Update - Hospital called to perform the endoscopy (is a gastroscopy the same thing?!) next Saturday to investigate my small bowel.

Hi Katie,

I believe gastroscopy is used to examine stomach and snall bowel but via the mouth.

I had what they call "top & tail" which , well you can work out where the cameras went.

Mine was to look for coeliac disease primarily but I had a pre-cancerous polyp found and removed so although they're unpleasant procedures it's a useful diagnostic tool and potentially life saving in my case.( I had no weight loss btw ) 

I did have a small amount of pain and bloating afterwards , othing with my legs so perhaps contact the endoscopy team to be on the safe side? 

Someone did recommend peppermint tea...

Hopefully they'll soon find out why you've been so poorly. Lots of treatable things can cause weight loss.

Take care x

Hi Plumlet,

Thank you so much for your reply I really appreciate it.

The leg pain still comes and goes as does abdominal pain however I've been having that since before the colonoscopy as one of my symptoms.

I'm trying to crack on now whilst I wait for my biopsy results and endoscopy next weekend. However I've been thinking, does bowel cancer only begin in polyp form? I didn't have any polyps that she could see so just wondering what on earth the areas so felt she had to biopsy were, if it could possibly be something terrible or not I guess.

Hi. I did try to respond to this the other day but appear to have pressed the wrong button!

When I was diagnosed with bowel cancer I could see it and they took biopsies and tattooed my colon there and then. I was never sent for an endoscopy and was told I had cancer that day  You could be suffering with something like celiac or crohns which they would take biopsies for and want to check your upper gi. Hope your OK and that your feeling back on form soon. Please let us know how you get on and good luck x 

Hi petrolrainbow,

Thanks so much for replying.

My doctor did tests for coeliac via my blood which came back fine, I know it could be a range of things but your mind automatically thinks of the worst case scenario's doesn't it.

I hope you're doing well after your diagnosis :)

Hi Katie,

No worries, if I can help I will on this subject.

I'm not sure whether every case of bowel cancer begins in polyp form but I do know that not every polyp becomes cancerous, it's a specific type, that's why if they see them they take them out , then biopsy.

Not seeing any is good though, that's one less thing to worry about.

I agree with Petrolrainbow that the redness might be a sign of Crohns or some sort of irritation from something you're eating perhaps, but best to wait for the further tests before speculating too much.

Sometimes coeliac blood tests are not reliable , moreso the negative. A very low positive should still be considered Coeliac. Two of my daughters are diagnosed Coeliac and one had very high blood test result with very visible signs of damage to the villi and the other very low but with signs of inflammation but no damage to the villi. My bloods were negative but I need to have a further test to see if I even produce that particular antibody as some people don't so coeliac goes undiagnosed. I was advised to follow a gluten free diet anyway due to the close family diagnosis.

Best thing to do , like you say is to crack on, no point worrying about what you don't know.

Hope all goes well for you next weekend, and do come back and let us know how you're getting on or talk some more if you feel worried about anything else :love: