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Losing my mind with fear of colon cancer.

About 6 weeks ago I started feeling quite bloated and gassy then I had some massive loose stools and some diarreah, I also started having night sweats. I've been through a very stressful time lately with a divorce and moving out of the family home and I was eating a lot of rubbish and drinking a lot. Then I noticed blood on my poop and sometimes on the paper when I wiped. I'm not sure if it's bright red, sometimes it is but is definitely red, this has happened about 8 times in 6 weeks. 

I went to the walk in centre and the doctor I saw did a rectal exam and didn't find any evidence of piles, she said it was probably an infection and that if I wanted to I could take a stool sample to my gp and talk to him, she didn't seem overly concerned. 

Saw my GP 2 days later. I was extremely anxious at this point and told him the full story including the divorce and my anxiety. He was very nice and said rectal bleeding is very common and that I shouldn't worry. He said he wouldn't be worried as he's a similar age to me (45) and that I should come back in 3 weeks if I was still concerned. 

This really eased my mind for a while, all my symptoms went away for around 10 days but the blood came back, not much but enough to terrify me. At this point I'd also got an upset stomach, it seemed like if I ate anything slightly spicy it would make me have loose stools. One day at work after a loose stool in the morning I felt like my rectum was full all day and that I hadn't finished pooping. When I got home I forced one out and there was blood on the toilet paper.  

This sent me running back to the gp, a different one this time who was very dismissive and said it was probably piles but if I booked another appointment they would do another rectal exam.

I went back 2 days later and the doctor said he found a very small internal pile. Again this eased my mind for about a week, the bleeding stopped but I started getting what I can only describe as a dodgy tummy. My anxiety at this point was through the roof and I was checking through my stools constantly trying to find any blood.

Yesterday I thought I finally had a grip on it and told myself I was being silly and decided to go back to work, however in the morning I went for my usual morning poo and afterwards my stomach felt really dodgy and I felt like I hadn't finished, this sent me into a massive panic attack and I went straight back to the doctors. He again said he wasn't concerned and thinks my anxiety is responsible for the symptoms. I pushed him to refer me for a colonoscopy, he was reluctant but did refer me and said it might be a long wait as I didn't fit the cancer profile but did take some blood and another stool sample.

The reason I write this is because I'm going out of my mind with worry. All I want to do is stay in bed all day, I can't cope with the uncertainty and I'm having regular panic attacks. I feel like I just want to sleep until the blood test results come back. I can't eat and don't want to see anyone, he signed me off work for another week.

I don't know what I want to get out of posting this on here but I've found writing it down quite therapeutic and any replies would be greatly welcomed.

Thanks.

Jason.

 

  • I’ve been looking at colitis too and I don’t think my symptoms match colitis as my CRP and ESR levels are low. I’ve spent my freetime looking at my blood test results trying to diagnose myself. Doctors say they don’t think it’s cancer but they don’t suggest what else it could be! I’ve been reading about people younger than me being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and they have fewer symptoms than me! I thankfully haven’t lost my appetite and do eat a lot still which should mean something & my stools are sometimes normal looking and thick. I’m meant to be going on holiday next month and I am honestly convinced I won’t be going anywhere! Keep positive and stay strong.

  • Mate, I think you're fine. You have age on your side and looking at some of your older posts you said you've never seen blood in your stool. Hopefully just health anxiety. 

  • Hi there update had a phonecall this morning they want me to have endoscopy Sunday morning, does that mean consultant got the report back from radiography?? 

  • Ellie, hope everything went well for you yesterday :)

    Scared. I hope you didn’t panic too much over the weekend. I’m off to the GP to ask for a referral! I had a normal looking stool this morning without straining which reassures me. I have seen blood in my stool several times - it’s just the straining I occasionally do, mucus and blood in stool & my unexplained UTI that concerns me. I don’t think you have cancer. It’s probablh down to your diet seeing as you’re going through such a stressful time. 

  • Get the colonoscopy, it's the only way.

    Have you had a CT?

    I have a colonoscopy on Thursday, I have had bowel cancer twice and I have to admit I'm so scared for Thursday because I know that if it's back, the camera will find it.

  • I will definitely push for a colonoscopy. I haven’t had any scans yet, only a touch of my abdomen by 3 doctors who say they can’t feel anything abnormal. It’s just somewhat reassuring that all my tests so far are OK. I hope everything goes well for you. Good luck and God bless :)

  • Please go to the dr and push for a colonoscopy.

    I kept getting fobbed off by the dr that at my age (35) it’s very unlikely however when I finally had enough and went to the hospital they found bowel cancer that had spread to the liver.

    It was left so long that my liver was covered with no chance of surgery.

    It was the liver function blood test they gave me on arrival that made them scan me and find it all.

    I don’t want to scare you, obviously it could be something else but I also don’t want you to delay anything.

     

  • Thanks for the advice. I’m sorry to hear what you’re going through. I will definitely push for a colonoscopy. I just want answers :( I haven’t seen blood in my stools today and they’re normal big solid stools and I’ve put on weight so I’m happy with that. 

  • So sorry you're going through this too.

    It doesn't matter what age, it is possible to get bowel cancer, although more common over 50. I was 49 when I was first diagnosed. GP's messed about for 18 months before diagnosis. They too easily treat people for IBS instead of not wasting time and ruling out the worst first.

    Wishing you well with your treatment.

  • Thank you.

    Are you on cetuximab, irinotecan and 5fu too?

    im on my 22nd round tomorrow and just so tired of it all, however I’m very lucky, 3 scans in and it’s all still shrinking thankfully.

     

    wishing you lots of luck and positivity