Page 2 | So scared of bowel cancer and leaving my little girl

JessBe · 13/10/2021 08:06

As you say, sensible not to go into A&E with exaggerated symptoms - they will do a CT or maybe an ultrasound scan if you say you have acute abdominal pain, but that is no use for looking for problems inside the bowel itself. So it would miss most of the things that can cause bleeding. It also won’t get you a colonoscopy any quicker as that needs bowel prep which is best done at home. We used to do them for people admitted as emergencies but it’s so much harder to get a good result. And unsurprisingly people don’t like taking a load of laxatives on a busy ward with a shared bathroom!

Unless something drastically changes the appointment next week is probably soon enough. It might be a good idea to note down your main symptoms, and a timeline, and details about the bloating eg when it comes on with respect to food, what food etc. I’ve had a couple of telephone consultations and each time forgot to tell the doctor something important, which is really frustrating when you’ve waited a while.
I hope you feel better this morning

myheartskippedabeat · 13/10/2021 19:37

@Panicatnight
How are you now? X

superplumb · 13/10/2021 21:40

@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

So I've been where you are. I'm 42. Blood and mucus when pooping even huge clots. I've had this for a couple of years. My bowl movements vary dramatically. One week constipation, next week 5 times a day. I've had a full and mini colonoscopy and both were normal. My investigation is still ongoing but please dont google symptoms and try not to worry. Bright red is near your bottom and likely piles ( so my surgeon said. )

LuvMyBoyz · 13/10/2021 22:24

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age 55 screening. No symptoms whatsoever. I know one other person in the same position. So it’s not always obvious. It is one of the most successfully treated cancers although very distressing to go through the treatment. It’s great you are getting your concerns addressed.

Sapphire387 · 13/10/2021 22:25

I had similar symptoms and I also suffer from health anxiety so I really panicked. Had a colonoscopy. All clear. They said I had a couple of small piles and am prone to a recurring anal fissure (small tear). It's far, far more likely to be something like this. But go and get checked out to put your mind at rest.

Kljnmw3459 · 13/10/2021 22:29

It's good that they will check it and will be able to tell you what is going on. I've had bleeding before, it was bright red and when I had it checked they said it was fissure. But there were no other symptoms. I hope you will get answers soon.

Definitelysometime · 13/10/2021 22:34

It does sound like piles to me. Definitely worth getting checked out but I had them really badly on both pregnancies and they still flare up regularly, several years later. I've had two colonoscopies to check and nothing more sinister found. But still, blood most days.

SlB09 · 13/10/2021 22:42

For those saying rock up to A&E or exadurate symptoms (those even working for the NHS 😳)

This is absolutely what not to do!!!!!

spiderlight · 13/10/2021 23:10

@Oswina

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

Same with me. I've had it well over a decade now, very well managed with medication. UC also causes joint pain, and mine always starts in my shoulder. When I was being tested, the consultant told me bright fresh visible blood is much less of a worry.

Original poster

Panicatnight · 14/10/2021 06:04

Honestly I'm getting a bit more concerned now. I am having the strangest sensation in top left, slightly to the centre of my upper abdomen. I've never experienced anything like it, it's not a pain as such but a sensation that I can feel that area filling with liquid or air? I can feel the process happening . Each episode lat a minute to a couple of minutes then stops. When I feel it theres no tightness or a lump in the site where this sensation is taking place. Second night this has happened. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this. Weirdest sensation ever.

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myheartskippedabeat · 14/10/2021 08:23

@SlB09

For those saying rock up to A&E or exadurate symptoms (those even working for the NHS 😳)

This is absolutely what not to do!!!!!

To be honest if the op is in pain it's not exaggerating things I'd want it to be checked out

Echobelly · 14/10/2021 08:27

FWIW OP, I have similar symptoms and I'm not worried about cancer, it's just piles. It comes and goes and cream seems to help when it kicks off. I'd see a doctor if it were continual, but not going to worry. Step away from Google!

Echobelly · 14/10/2021 08:29

Nb, weird sensation could be wind? It may just be some normal sensation that you are fixating on because of your worry. I suffered from anxiety related tinnitus for a while once, so I know how easy it is to start amplifying something normal until it becomes a problem..

Shelddd · 14/10/2021 08:40

I don't think saying you have health anxiety is helpful.

It's absolutely normal to get blood in stool checked out. In fact it's recommended. You aren't being unreasonable in investigating this, don't let anyone convince you it's just anxiety.

Even if it's not cancer it may still be something that needs treatment or monitoring. Definitely keep pursing it. Others have had good suggestions.

Original poster

Panicatnight · 14/10/2021 08:44

It could be health anxiety, dunno. I'm not generally anxious and only ever time I have been to gp in my adult life was about fertility issues. All I do know is I'm bleeding from my bottom with some pain and weird sensation, though the pain isn't significant enough in my mind to visit a&e.
I know I mentioned bright red blood in the first occurrence but since then that's not been the case, it has either been mixed with mucus or not visible to the eye and only picked up from a FIT stool test. This could indicate it's coming up from higher in the digestive tract.
I'm definitely anxious about what it means

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Original poster

Panicatnight · 14/10/2021 08:44

@Shelddd

I don't think saying you have health anxiety is helpful.

It's absolutely normal to get blood in stool checked out. In fact it's recommended. You aren't being unreasonable in investigating this, don't let anyone convince you it's just anxiety.

Even if it's not cancer it may still be something that needs treatment or monitoring. Definitely keep pursing it. Others have had good suggestions.

Thank you

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mynameisnotmichaelcaine · 14/10/2021 08:58

Wind can absolutely cause the latest symptoms you write about. You are currently hyper aware of your body. I completely understand - I have MS, and every time I have a weird pain I automatically assume it's the relapse that will leave me wheelchair-bound (unlikely btw as I have few relapses and they're almost always eye-related). I also currently have Covid and really don't feel too bad, but the anxiety that I will suddenly deteriorate is very much there.

Definitely get checked out, but once you're sorted it might be worth looking into some counselling. My mum died when I was pregnant with my eldest, and it left me with some unhelpful anxieties about me dying and leaving her. I still have them and she is leaving for uni next year. I have a lot of anxiety around her health too, much more than I do about her younger brothers. I'm sure it's all tied in with my loss. I wonder if your understandable fear of leaving her is tied in with your infertility treatment.

I really hope it's something easily treatable. Sending love.

TheVolturi · 14/10/2021 09:09

Op it really doesn't sound worrying! My guess is that you've a fissure or piles, and the stomach issues will be with you being so worried. Wind is really weird, can even feel like a baby kicking and pushing!
Try to relax, pursue it for your own peace of mind but no more googling.

notimagain · 14/10/2021 09:34

@LuvMyBoyz

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age 55 screening. No symptoms whatsoever. I know one other person in the same position. So it’s not always obvious. It is one of the most successfully treated cancers although very distressing to go through the treatment. It’s great you are getting your concerns addressed.

^

Seconded - Very very much the same experience here.

None of the classic symptoms, tumor discovered during a colonoscopy…(Stage 2/3)…..

Fully recovered, and yes the success rates for treatment now are very impressive.

Original poster

Panicatnight · 14/10/2021 09:47

@notimagain
That's excellent to hear you beat it and are doing well.
I guess that's my concern that success rates for treatment are very good for those caught in the early stages through the screening safety net. Not caught because of having symptoms investigated.
I just worry IF it is BC that I'm showing later stage symptoms .

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Original poster

Panicatnight · 14/10/2021 09:49

@notimagain apologies! just reread your post and see you were diagnosed stage 2/3.

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FancyLampshade · 14/10/2021 09:52

Try not to worry - as others have said, your symptoms could indicate ulcerative colitis or proctitis or several other things that are nothing to do with cancer. X

TheVampiresWife · 14/10/2021 09:59

DD has been having regular bloody poos since she was about 15 (she's 24 now). She's had two colonoscopies, countless rounds of blood tests and scans/examinations but they've all come back inconclusive. She sometimes has nasty stomach aches particularly when she's drunk milk so the best they've come up with is IBS. Other than that, she's been told it's 'just one of those things' (actual words of one of the many HCPs who have seen her).

Just to reassure you OP that it can be nothing at all to worry about. And although your immediately goes to the worst case scenario, there are lots of far less scary things it could be than that.

So sorry you're feeling so scared though. I know how horrible it feels to have health worries hanging over you. But honestly, it's very, very likely to be ok

Original poster

Panicatnight · 14/10/2021 10:14

Thanks everybody. Right now you all got me believing it's going to be ok. I will keep looking back on your messages

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ThePontiacBandit · 14/10/2021 14:01

Hi, I have some experience in this field….I agree with some of the pp. At your age, the likelihood of these being sinister is low. The symptoms should definitely be checked out as a “two week wait” although that time scale is a bit variable... In my trust, we are now meeting our 2ww targets for colonoscopies again after a delay cos of Covid.

Reasons for your symptoms could include IBD (not a great diagnosis but manageable), polyps in the lower end of the colon (now polyps have the potential over time - think years - to turn into cancer but ideally we find them early remove them before they turn), could be as simple as haemorrhoids (especially since you’ve had a baby in the last couple of years). Yes, okay, sometimes they do find cancer (much more common in over 50s which is why most trusts don’t start screening until then) but even then it is often treatable. You would get lots of support if that were the case including specialist nurses. Don’t leap to the big C straightaway. Try not to Google because it will inevitably make you worried. I imagine they will want to get you a colonoscopy following your appointment and I’m sure there’s plenty here who can advise you on preparing for that.

I hope that reassures you a bit

So scared of bowel cancer and leaving my little girl

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