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Bowel / Colon Referral

Juliexx1
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Hi,

 

I'm creating this chat because I have been referred to a 2 week emergency CT scan.

 

I have been bleeding while passing stool for around 2 years now, I have gone to the GP several times all for them to brush it off and tell me I'm too young to have cancer or any type of serious illness. I have bright red blood every single time I pass it's so uncomfortable, before there was no pain but now constant pain, it's not always hard but I still bleed every time, my bowel movements have always been very unsettling for as long as I remember. Anyway I complained of this back in January this year, like I have done previously and they referred me for a colonoscopy, which has been cancelled several times before and now because of COVID 19, the pain has worsened to the point where I am in actually agony. It is bright red blood, I also have had several blood tests and they came back that I had low iron that could be a sign. I am always tired but I wouldn't say I've lost weight I haven't gained weight but don't look out of the ordinary. I went to A & E just for me to have an uncomfortable examination and they told me they would refer me for tests then heard nothing back. 2 weeks ago now I literally begged my GP to take me seriously, the GP I actually spoke to was not a regular GP at my surgery but actually an intern that was the most helpful and supportive person I've spoken to regarding my experience, she referred me for a cancer referral as they are not doing the colonoscopy due to COVID 19, all for this to be rejected the following day by the hospital, the same GP contacted me 2 days later telling me the situation as I finally thought something was getting done about it, she told me I had to have a blood test and another stool test as I have done these in the past and nothing has come back so I feel like I am going in circles. So I done the stool test straight away, I am still in pure agony, she gave me some medication I have actually took for the first time tonight, which has given me some relief but anyway the doctor rang me today with the results of my stool which has come back 200 on a Quantitative Faecal Immunochemical Test and informed me that the results are abnormal for bowel inflammatory, but the reason behind this could be a number of things could be Chrones disease or Colornitis disease but obviously the worst thought is Bowel / Colonal Cancer, I am so scared! I am now just waiting for a date for the CT scan but because of the test results they cannot refuse me this time! 
 

I am 24 years old which I have been told is very young but it is not impossible, I will keep the forum updated on my results and am trying not to panic but it would be nice to speak to someone with similar experiences, I may only be 24 years old but I have a very demanding job working in payroll and I bought my mothers house so have a mortgage, And I am the sole provider for the household, so this all quite worrying for me. I care for my mother who is 63 now and disabled I don't have much help so if anything was to happen this would be such a difficult situation.

 

On my fathers side my uncle is a survivor or bowel cancer. So I am not sure if this would be related however this problem has been going on so long now and been impossible to get a refferal from my GP, I am relieved that I finally will be getting a diagnosis in the next few weeks! I really hope for the best and anyone that has gone through this experience I admire as I am finding this very difficult at the moment to take in. 

  • Offline

    Hi Juliexx1 

    Thought I would pop on as you are clearly very worried about this. I'm sorry to hear that you have had a lot of trouble with the Drs and getting this far before they even started tests. 

    There are lots of things that can cause bright red bleeding one of which is piles. Have the Drs done any examinations to check for hemmeroids? Please try not to worry although I know that is incredibly hard. I'm glad they are now checking you over but I can't understand why they haven't referred you for a colonoscopy? I also have bright red bleeding after bowel movements and have also suffered like you on and off for two years now. I'm also young and had a battle to get seen by a Dr but they did find an external hemmeroid and skin tag. However I have also lost weight and I was referred to a gastroenterologist who has booked me in for a colonoscopy to see if they can find our what is going on. I would have thought with low iron levels you could insist on a colonoscopy and wondered if you spoke to your Dr again whether they can refer you. I would let them know how anxious you are and explain about your uncle and low iron levels and other symptoms. It won't hurt to get a second opinion if your Dr won't refer you.

    If it helps at all I had severe pain when sitting a couple of years back and was told that was down to the external piles but I was also pregnant with my DD at the time. Piles can be internal or external and they do hurt when you go to the toilet. Try increasing your water intake as well because even if it's not hemmeroids the more water you drink makes it easier to pass the stools and less painful. 

    Do you have a date for your CT scan? I hope you get some answers soon.

  • Offline in reply to Lil_C

    Hi,

     

    Thanks for your reply, it's nice to hear some reassuring experiences.
     

    I been having bleeding for around 2 years and contacted my GP about it they examined me and told me I had nothing to worry about initially said that it could be internal piles I said it's not normal so they asked for a Stool and blood test which at the time came back fine, the bleeding stopped for a while and then came back quite badly. In January I went there and made a business about it because they didn't do anything before, and I had contacted them several times about it,so then My GP did refer me for a colonoscopy but the appointments kept getting cancelled and postponed then in April they told me that all appointment are being cancelled for the foreseeable due to COVID and I will just have to wait for them to contact me. 
     

    The last 2 months the bleeding has severely worsened and now it's every single time I pass and I am in extreme pain, during and after movements.

     

    I guess I am just thinking the worst but 2 weeks ago now the pain was so bad I rang 111 and begged them to do something I did go to to A&E about it two weeks prior to that they examined me and said they'd be intouch but I haven't heard anything. So when I was on the phone to 111 they said it has to be my GP that would do a referral so they booked me in and my surgery rang me the following day.

     

    The doctor I spoke to wasn't my usual GP and my surgery is very busy so we have some interns from time to time but she said she will be regularly working at the surgery 3 days a week. She was so helpful and understanding and referred me straight away to rule out the possibilities of cancer.

     

    But 2 days later she rang and told me the hospital rejected it and wants me to do 2 additional tests before they can rerefer me to the 2 week team. So I done my stool test and blood test and she rang me yesterday with the results to say that the test came back that I have abnormal levels of bowel inflammation the test came back 200 when a normal level would be 1-10 I'm not entirely sure how it works but it really has alarmed me.

     

    Because of this test coming back the hospital now cannot refuse me a CT scan to see what's going on but in the meantime it's scaring me in my head I'm just petrified that it could be too late etc. The bleeding has been on and off for 2 years but now it's persistent and worse than ever it's took this for anyone to actually take me seriously.

     

    The doctor did say there could be other explanations of the bowel inflammation, that's not cancer but these are also long term illnesses etc. So I am quite worried, apparently IBS couldn't cause that level of inflammation so I don't think it could be a hemmeroid witch I was thinking it could be.

     

    However the doctor did prescribe some cream and applications for hemmeroids and the pain has got a bit better since yesterday so I'm hoping there will be some explanation.

     

    The hospital actually rang me earlier to book me in for a consultation with the nurse Tuesday morning so hopefully they'll speed up the process for the CT scan as I am petrified and the not knowing is really difficult!

     

    Thanks for getting back to me, your experience must have been quite scary especially while pregnant! But it's reassuring to know that the symptoms can lead to something else but for me it's the result of that stool test for the inflamed bowels that's really startled me! I will keep the form updated as it's helpful reading these when you are in the same situation! Thanks again! 

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