Hi Just Lee!! 

Please don't use Google!!! I would go back to your GP and discuss your worries and ask them for a scan referral , also I would ask about getting a referral for a counsellor as if you think your anxiety is becoming worse then it's best to get them sorted as well x

Hi justlee,

For the last month I have been going through what you are now. I was utterly convinced I had bowel cancer, made worse by losing 2 friends to the disease very recently and made A LOT worse, by Dr Google. Despite how many times I was told, I was on google every single day, reading the same sites and stories and making all of my symptoms fit.  Bleeding, discharge, I also lost a few pounds, but it was due to stress, so my appetite was low, but to me it was another symptom that I made fit.

I swear if you googled a broken finger nail. webmd would tell you its something sinister.

I had blood test and the FOB test which were clear but I pushed for a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy because I couldn't cope with the doctor telling me its probably a hemmeroid causing the issue. 

I had my camera today (on a 2 week referral, which again scared the heck out of me), the nurses were brilliant, one even held my hand I was so nervous, and despite in my head matching every symptom, the result was totally clear.

I probably have IBS which has almost the exact same list of symptoms, abdominal pain, bleeding, discharge etc

I won't tell you not to worry, because I was told that and it didn't stop me, but just that I had absolutely 100% convinced myself what the result would be and today I was happily proved wrong.

Push for the tests you want to give yourself absolute peace of mind, my doctor would have happily stopped after she examined me and found the hemmeroid, but I am also a very anxious person, so asked for the camera.

If you do end up having the camera, despite what you might read (because again I went on google and freaked myself out), Moviprep (that clears your bowels) is a doddle, just add loads of orange or lemon squash. The camera today didn't give me any pain, its over quick, its been 8 hours, I've had a decent dinner, the only thing I'm experiencing is a tiny bit of trapped air, which isn't painful, just makes my stomach sound gurgley.

Hi Grillz

I’ve been to the hospital, twice this last week where I’ve been so anxious. On both occasions the Docs have given me two full blood counts, and two X-rays, (one of my chest and one of my abdominals) all of which were normal. I’m still losing weight, but when I mentioned this to the Docs they said it was quite common with Worry/Anxiety and didn’t seem overly concerned.

Everything just seems to be taking forever. My family have said that I can’t keep going to A&E and that I’ll just have to wait for my GP appointment and subsequent referral. But I’m fearful, what if I am ill. I don’t like hanging about. I’ve had these symptoms now since Jan 28 and it’s turned me into a nervous wreck. So far, I have the Abdominal-Aches (lower left side) and the weight loss. I haven’t (yet) seen any bloods. My GP appointment isn’t until next Thursday, Lord knows when the referral will be. 

Lee :)) 

Hi Lee,

I'm sorry to hear your still struggling with the anxiety, but I completly understand. I had even looked into going private, but couldn't afford £2500 for the camera. You dont mention if you have any bleeding or blood in your stool, or discharge, if you dont mind me asking personal medical questions. 

My friend ( similar age but female) has just had tests in hospital, she has been suffering from abdominal pains for a few weeks, the GP suspected gall stones, she of course suspected something a lot worse. We actually were in hospital having our tests on the same day, though hers was a scan and a different dept. The outcome, even though her bloods were abnormal, was poor diet, too much wine and dairy. And she told me after she got the results, the pain has lessened, so stress was making it worse.

I cant tell you not to worry because you cant change how you feel inside, but I have to say, the fact your hospital tests are all negative is incredibly encouraging, if there was something there, they would have seen it.

Also, because the GP was suspecting bowel cancer in my case, she said the next step is the camera, they dont recommend a scan if thats what they're suspecting, because if they spot hemmeroids or polyps, then they have to do  the camera anyway.  If your GP thought thats what is was, you'd have been on the 2 week pathway to have a flexible sigmoidoscopy.

A tip that worked for me, to stop me spending all night on google, I dug out my old games console and passed the time on GTA. It meant my hands and mind were occupied. I tried reading and tv but its easy to let your mind wander.

There is nothing you can do till next Thursday other than wait, which really sucks. I wouldn't feel bad about going to hospital, if you feel so ill that you need to go, then go.

My appetite went in the few days before hand, one thing I did 2 days before the test (because the day before I was permenantly stuck near the bathroom), is buy something really nice to eat, when I came out after the test, it was the best meal I'd had in ages. 

I hope the next few days pass quickly 

I'll check on here each day if you want to talk xx

Hey Grillz. 

Anxiety is nasty. Official. :))

In answer to your question, no bloods. . Yet. 

Also, point taken about Googling, it truly is a vicious circle. 

All I’ve got going on at the moment is the low-appetite, which comes and goes. The Abdominal-Ache (Left-Side) and the weight-loss. 

Talking of weight-loss. . . 

I sat online the other evening, logged into Google, typed in weight-loss and was given a whole lot of irrelevant snippets that resembled prophets of doom. One such article was about a condition called Cacrexia. Basically it’s a wasting disease that resembles weight-loss and lack of appetite with a prognosis of three months. Well, that scared the *** out of me. 

I think the weight-loss is the one condition that’s making me more anxious at the moment. Although looking back, I think the trigger was the death of my Uncle Rod from Lung Cancer on January 12. Within three weeks, it was all over and that really scared me. Now I’m worried I’m going the same way. 

But being positive for a tick, it was only on January 28th that I woke-up and discovered the ache. I took it to the Docs on the 31st and after my GP weighed me, I was the same weight. So all this has basically materialised in just two weeks. Which reaffirms my belief in what people say that maybe all this is Stress/Anxiety related?!?

Plus, the two X-rays I had at the hospital this week were clear. All my bloods came back negative and the urine sample I provided was clear too. All I’m waiting on now is the stool sample. But, I’ll be interested to see what my GP decides to do with me when I see him on Thursday. It would be nice, to get some answers and perhaps a bit of sunshine behind these grey clouds. 

Hi Lee,

You are falling into the same path I did, looking at the worst possible illnesses and picking one or two symptoms off the list, ignoring all of the others. I know its hard, but tomorrow, please try and not google your symptoms, just for 24 hours.

I'm so sorry to hear of your Uncle, of course that puts certain illnesses in your head. But knowing people who have had Hodgkins, Bowel and Throat cancer (3 different people), their bloods and tests didn't come back clear, because they were unwell. Every test you've had has been clear, that is so positive. 

The weekend's hard if you're not working because you have more free time on your hands, is there something you can do tomorrow to keep you off Doctor Google?

Someone on this site said to write down questions when you go to the docs and thats good advice, because your minds running 20 to the dozen at the appointment and by time you're back in your car, you'll remember sometihng you forgot to ask.

Maybe instead of google, thats something to do tomorrow, even if its an obvious question. My GP told me she felt inflamation and I completly forgot to ask about it at the hospital. So I've now got to go the the GP again and ask what that could be.

Hey Grillz

We’re becoming little cyber-pals aren’t we. :))

You’ll be pleased to hear I’ve NOT been googling at all today. I’ve been pottering about, reading, tweeting, Quizzing, TV’ing, so in all a good boy. I think it’s important NOT to let fear or worry suffocate you, no matter how difficult it is. We live in an age where information (good or bad) is available at the touch of a button and that in itself can be a disadvantage. 

Noting down questions for the Doc sounds a grand idea and so beneficial considering the length of our appointment times. At least it saves both time AND incessant rambling, which is what I’m most guilty of, especially when nervous. 

A friend said to me, that it’s all too easy to drive yourself mad worrying the ‘What Ifs’. The key is to (try and) focus on the now and keep things as normal as possible and then when the time does come THEN deal with it. 

But thanks for being there Grillz. This is a truly awesome site. 

Lee. :))

Hiya Lee,

I'm glad to hear you've had a good day, keeping busy is the key. When I first posted on this site, 2 wonderful people known as Telemando and Callum12 always replied to my posts. Rather than me leaving this site when I received my results I wanted to stay on and at the risk of sounding all American, "pay it forward".

You say in your first post you are seeing the doc on the 22nd, but later have said Thursday, is it Thursday or Friday you're going? Either way, it's not long now and hopefully you'll be "paying it forward" to someone else with similar worries when waiting for a diagnosis.

If you work during the week I hope that will keep you busy, I know it did me. Don't forget to go shopping mid week and buy yourself a nice meal or treat for after your appointment. My nerves had affected my appetite, but minutes after the camera, I was really hungry.

Your friends right about the what ifs, but you can't live like that, because everytime you get in the car, you don't worry, what if I have an accident. Though I confess I went through the whole what if senario too.,

Hello Grillz

Yesterday was such a great day. Today was a bit pants.

Had that dull-ache in my side today. Just one of those niggily aches that’s all. Plus, I’ve been a tad bloated out too. 

The Docs is on Thursday, but that’s just a catch-up appointment as my GP’s been on a fortnights holiday. Last week when I was in the midst of panic, I saw one of the other partners who got a little exasperated at my worries. But, I’ve taken on board what you said the other day and made some pointers of what to ask my GP when I see him on Thursday. Hopefully, we’ll get some movement with things, but my friends think the GP is playing it by ear to see how things go. Still, I would like things to hurry along as this past fortnight has felt like a blooming year. 

As you know, so far, all the bloods are fine. We’re just waiting on the stool-sample. My guess is that the Doc will decide what to do then. The ache and bloating doesn’t bother me, it’s just the weight-loss which is making me stressful and anxious, which is why I want things to speed along.

Anyway hope you had a good Sunday. 

Lee :))