Worried about bowel symptoms

I find myself here again, 6 months ago I had a breast cancer scare but all thankfully turned out ok. Now I am having tests to rule out bowel cancer. I'm trying very hard not to end up down the Googling rabbit hole but struggling. I'm terrified of having to have another endoscopy as I had one years ago that didn't go well. Equally I dread colonoscopy. If my faecal tests come back ok will that be the end of the tests? I'm 47 and never had issues with my stomach before 

Thanks for reading 

Parents
  • I should have put symptoms in! Change of bowel habit from pretty much constipated all my life to a mix of that but now lots of loose stools. Wind wind wind, I'm full of gas, you can hear my stomach all night which is keeping me awake it's horrible. The wind is definitely the worse, I can feel it trapped trying to come up after I've eaten - indigestion and then it moves to the other end later on. Starting the tests today and terrified 

  • Hi everyone, I am really worried about my symptoms. I have lower left pain in my abdomen, for a few weeks now, comes and goes, feel pretty terrible at night , gassy and uncomfortable. I had FIT done witch was negative, abdomen and trans scan, both ok, blood tests ok, but calprotectin level at 87. Also confirmed helicobactor diagnosis. My worry is since having all there tests done and higher calprotectin my bowels have got worst, I am checking my symptoms all the time and every day I seem to get a new one. I can hardly sleep at night and get gassy as soon as I swallow my food. Would aprcieatw if anyone could give me some advice or had similar symptoms . 

  • Hi Sara 

    sorry to hear about your troubles, it seems like one thing after another for all of us. When I started having my tests I didn't feel as bad and my bowel movements were ok ish , fast forward 4 weeks and I feel much worse. I have been off work for 2 weeks( Easter holidays)  and my anxiety Googling things are through the roof. What worries me was calprotectin level raised to 87, and the occasional very low left sided ache/ pain, not sure how to describe it. It seems everything is getting worse with each day, so might go back to the doctor and see if I can make some sense of things. X 

  • Goodness Sarah you really are being put through it! The very worrying thing at the moment is the lack of healthcare or should I say the very long waits. I had a breast cancer scare 6 months ago and the GP put me on the 2 week referral but I ended up paying for it on my credit card and going private. The waiting time would have been months and my anxiety couldn't take it. That said there are so many tests for the stomach and there's not way I can afford that. I really hope you aren't left much longer Sarah. Can they test for H Pylori or can you not come off of the meds? The gas, bloating and noises is like nothing I've experienced before. I really hope you get seen soon x

  • Hi Anaw me again 

    is the calprotectin level the marker for IBS? X

  • I believe it's for inflammation, anything above 50-100 is borderline, mine was 87. There isn't so much information on the lower end of raised, just for the very high one. Some websites  say it can be for IBS, some for IBD. Not sure what to believe anymore. I had a very low back pain during the night and digestive issues, which really freaks me out. I am starting that think that colonoscopy might be the only way to go. X

  • Sorry to hear this. I think I will end up in colonoscopy too. I'm so worried, three loose very dark stools today. Not fun at all this, is it 

    I hope you get some sleep x

  • Hi Anaw

    How are you doing? My FIT test came back negative and whilst I'm obviously very pleased about this my husband just said yeah just means no blood not no cancer? Guess I have to wait for all the other tests. I had my bloods yesterday and they are usually pretty quick. How are you? Are the meds making any difference 

  • Hi bubbles

    iwent to the doctor yesterday, he said he is not concerned because my tests were ok, apart from the     Inflammation which was a bit raised. He listened  to my bowels and said sounds ok but I am still getting very bloated and get stabbing pain in my abdomen after eating, he said if the calprotectin tests comes back raised he will do a referral, and also talked  about peri menopause.... I feel a bit fobbed off since I still have symptoms... glad your test came back negative x 

  • Hi Anaw I'm glad you're ok but it's frustrating when you can't get answers. Funnily enough my breast cancer scare was changes due to peri menopause and whilst I refuse to accept I'm at the age where this is a "thing" I did wonder if it could be related. If it is it's going to be a long few years! I don't like it when everything is brushed off as menopause but I did read an article recently about a lady whose mum kept having all these things go wrong medically but no one knew about peri menopause then and she spent so much time having scans and medical tests. You know your own body though so keep searching and it's good the tests were ok xx

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