Hi. I'm a 29, healthy female.
Last September I woke with an awful lower left sided pain. I saw my gp who really wasn't sure what it was but to just keep an eye on it. After 2 days the pain left and I chalked it off as being one of those things.
In October I noticed that in the same area I was extremely tender to touch. I started to find that if I bent down or any kind of pressure in that Area was mildly painful. Went back to the dr who did bloods which were normal but referred me for a pelvic scan to rule out any female issues. Scan was normal. Had swabs, those also normal so they just told me again to see how it went.
Again, tenderness hadn't gone by November so saw a different gp again who said it was constipation even though I hadn't suffered with that at all?.
In December I found out I was pregnant but still was really tender to touch in my lower left side. Saw yet another gp in January who tried to tell me it was pregnancy related but I told her this was incorrect as I'd suffered since September. Again she told me it was constipation and gave me lactulose. I explained I was afraid of bowel cancer and she pretty much laughed in my face and told me I wasn't the right age or risk factor.
Figured I'd give the lactulose a go just to see but it just gave me an upset tummy so I stopped.
I was now finding that whenever I rolled onto my left side at night, it was extremely tender so in February I decided I'd had enough. I was afraid and fed up of this tender area. Saw a lovely gp. Who was honest and said it wasn't constipation and that she really didn't know what was causing it. She did say she felt it was unlikely to be sinister as I hadn't really had other symptoms and it only hurt when pressing not all the time. (if I sit still I'd never know I Had it). She told me being pregnant complicated it and referred me to gynaecology for input. However due to covid and lockdown, I've not heard about the referral. I spoke to a Dr last month again and said how concerned I am and he requested more bloods which again were normal, my inflammation marker test was slightly high but he said nothing major and that happens in pregnancy anyway so he wasn't worried. He told me that until I've delivered baby, they won't do anything but maybe it'll go on its own after I've given birth as sometimes this happens.
My baby is due in August. The last 2 weeks I've been getting upset tummy after meals. My stools are loose and I've noticed I'm getting black in my stools even though I've stopped my iron tablets 2 days ago (unsure if this is just left over iron but it hasn't helped my anxiety).
I'm convinced I have bowel cancer. I can't shift the worry. I've spent my entire pregnancy worrying I'm going to be investigated nearly a year after this pain began only to be told I'm going to die. My family and husband keep telling me It may be muscular if it only hurts when touching. But it doesn't ease my feelings.
I don't know what more I can do now. The Dr's can't help until I've had baby which is another 6 weeks of tenderness. And even if it is still present after baby, I'll have to go back to a gp, wait for a referral by which point it'll be over a year.
I'm sorry for the essay but I am incredibly afraid and it's really eating into my daily life and relationships with both husband and 3 year old. I feel like I'm too occupied on worrying than being present.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Xxxx
