Terrified of bowel cancer

Hi 

Sorry to bother everyone but I am terrified that I have bowel cancer 

I started noticing brown and clear  mucus in my stools in November. I was stressed so thought this was the cause. It would come and go 

Went to the toilet yesterday after a really intense cramp and it was a little loose and there was blood on the toilet. It was bright red 

Went again today and there was blood again on the side of my stool. 

I am only 28 and worried sick that I have bowel cancer. I have pain on and off in my stomach but nothing intense. But I do have a little nagging pain on my right side. I have googled and everything points to bowel cancer 

has anyone experienced these symptoms. I am trying to get into the drs but can't seem to get an appointment 

  • Hello I hope you're ok

    i wanted to reply as I know how stressful it is worrying. I'm currently undergoing a pathway to check for womb cancer and I know that my Dr took my concerns seriously when I mentioned bleeding so phone your dr and say that  you have bleeding which is concerning you and ask for a triage appointment. I am sure if you share your worries they will help. What I would say is that many benign things such as piles can cause bleeding and dr Google will always highlight the scary option. It has to. But there isn't a website that will give you the reassurance you seek - only the dr can do that so try not to Google 

    easier said than done I know! 
    take care and make that call as you will feel much better to talk things over 

    don't disappear down the cancer worm hole online x

     

  • Just chiming in to say that at 28, bowel cancer would be unusual. And there are many things that cause bowel symptoms. Polyps, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's all have pretty similar symptoms to bowel cancer.

    Last summer, at the age of 40, I had rectal bleeding, some weight loss, some loose stools (maybe once or twice a week for much of the summer?) and trapped wind. The consultant said that at my age, I'd have to be "the unluckiest person in the world" for it to be bowel cancer, but that they would do a colonoscopy as IBD was a possibility. It turned out to be hemorrhoids (possibly combined with some other stuff, including the stress of the whole situation), which was what we all expected.

    Good luck. I hope your result will be something really minor too. Most likely, it will be.

  • Thank you for your response. I have horrendous health anxiety so I always think the worse. 
     

    I am going to try again to ring the drs. Think my stomach ache and looser stools are due to anxiety and stress. 
     

    I really do hope it's nothing. Getting to the point where I am looking at my toddlers and just thinking I am going to die and miss them growing up! 

  • Thank you for your response. I hope you get your answers soon and everything will come back clear x 
     

    I am going to try and ring the drs tomorrow so fingers crossed. Just keep on reading stories on the internet and it is just horrendous 

  • I know

    ive done it myself .... and once you get past 50 everything is cancer!! Or so it seems x

     I understand about health anxiety. The thing is there is not a website that says 'hey Mrs X, you're fine! Don't worry!' 
    No matter how much you Google. And that's what we are all looking for ️
     

    Make the call and try to relax as any anxiety will make symptoms worse and convince you you are ill when you're actually just frightened 

    take care xx