To be worried I have bowel cancer at 23?

Hi guys!

I am male, 23 and living in the UK! I started to develop a burning sensation Thursday morning when I went to the toilet. I thought it was a UTI (I’ve had one in the past and it went away in a few days with antibiotics) however I wasn’t able to see a doctor so I just waited a day or so to see if it’d go. Over the next few days - the pain got worse, I had really bad abdominal pain. Walking, moving, coughing, sneezing made it worse. I went to the walk in centre as the pain was just so bad. I saw a nurse who took a urine sample and said there was no sign of infection and told me to visit my GP for further testing. I haven’t seen the GP yet but my abdominal pain has pretty much gone. However I’m very constipated, haven’t had a decent bowel movement since Tuesday and whenever I a poo - I have mucus and blood in my poo albeit a drop of blood (today, it’s been pencil thin also) I’m just so concerned this could be bowel cancer? What else could it be? I know most people on here aren’t qualified to answer my question but I’d just like to know what other people’s symptoms were when they were diagnosed by with bowel cancer? I had a blood test which showed everything was fine except my thyroid was a bit underactive but not by much and didn’t have any symptoms at the time of an underactive thyroid. I’m going to see a GP and hopefully get referred for further testing! Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks guys! :)

  • Hi there - you're right no-one here can offer you a diagnosis. However, I can tell you from very recent personal experience having been tested for bowel cancer that the odds are that it IS NOT! I hope you will bear these 3 things in mind until you see your GP. (1) 9 out of 10 people referred for cancer tests DO NOT HAVE IT. (2) it's very rare in young people and (3) My GP told me that anxiety makes these symptoms worse. Since I've had my test results - all clear - my symptoms have become much less severe.

    I'm sure when you visit your GP you will be reassured. In the meantime try to stop worrying or, as I say, you'll feel even more unwell.

    All the best to you.

  • Hi worriedguy, remember we're not medical people, but have you thought of hemorrhoids (piles) sometimes pain when going & bleading on and off,. You've more chance of having it than cancer but go to GP to check.

    Billy 

  • Thanks for replying guys. I hope it isn’t anything sinister! I suffer quite badly with anus tags (well I think they are anus tags - could be hemorrhages) so perhaps the two are linked. I’ve never been to the doctor about it as it doesn’t hurt or cause any discomfort.

  • I’ve had something similar and it turned out to be IBS. Going from diarrhoea to constipation with a lot of pain and stomach pain and discomfort. The bleeding from the bottom was caused by straining, etc. 

    Go see the doctor to set your mind at rest. Will prob clear up with some treatment for the constipation and tags. 

  • I’ve been to see my GP who was very dismissive! I told him I might have colon cancer and he said - at your age?? Very very unlikely especially with no family history. He did an exam of my eyes, tummy and hands and said he couldn’t find anything abnormal. He says I suffer with anxiety?? I’m going to see another doctor on Friday :)

  • Hi again - can I remind you of my earlier post to you where I said I'd had similar issues definitely made worse by anxiety. I'm sure your GP is right do try to accept that anxiety does unpleasnt things to us physically.

    All the best.

  • Hi Purfect! Do you suffer with occasional nausea too? Or mucus in your poo? Loss of appetite? I don’t really have any blood! I do admit - the loss of appetite might be down to anxiety! I woke up in the middle of the night stressing about it and my lovely partner comforted me so much. 

  • Hi there - all of the above. One of the first things that happens to me when I'm anxious/stressed is that I don't want to eat. Then I start losing weight & that had me worried for NO GOOD REASON. Every morning when I'm at my worst with anxiety I feel sick. I never am sick tho'. My GP told me anxiety can cause physical symptoms. Not having suffered from anxiety before I found it hard to believe. BUT, now that the cancer tests have all come back clear & I've started to feel better & the physical symptoms are disappearing. I'm much older than you & have been around a long time & I know people's lives can be made a misery by anxiety etc. But, at the end of the day you have 2 choices. (1) Ignore your doctor & carry on making things worse or (2) decide your doctor is the expert & that you don't need to keep being anxious about your health. Right? When you're my age (I'm nearly 68) you do get 'ailments' at 23 you can choose not to have them I think. Really it's up to you isn't it given what your GP said????

     

  • Hi again guys! I’ve done some blood tests recently and got my results back! Nothing abnormal was found and I’m not anemic however my haemoglobin level has dropped by 10G/L in just over a month? Everything else is normal though? Is this a reason for concern? It’s still within a normal range but I’m quite concerned? My liver function test was normal too. 

  • Also, my serum ferritin level is within the normal range too :)