I had a colonoscopy in December,  my consultant advises sedation for the procedure, it made the whole process painless and without stress. The prep didn't cause any issues, drinking plenty of water is the key for a good result.  I was able to be at home, relax and have access to the bathroom... I wish you good luck,  relax and breathe..

Hi  I had my colonoscopy Tuesday this week I had it with nothing I just wanted them to get on with it  but my results wasn’t great they found a tumour in my rectum they took 8 biopsies  she said it could have been in there a while. I just thought the feeling I had was piles  I was passing blood a lot towards these last few weeks  but funny enough since the biopsies I haven seen any blood  and I had a normal bm hadn’t had one of them in ages  but I’m feeling a bit sick with thought of food don’t know if that’s just me with my anxiety and stress over it all  or the cancer hope you had a better out come than I did. X

Hi sorry unsure if you’ll read this being an older comment- trying to figure using here out correctly to get/keep in touch with others. 

would you mind messaging me about your own journey & your friends… I’m suspecting they’ll find a heavily impacted bowel thanks to the years I struggled on fentanyl

it took years to get normal bm which improved as the opiates further reduced alongside drastic diets with gradual exercise as I’d become obese! 
fast forward some years…
had to go back on some low dose for costochondritis diagnosis 2 Novembers ago & then weirdly a relapse again last November!!! & it’s since then everything got worse with other symptoms reappearing again after I’d been told by 2gps nothing to worry about (hence no fit test offered originally) 

would love to touch base get advice hear about your own journey etc

if happy to share of course?

C xx

Hi Chantetz...not sure if/what help my journey is for you or anyone else but will share in the hope it may be useful to you..

As a young child I had pyloric stenosis,  throughout my life I have had 'bowel issues ' normal for me to have BM every few days.. when I was taken to a Specialist I was assured it was 'normal' for me, that everyone is different. This continued thru my teens, 20's and 30's when I suffered an impacted bowel..won't go into anymore detail but it was an unforgettable experience..

I had major complex urology procedure in 1980's which involved using a section of my bowel..this was pioneering surgery which was halted due to the high ( unexpected) rate of post op bowel cancer.. as I was high risk I underwent annual investigation which were negative..

Dec 2023 I had 3 positive qFIT results following a visit to my G.P.  referred to Colorectal Consultant,  seen in April 2024 with appt for colonoscopy in June '24. Carried out prep but cancelled appt half hour before scheduled time,  as BM were not 'running clear' as needed..spoke to hospital and told Consultant would call after surgery

Didn't hear, called several times but unable to speak with anyone about this.. I have underlying complex health issues and was unable to pursue this matter..

Fast forward to Nov 24 when I had a call from G.P in regards to my asthma check up and the concerns in regards to my pain and breathlessness... he announced without preamble..I don't think this is a thing to do with your asthma,  I think you have bowel cancer... further 2 positive qFIT results and Colonoscopy 17th Dec 24..  6 biopsies and pictures taken..waiting time for colonoscopy results is 18-20 weeks here..told after that my colonoscopy should have been  as USOC  meaning 2ww.. it hadn't been..

So excuse this edition of war and peace but you asked ...

Hi Chantetz

Please do ask for any help on here about using the forum etc. And I'm sure many of us can share our experiences currently, which I know I find very reassuring, validating and kind.

My own story is pretty much told through my posts on this thread (sorry, it's a lot of pages now).

I haven't really had any health issues, fortunately. I may be a bit younger than some of us on here, and am generally pretty fit and healthy.

I did get salmonella 20+ years ago, which hospitalised me for a week, and ever since then I've had a slightly sensitive stomach and probably more BMs than 'normal', which maybe then masked other things. I got a fistula develop 5 years ago, which was mostly just an inconvenience and cleared up after 3 minor surgeries over 2 years (ad the first 2 didn't fully resolve it).

Got diagnosed as anaemic back in the summer, when i was finding i was getting cold and tired a lot. I took iron pills a while. Didn't really follow up as I felt fine. Then I started passing blood a bit and having extra BMs and my GP (who's been great, I'm so lucky there) referred me for blood and faecal tests, which showed enough to need a colonoscopy. Found a tumour, and am now going through scans etc. Seen my biopsy, Ct and mri; and MDT have met so they and I know roughly what I have [it's not great, but could be a lot worse, especially as I don't seem to have any spread to other organs (metastasis?)]. Awaiting rearranged PET scan in a week, then they'll make a plan on oncology or surgery.

All very scary of course, but this group and the support from the medical professionals I have access to has been amazing for me.

Sorry for the essay :)

Hi Chantetz my story probably isn’t much use to you  but here is my story  during last summer I was going for BM six times a day  some times with little blood but not always I thought nothing much of it because I thought I had internal piles but during this autum it started to get worse pile cream wasn’t making any difference which I thought was strange. So I plucked up courage to go to my GP I had a rectal examination and doctor said she couldn’t feel any thing not even piles  so she gave me a fit test which came back positive then was booked for a colonoscopy two weeks ago  they told me I had a large tumour in my rectum that had been there awhile  they took 8 biopsies now waiting for a CT scan which is next Thursday I’m just hoping that my out come will be ok  hope this helps you to reach out on here as every one is real lovely on here and are always happy to help xx

Hey

ive been struggling to read & digest much this past month or 2 where doctors upped opiates for the costochondritis relapse & in cutting those back symptoms became more obvious again elsewhere including a constant headache so always wearing my reading glasses when shouldn’t need to plus brain fog 10x worse than usual

this body is like a visit to the Amazon it really is.

got the call hooray emails panicked me as yesterdays call was as I got today- yet the email specified it was with a surgeon directly!

that was not the case… however, she is not even booking a ctscan nor the colonoscopy as isn’t happy thinking they will want other investigations too. So now, I wait possibly until Monday for a call telling me when that day I’m expected where to meet a consultant to discuss face to face- then will they keep me in or will it all as anticipated be more waiting due to the home process needed to be fully clear first?!!

the referral had NOT mentioned drastic weight loss this past month nor drastic change in appetite… oh it apparently is for anaemia they hadn’t told me I’ve developed when questioned 6 months ago & a slight change in bm- slight is polite plus as I explained, actually it’s been ongoing for over a year in gp notes.

anyway sorry ranting all about myself & did not mean to do this! 

I will work my way through your threads/replies & come back with random short replies no doubt!

don’t understand why I wasn’t given fit tests earlier as then this whole process would’ve been easier surely. The iron has been also flagged a few times with bloods then I changed pill & they improved abit

those symptoms also back which made me know it likely affect fit results anyway. 

fast process for you yet must also have been extremely scary? No one here believed I’m ill as have always had health issues- but find ways of overcoming x

Hi Chantetz 

Just reading back and see your last message was a while ago. How are you doing? Have you had further tests, and are you getting some good support?

Hiya james

sorry I’ve not been on here much yet really should’ve been abit more so to keep distracted & hopefully encounter other lovely people like yourself, eastendgirl & tango potter….

im *** at staying focused on any 1 thing currently, however managing to get up showered or bathed & start slowly day by day working through a silly number of house jobs around clearing/cleaning researching & trying to follow advice to improve symptoms!!!

struggling with waiting on the histology report am I allowed to share a secretary reply this Tuesday a week on- which took me 2 plus days to even locate as said ck Santana secretary JUST changed plu actually 2 oncology specialists mine is colon/gastrointestinal the other with different forename is lung cancer… abit different when it comes to biopsy results surely?!

Wish we could pm as here I find impossible to find follow & reply at the right points 

take care all of you & advice again Monday if no reply 

results supposedly are with the colorectal surgeons lab ready to write reports- but nothing plus actually

please guys

yell me it’s silly worrying those only 2 biopsy samples… we’re rushed through urgently for screening for reports within 1-2wrrks?

am I wrong?

Thank you all for being such lovely kind compassionate people- a shame we hadn’t met (or virtually met) 

maybe 1 day?

C Xx 

evening James

evening to tangopotter & eastendgirl too

sorry for hiding my head in the sand- quite literally that’s what I am doing without even always meaning to….

My social anxiety from realising it’s been a month of very few outings- it’s at an all time high again yet refuse for medics to further dope me using other drugs that supposedly help but then a tuay make you more zombie so actually unsafe to go out alone or be able to think straight… catch 22.

maybe some of you have it instead with sleep & when struggling, needing medics help to attempt a more ntatural sleep patterns? Also addictive so temporary as a fix I know- compared to more holistic approaches at least

soooo I am STILL awaiting only 2 biopsy results.

am I allowed to share more details from the initial basic reports for your own perspectives? Same with the eventual email back this week after FINALLY tracking down the correct surgeons secretary- not helped by 2 with the same surname both consultants overlooking endoscopy results & treatments… didn’t need that to boot.

oh & on top of that… another person with my exact name & a similar DOB is at the same gp surgery & we have now been muddled up at least twice for various procedures investigations reports etc!!!

pkus before our gp had to take medical leave- he admitted he learnt his wives bloods lie when infection is it isn’t within her body- he is adamant or was anyway, that mum myself & younger sister, also suffer from the same.

ever heard of this before or where I can ask for further info/investigations? truly unsure I have cancer more likely a blockage from IBD or similar that can lead to cancer/other health issues.

unsure which is best… answers end of! Then once clear… I can finally get in the hip replacement waiting list! HOORAH! 

would love to keep in touch, brain fog & eyesight/headaches seem to worsen day to day despite plenty of water 

C Xx

Staying well hydrated is vital for us all.. I don't take any meds due to a rare allergy..

I have been shielding since Oct 2019, only outings are essential medical appts.. as for biopsy results..the waiting list for results is 20 weeks where I live, so like you I'm still waiting.. nothing I can do to change the situation...my colonoscopy was Dec 2024. Sounds like the G.P practice needs more attention for patients notes..it's not unusual to have more than one person with the same name, which is why thorough checks should be done in regards to DOB, address, which is why everyone has a UNIQUE number in the UK system..for NHS and other organisations...

On my way for meeting with oncologist to find out what they're proposing, which I believe is chemo and radio.

On one hand, I know this is good and one step closer to a firm plan, treatment starting and getting cured, but on the other I feel sick with nerves. I am struggling with the reality of going from my current state to a new one where things will happen to me and my body.

On my way for meeting with oncologist to find out what they're proposing, which I believe is chemo and radio.

On one hand, I know this is good and one step closer to a firm plan, treatment starting and getting cured, but on the other I feel sick with nerves. I am struggling with the reality of going from my current state to a new one where things will happen to me and my body.

Thinking of you James4000

Reality...the word that describes it so well.. from being able to ignore the situation,  to an extent..to facing the fact that life is about to change...hopefully this morning will give you answers and having a plan, often enables some peace in our heart and mind xx

James4000 hi James  I totally get what you mean  every thing and every step is getting closer to getting better  which I can relate to as been scary  I’m like you I feel sick with nerves as my operation gets closer  I’m struggling with the reality of every thing too  it’s like you say you go from one state to another as you get used to one then it changes again  my operation will happen fairly quick I feel  it all feels so unreal that this will be happening to me. But the only way I can get through this is by thinking when I wake up it will be over and on my way to recovery  and to get my life back as I don’t have a life at the moment   These things seem out of our control   I have to take the dreaded bowel prep again for my op  yuk but will have to do it. My consultant  said a year down the line I will need another colonoscopy to make sure every thing is ok  I do totally get how you feel James  but all of us together will get through this. Lots of love xx