So scared of bowel cancer and leaving my little girl

[Panicatnight]

I'm not able to drop off to sleep. I'm not sure what I'm looking for, a friendly reassuring ear maybe?

I'm having a telephone consultation with a colorectal consultant next week.
I had what I thought was a one off incident of blood when wiping after a poo. It was bright red, but I hadn't strained to pass it or anything. I got it checked out by a health professional who examined my tummy and had a listen but couldn't find anything so told me to just keep an eye on it.
A month passed without incident and then last week I saw mucusy blood, just a little bit, in the toilet pan. I ordered a stool FIT test that day and did the test a couple of days later and it came back positive for blood.
I've had vague pain and a bloating in my upper stomach area that comes and goes. This evening I had right shoulder pain, I googled it as hadn't had an injury and it mentioned referred pain from liver tumours!
I've recently had blood tests which showed no sign of anemia but my inflammation markers were raised.

I'm convinced that I have bowel cancer and whilst laying in bed next to my snoring partner I'm in tears petrified.

I'm 40, so not that young to have it.
We have a lovely little girl who we tried for many years to conceive. I can't leave her now. I'm shaking

[ShaneTheThird]

Have a hand hold op, that must be a huge worry the waiting around. Although having these symptoms doesn't necessarily mean cancer. Lots of benign conditions cause them and it's good you are getting seen to. Hopefully you get seen quickly and can be reassured.

[MintyCedric]

Right hand shoulder pain and bloating could well be gallstones.

I had mine out when my DD was 3...she's 17 now, no issues since.

The bleeding could be piles, polyps, diverticulitis, personal excema or any number of non cancerous things.

It's great you're getting checked out but try not to worry too much until you know you have something to worry about.

[Drinkyourweaklemondrink]

Do you get painful periods? My mind went to the same place 2 years ago when I had the same including the referred pain
With me it was endometriosis. I hope the specialist can allay your fears x

[LostpencilSOS]

Oh love, first thing to do is to stop googling !
I made myself really ill about four years ago when I fell down the rabbit hole of constant googling. My mum had just passed away and I wasn't in a good place.


It's most likely piles. How old is your little girl? I got piles from my very first pregnancy and they never really go away apparently! Sometimes I bleed even if I'm not straining.

Shoulder pain is probably from just being a mum tbh! I was absolutely CONVINCED my bleeding gums Was a sign of leukaemia. I can assure you it wasn't.

[Panicatnight]

Thanks Shane. We have a small amount of savings but enough to cover a private colonoscopy if the waiting lists are excessive due to COVID backlogs. I'm grateful of this as know not everybody woo be in this position. I just feel absolutely distressed at the thought of leaving my dd without me.

[Hamtonn]

You have health anxiety. Not bowel cancer. When you have bowel cancer the blood is persistent and so is the pain.

[Oswina]

My DP was also convinced he had bowel cancer. Turned out to be ulcerative colitis.

[Panicatnight]

Well the blood could be there now, when I did the FIT test there was no blood visible to the eye. I'm going to get this term wrong but something like occult blood?

[Panicatnight]

My little girl is 2 years old. About 10 years ago I did have some issues with gallstones so it could be something like that.

[whattodo2019]

I think you have health anxiety. I have it too! It's much more likely that you have internal haemorrhoids especially if the blood is bright red. Please try and stay calm. Deep breathing xx

[Panicatnight]

Thanks everyone for talking me down somewhat. I'm finding comfort in your replies.

[BessieFinknottle]

Try not to worry OP. There are lots of conditions that have similar symptoms. Some have been mentioned upthread. Colitis is one than causes bleeding and is also linked to joint pain. Piles are usually associated with bright red blood. You're doing absolutely the right thing by having it investigated, but please go easy on yourself and don't panic

[JessBe]

Not trying to diagnose you over the internet (I’m a general medicine doctor) but there are lots of more likely things causing your symptoms than metastatic colorectal cancer. You are young (by medical standards) and you are getting investigated which is absolutely the right thing to do. The vast majority (more than 90%) of people referred for urgent ‘cancer’ investigations don’t have cancer. And most of them are much older than you and so have a higher baseline risk of cancer anyway.
I’m the same though - nothing will reassure you till you get the result. Hope you feel better soon

[Panicatnight]

Thanks @BessieFinknottle and @JessBe. I'm trying my best to convince myself of this and be level headed.

[INeedNewShoes]

I have ulcerative colitis and your symptoms fit the condition fairly well, including both the appearance of fresh blood and the presence of less-visible darker blood that shows up on testing. Mucous and other symptoms too.

Ulcerative colitis is an unpleasant disease when if it flares badly and can take a while to get under control as different people respond differently to the various treatments available so there tends to be a lot of trial and error, but it's definitely not as scary as cancer.

If the consultant thinks you are at risk of cancer they should get you in fairly quickly for a colonoscopy (these are relatively easy procedures contrary to how they might sound, just take the sedation offered).

I know it's easier said than done but please try not to worry too much!

[ittakes2]

Gosh pl don’t worry I have blood on and off - black poo is old blood and risk of stomach cancer - red blood is a good sign it’s not.

[Panicatnight]

@ittakes2

Gosh pl don’t worry I have blood on and off - black poo is old blood and risk of stomach cancer - red blood is a good sign it’s not.

Have you ever had a diagnosis from that?
My blood was only bright red on one of three occasions.

[myheartskippedabeat]

@Panicatnight

Thanks Shane. We have a small amount of savings but enough to cover a private colonoscopy if the waiting lists are excessive due to COVID backlogs. I'm grateful of this as know not everybody woo be in this position. I just feel absolutely distressed at the thought of leaving my dd without me.

I'm so sorry to read this

I work for the NHS I think you have 2 options here

Rock up to A&E "with abdominal pain" they'll likely scan you with/without contrast dye

Or go to your GP and ask them to expedite this on the 2 week wait pathway to sped things up

Waiting lists are absolutely huge after COVID it's affecting lots of services which makes it a difficult and worrying time but I'd go with one of those options if it was me I think 🤔

[TheLastLonelyBakedBeanInTheTin]

Sounds more like IBD than cancer, but it could also be something much less ominous like an anal fissure, haemorrhoids, a food intolerance, etc. Also endometriosis. I hope you get an answer sooner rather than later, but in the mean time try not to worry too much. I know it's hard to stop ruminating, but whatever it is sleep will help and it's much, much more likely to be something else. Good luck 😊

[GetFitOrDieTrying]

Hello, as another poster said, it could be gallstones! I had the exact same thing including bloating and shoulder pain. I too was terrified. Please try to remain positive. Sending you best wishes
Ps. I'm also 40

[GetFitOrDieTrying]

I'd also go to A&E and exaggerate you pain. The stress of waiting will make you more sick. I had to do this.

[bluebell34567]

@whattodo2019

I think you have health anxiety. I have it too! It's much more likely that you have internal haemorrhoids especially if the blood is bright red. Please try and stay calm. Deep breathing xx

that one.

[MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly]

I've had a colonoscopy and they found internal piles. The fact that it's bright red is actually a very good sign - it's much more likely to be fresh blood from the rectum i.e.a fissure or piles.

[IndecentCakes]

Sounds like ulcerative colitis, possibly with fissures to me. Lots of autoimmune diseases pop up after having a baby for some reason.

[Panicatnight]

Thanks everyone. I managed to fall asleep for a couple of hours but woke again, not sure if it was the sensation in my stomach that woke me but up for the day now. Getting a strange pulsating feeling in central bit where stomach is and lots of bloating .
Hadn't occurred to me really consider a&e with exaggerated symptoms. Would probably leave that unless it's needed.