Michael - concerned about a recent change in bowel habits

Hello all you good people. Just joined the forum. I am 61 and in fairly good health, do suffer with depression and anxiety and have done all my life. I function as best i can and have always worked so i guess i built my coping mechanisms up from an early age. What brought me to this forum is i haven’t been feeling my normal self for about a week now and came online to look for symptoms of bowel cancer. I never self diagnosis but as they say knowledge is power. Having seen the common symptoms online i have a gut feeling that something is not good. I am 61, slim build and walk and swim about 4 times a week. My toilet habit is completely out of sync, I feel like i want to go but nothing happens. I have had blood on the tissue for about 5 days now, had some very odd stomach/adominal pains which are very uncomfortable and when i wee it is uncomfortable too. I am unusually tired and very lethargic. I’m not overly anxious that it could be something serious, it could be constipation as i haven’t been for a few days. I did call my doctors at the start of the week and discreetly told the receptionist my symptoms and i have a gut feeling it could be more than constipation etc and she said call back in 4 weeks. I won’t comment on that but all the hard working staff on the national health have been let down by under funding etc. Is there any test that i can buy online that may point to more investigation being needed. I am adopted so i have no idea of my family history. Thank you for taking time to read my post warm regards Michael 

  • Hi Michael, welcome to the forum, you say you haven't opened your bowels for a few days if it's 3 or 4 you could talk to your pharmacist, they are often very helpful. If you haven't been for 5 days you should consider going to A+E. has there ever been blood in your stools or is it always on the tissue and does it look fresh, Regarding the discomfort peeing, does your urine look and smell normal, and is the flow reduced and does your gland feel uncomfortable when peeing. Michael I suggest you don't wait for 4 weeks to hear from your GP, If you call 0800 707 60 60 you can request a FIT test kit and ask your surgery for a PSA test, Michael i suggest these so you can rule them out, I am not an expert but have had bowel and have prostate cancer and it's understandable we sometimes think the worst, when other reasons are far more likely

    Eddie

  • I'm no expert, but I would ask for a doctotr's appointment rather than wait 4 weeks.