Hi all,

Looking for some advice on how to get properly checked out.

Basically I have a lot of mucous when I poop and sometimes after I poop I can get a little bit of incontinence which is also very mucousy. I have had a FIT test and inflammation tests all come back normal and a blood test doesn't show anemia.

I don't really have any other symptoms so I really don't think I have IBS. I have recently noticed some pain really low down in my pelvis so seems more gynaecological as it's more just above my hip/leg joint. I also had an ultrasound a few weeks ago that showed my womb is bulky at the back, the part in front of my bowel. I was referred to gynaecology for this, they seemed unconcerned and discharged without any explanation for it. When I asked they said maybe constipation? I'm not constipated!

Two Drs have said they think I have polyps. My Dad's father died of bowel cancer in his 50s and my Dad has bowel polyps so I have a heridatory risk.

The Dr said she would refer me for a colonoscopy but then didn't she told me this was because the hospital knocked it back. I'm reluctant to think I'm being lied to however I have a contact in the hospital department who has kept checking for my referral and it had not come in plus I would have thought they would have written to me if that's the case. The Dr said the hospital said they wanted me to do another FIT test which I have now done. She said she can now refer me but on checking she still hasn't done it. She has put me on IBS meds so it feels like she is wanting to try all the avenues first before referral althought she said to me this would be meanwhile, while I'm waiting for the colonoscopy. I just don't know how I can get her to do the referral and I'm exhausted by keeping getting my hopes up and it not being done. I can't help but worry. If they think I have polyps should I not be checked out?

A private colonoscopy is so expensive but I have wondered whether I could get the Dr to refer me for a private MRI instead as these are less expensive. I'm then hoping that if anything was seen it would prompt her to act more quickly.

I do understand that NHS funding is limited and that she has to be mindful of this, I just wish she'd be honest and not say that she will refer me and then keep not doing it. It has always been up to me to find this out and she did not contact me to say I should do the 2nd FIT test it took me 2 weeks to find this out. I just feel like we are wasting so much time and like I can't move forward with life until I find out what's going on. I've had the mucous and incontinence for months now. I don't have any of the risk factors that are listed for incontinence either e.g. injury etc.

I contacted a private healthcare company about doing an MRI and they said really I should do a colonoscopy and that I could be knocked back for a private MRI if they don't think it's the right course of action. They also said I would need a Drs referral. My understanding was that this is not the case?

I really don't know how to progress this now as it just seems like whatever I do I'm at this Drs mercy.

I did wonder about paying to see a private GP but the one I looked into said they couldn't refer to the NHS, is this the case for all of them?

Does anyone have any advice on how I can get things moving?

Many thanks ️