Oh. Peter, my heart goes out to you.  I wish I was someone who could actually give you advice, but I am, myself, prepping for a colonoscopy to see if I, too, may have bowel cancer.  All I know, I think, is all that fear and anxiety is normal and understandable.  How I wish there was something, anything I could say to assuage that.  But I'm sure there will be people on these forums who can and will respond.  Please hold on.  Please, please just hold on.  People do survive.  I'm sure of it because I'm sure I've seen stories of those who have - even someone who was diagnosed twice, in her teens and then in her 20s, with bowel cancer.  She's a survivor, still.

Reach out to any friends and family you may have for support.  And if you feel there isn't anyone right now, maybe try the hotline here or at Macmillan.

Sending you hugs, as it's all I have to give.  I wish it could be more.  But I'm sure there are people here who can help and advise you.  Please hold on.  Please. xox

Thank you for your words, I cant beleve it and that i am already suffering , I simply dont know what to do , i find my self pacing around cluless and cannot focus on anything , all thing i liked to see and do are hollow,  this is horrable, i just want to feel normal again.

I am trying to get a hold of my self though i dont know what to do anymore, i had plans but none of it matters anymore i guess.

I will work for two days next week than im free for the rest of the week,  i am so sad , i always thout i would save up and have a vegatable plot and raise a son, now it is all gone,  the doctor wants to cut out my bowel and fit me with a stoma, i think i am too far gone anyway and cannot take the shame of my remaining days like this. I served for about 10 years in the military i used to be so strong :cry: now I just feel cold weak and afraid .

Hi Peter 

stay strong. You will beat this. I am 39 and am facing the possibility of a stoma but i'd rather have a bag if it means I can live the rest of my life. Of course it's a shock to hear those dreaded words but don't give up. I am in the military and don't know what the future holds but it's easy to turn to google which is the worst you can do. Talk to friends and family. We are all going through this together. Stay strong x

Hi Peter and a warm welcome to Cancer Chat, 

I am so sorry you have been diagnosed with bowel cancer at such a young age and you must still be a bit in shock after just finding out last week. It's completely understandable that you are struggling to come to terms with it all and that the extreme anxiety you are feeling is also affecting your sleep. I think the first thing you should do really is perhaps get in touch with your GP and mention how you have been feeling lonely and fearful since your diagnosis and I am sure that they will be able to help you so you can sleep better again and feel a little less anxious. Sleep deprivation can be so awful and have a detrimental effect on your mood. 

You have been given some excellent advice from several members of our community and some of them seem to have also felt very low before as a result of being diagnosed with cancer and know what you are going through at the moment and how you are feeling. I hope that it will help you to read these members' helpful suggestions based on their very personal stories which are not dissimilar to what you are currently experiencing.

You did well to take the important and difficult step to reach out by coming here and I am pleased to see you have already received so many supportive replies. Keep strong lupical we are all there for you and as teeMin suggested, make sure you surround yourself with good friends and family for support if you can and don't hesitate also to give our nurse helpline a call on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. As AuntieJ suggested, if you feel really low and want to talk to someone at any time of day or night, you can also get in touch with the Samaritans helpline so don't hesitate to pick up the phone - they are there 24 hours a day and every single day of the year. 

The forum is also always there for you and as you have seen already is full of supportive members who will truly understand how you are feeling at the moment having been in a similar place themselves before or they may be going through something similar at the moment.

We're thinking of you during this difficult time as you are probably still waiting to find out more about your treatment and I hope that others who have been affected by bowel cancer will be along shortly to share their story with you. 

Best wishes, 

Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator