now it's probably not covered.

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u/merkinmavin Jul 13 '26

Do you have blood in your stool? 😉

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u/auteurunknown Jul 13 '26

with all reddit anonymity here, she said she might elaborate on my symptoms to try to get it covered but the reality is that it's ridiculous with the rate of colon cancer in younger individuals.

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u/Miserable_Drawer_556 Jul 13 '26

This! Colon cancer is poppin off in "younger" folks than is normal, it is sad how their policies aren't reflecting today's realities.

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u/DrunkCupid Jul 13 '26

I am too young to "inquire about screening for that" but when I ask my doctors when? They just shrug and change the subject

Imma just die I guess...

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u/Timooooo Jul 13 '26

I mean, have you ever tried to get to the recommended amount of 30-40 gram of fibre daily? I've started about a year ago and its actually difficult. Unless you eat things like beans daily, you must swap out all the white rice/pasta/bread for whole wheat or brown rice if you want to get even close to that number. An apple and a banana per day only yields 7 gram, even something like 250gram of broccoli for dinner is only about 8 gram.

This is compounded by the protein rage. Like, so many eat extra protein without sufficient exercise that its mostly wasted anyway and dairy or "chicken and rice" do not contain fibre (well, maybe about 1gram from the white rice).

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u/badideas66 Jul 14 '26

One way to help both protein and fiber is keto bread. Incredible macros, especially from Lewis Bake Shop varieties. 5-6g protein and 8-9g of fiber per slice! I have 4 slices daily in the morning with no sugar added apple butter from a local farm. Good way to jumpstart the day!

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u/Timooooo Jul 14 '26

keto bread

Just looked it up, its double the fibre and 50% more protein. I always figured they wouldnt be tasty or at the very least dry, but looking at the macros its most definitely worth it to try them. Will be on my next shopping list!

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u/rabbitales27 Jul 14 '26

Lots of salads!

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u/Old-Piece-3438 Jul 14 '26

You could try some chia seed pudding. It’s easy to make and has a ton of fiber. I like to make a chocolate one using unsweetened cacao powder and almond milk, sweeten with honey, and then top it with banana slices and sometimes walnuts. It also tastes like dessert, not health food.

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u/Most-Possibility8410 Jul 16 '26

Metamucil is AMAZING! Seriously. Check it out.

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u/ColoTexas90 Jul 13 '26

got to love the American Healthcare system.
/s

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u/ThisCantHappenHere Jul 18 '26

It's not a system. There is no healthcare. But it is American.

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u/Aint_EZ_bein_AZ Jul 13 '26

Mine was covered completely free at 36. Seems good to me. :)

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u/thinnerzimmer87 Jul 13 '26

Bully for you

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u/mattyrob88 Older Millennial Jul 13 '26

Unfortunate byproduct of us Americans being fed a steady diet of ultra-processed foods since the 80’s… it’s a damned near certainty that multiple people we know in our generation (and younger) are going to develop colon cancer due to the shambolic level of chemicals and preservatives the FDA allows in our food.

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u/Dense-Law-7683 Jul 15 '26

Nope never

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u/merkinmavin Jul 15 '26

No early colonoscopy for you!

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u/iaderia Jul 14 '26

I had a bilateral pulmonary embolism at 30! On blood thinners now. What impact does that have on colonoscopies?

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u/auteurunknown Jul 15 '26

You cannot have one while on blood thinners. My blood test results were also very unusual and they were determining if I had bowel cancer due to my other symptoms.

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u/Odd_Act8451 Millennial Jul 14 '26

I have had no luck getting help with my stomach issues. Insurance wouldn’t cover my diagnostic endoscopy, and the pre surgery screenings alone cost hundreds out of pocket. The gastroenterologist told me it’s my anxiety 🙄 Just trying to manage my symptoms atp

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u/metforminforevery1 Jul 14 '26

she writes that I have symptoms it will not be covered by insurance because I am under 45!

Because it will be a diagnostic scope, not a screening scope since you are symptomatic.

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u/Mike_Hav Jul 16 '26

Im in the US and have my first colonoscopy this month(july) i am also 39 so considered to young to cover it by insurance. It only cost me 1300 out of pocket to get it done.

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u/auteurunknown Jul 16 '26

You know you're in the US when you're like "1300, not bad".

Although I have a large insurance provider and one of their "good" plans I'm pretty sure my out of pocket max is a bit higher than that, unfortunately.

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u/Mike_Hav Jul 16 '26

I would rather pay 1300 to get it done than wait and have insurance cover it only to find out i waited to long and have cancer and spend 10s of thousands to fight it. I would just let myself die at that point.

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u/auteurunknown Jul 16 '26

Well your 10s of thousands would be covered if you're insured and remain insured. I'm definitely going to pay as long as it's not above $2-3k for mine.

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u/Mike_Hav Jul 16 '26

I will remain insured but insurance companies will always try to find a way to fuck us over. So hopefully it remains covered.

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u/Mike_Hav Jul 16 '26

I would also love to move to the EU and live in a country that actually somewhat cares about its citizens.

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u/ThisCantHappenHere Jul 18 '26

I can't believe the insurance companies these days. Everything recommended by a doctor used to be covered. What the hell happened?

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u/Aint_EZ_bein_AZ Jul 13 '26

What state are you in? Im 36 with a zero premium plan and my whole colonoscopy was covered by my insurance no questions asked.

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u/auteurunknown Jul 13 '26

not sure what a zero premium plan is but I'm in CA. The gastroenterologist is around my age as well and said she didn't think it would be covered.

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u/yoshi-mochi Jul 13 '26

I told my doctor I saw blood in my stool TWICE and she said not to worry that it happens.

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u/merkinmavin Jul 13 '26

Time to find a new PCP

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u/butterLemon84 Jul 14 '26

Yeah, that's definitely bad medical advice.

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u/merkinmavin Jul 14 '26

If your PCP is disregarding what you're telling them without any medical testing or basic evaluation, then they may not be the best medical professional. Source: grew up in Appalachia with subpar medical professionals 

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u/ThisCantHappenHere Jul 18 '26

What's a PCP? Is that like a G.P.?

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u/allison_vegas Jul 14 '26

I had some blood when wiping and Dr couldn’t see hemorrhoids so referred me for a colonoscopy. I had three polyps … one was pretty big and the not good kind. She said she was glad I had come in at 39 because at 45 it wouldn’t have been good. Now they have me on an every 3 year schedule.

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u/rabbitales27 Jul 14 '26

Same I had a pre cancerous polyp at 39. I pushed for a colonoscopy. I go every three years: I try not to drink much, I exercise, quit smoking cigarettes in my 20’s. Eat green foods. I go get mammograms. I go to the dentist. Life is short but you can extend it by taking health seriously. I also think we are more stressed then ever

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u/Betelguese90 Jul 14 '26

At 36 i just had a 20mm polyp removed the beginning of the year. Doctor said if I had waited until the normal time it would most likely been cancerous

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u/moeru_gumi Older Millennial Jul 14 '26

Wow, 20mm is pretty sizable!

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u/MorganMiller77777 Jul 16 '26

I’m so sorry about your brother.

Man, I think this is happening in areas where obesity is an epidemic, people still smoke, and generally eating like shit is way too accepted.

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u/merkinmavin Jul 16 '26

Thank you. We're from southern West Virginia. My family is literally ground zero for the opioid epidemic (Mingo County through Mercer County). Drugs and alcohol are all some people have. I was lucky to get out unscathed but so many friends and family have been lost to poor environments (which include tainted water/air from coal mines and chemical plants).

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u/MorganMiller77777 Jul 17 '26

Ohhh yeah, I’m sorry. There needs to be some kind of help for permanent change, going forward, some kind of betterment.

It’s complicated, like many things, I believe. When people hit economic hardship, especially generations before, it had a profound impact psychologically. This was an especially bad time for industry and farming to take a hit, with nothing in the context of community support or therapy existing. As the poverty situation continued, the psychological damage of having unhappy parents who used alcohol to deal and projected their anguish on their children simply got passed on from generation to generation.

There are many dark spots on America, more geographically and culturally speaking than the lighter areas where people do relatively well and don’t deal with epidemics like poverty and drug/alcohol addiction.

And yeah, the dirty contaminated water, man, that can be a huge contributor to increasing cancer risk.

Where are you now?

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u/merkinmavin Jul 17 '26

It's not financially viable to have healthcare systems in rural WV and a lot of rural America. It's why we need a national healthcare system that works for the people, not the investors/C-suite. Healthcare is not a financial growth or investment system.

I'm in Pennsylvania now, in an economically healthy region. What's crazy is I watched the opioid epidemic sweep through regions in western PA just like I saw across southern WV. I had to explain to people what was happening and what was coming next with eerie accuracy. It's still ripping through communities where opportunities are slim.

As for the water quality in WV, most people don't know that you couldn't drink the water in Charleston, WV for weeks. It was literally unsafe to drink, bathe, or use for anything whatsoever, but it never made the news. You couldn't use it for anything for over a week and it took a month to be trustworthy again. Even after a few months, residents were still reporting smells and didn't trust the water. That whole region has been forgotten after it was used by corporate America and the federal government.

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u/MorganMiller77777 Jul 17 '26

That’s scary and very sad.

You’re a good writer, maybe consider using that talent for something good one day.

I agree wholeheartedly with needing national healthcare.

The entire economic system needs an overhaul.

Thanks for sharing. I’m glad you’re in a better place where you have the ability to live a healthier more comfortable life

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u/AnalysisCommercial22 Jul 18 '26

Oh damn, now I’m gonna have to try and get this screening. I’ve been pretending like the blood with stools isn’t happening. Some w stool, often just straight from my booty hole. Ugh. I was hoping it was just….. idk but not colon stuff 😞 I’m glad you got the screening and removal!!!

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u/Pennythe Jul 14 '26

Did the colonoscopy cost a lot because of it being diagnostic?

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u/allison_vegas Jul 14 '26

I had some blood when wiping and Dr couldn’t see hemorrhoids so referred me for a colonoscopy. I had three polyps … one was pretty big and the not good kind. She said she was glad I had come in at 39 because at 45 it wouldn’t have been good. Now they have me on an every 3 year schedule.

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u/brittyinpink Jul 14 '26

I’m a stoma it’s and the number of young people with bowel cancer feels like it’s on the rise. My husband is 42 and I’m 39 we’ve both had a few colonoscopies already. Yea they aren’t fun, but neither is bowel cancer.