I am a woman who’s 21
i have stomach pain that isn’t relieved by going to the toilet - the doctor says it’s ibs . I also have pain that radiates all over my stomach . I have no blood in my poo at least it’s not visible if I do .
The pain annoys me so much - also for me my bottom feels itchy / in pain - No blood . No bleeding . I have no real change in bowel movements - but the pain annoys me the itchy *** i have annoys me - the bottom pain and stomach pain annoys me and scares me . It’s just stomach pain really bad stomach pain .
In 2023 I was diagnosed with GERD cus I had stomach pain + really bad indigestion that would last weeks . However , last September after I started trying a vegan diet my GERD has been reduced significantly - I don’t know if that’s what would have been causing my stomach pain . ( the vegan stuff ) . . I also have nausea but I’ve always had it on and off at random times same with feeling dizzy . Ive always felt tired easily - because I used to have adhd meds and I’d feel sleepy and drained by 1pm so LIEK for me I have real indication . ( like tiredness has been a life long thing for me )
the thing is I know alot of ibs and colon cancer symptoms can overlap and I know that it’s unlikely to have it at 21 despite the rise in cases of under 40s being diagnosed in the past decade . I’ve read alot of posts on this forum !! That have lowkey made me think what’s if it’s colon cancer . I’ve been to doctor a lot in the past 3 years - mainly for GERD ( really bad indigestion ). And always felt dismissed and I feel dismissed this time round . I suffer from health anxiety fr I think every symptom I have is something serious and I think it’s because of quick to Dismiss stuff doctors have been.
i went to the doctors in October and times after that each time they mark done my abdominal pain as being Minor - to me it doesn’t seem minor because it rarely leaves( it’s not her all the time but it’s a daily thing that does not go away after a bowel movement ) - it’s not caused by food because i wake up with it .
.it’s not like here all the time but it’s really annoying and I hate it . I always have felt like doctors love to brush things under the rug and say “xyz without doing any real testing “ -
I only got my real GERD diagnosis by them saying “you have GERD even tho you don’t really fully match up to it . I’ve been in November and earlier this month and have another appointment on Monday to follow up for me saying the ibs meds that the doctors gave me does not seem tO really take away the pain .
what I wish is that they did provide the whole option to get tested for colon cancer as soon as you turned 18 considering it’s now getting more prevalent in younger adults .
Ive had a blood test done and they said it’s fine !! Ive asked for the fit test the one to detect blood in poo ( because for all I know I could have hidden blood ) they did order a stool sample to see if I may Crohn’s ( my cousin has it ) / or the other thing that is like Crohn’s - bur the thing is when I read the symptoms for those I don’t feel like I match up .
For me I’m worried that I may have colon cancer or any other kind of cancer and the doctors brush it off because they think “I’m too young to have it “ - I hate how you have to basically beg to be taken seriously by the nhs these days . The doctors have basically said “it’s likely ibs” but I’ve seen so many stories of people who have been told they are “fine “ by doctors but they aren’t because they have been brushed off by the nhs / their gp.
For Ibs I was told to try the fodmap diet - but without even knowing if I have Ibs and having a history of ED I feel Like telling someone to do that without any guidance ( a referral to a dietitian)
