Symptoms of Diverticulitis and bowel cancer, worried its the latter

[3kidsaremorethanenough]

Dh was diagnosed with diverticulitis 10 years ago. No symptoms picked it up on a colonoscopy for something else. Never had any trouble with it in that time. Since February this year he has had 4 bouts of flare ups, or this is what the gp he is attending has called it. She is going off a report from 10 years ago. No bloods taken, no FIT test or examination just giving out an antibiotic. Dh is loosing weight rapidly, bleeding from his back passage, not able to walk for more than a few minutes he becomes breathless. When he is taking the antibiotics he does get some relief from the constant pain in his left lower abdomen but once the tablets are finished he is as bad as ever, cant eat, feels like he is going to vomit and has been vomiting a few times. Im terrified its bowel cancer and they are fobbing him off. I want to take him to a&e but be wont go, said once these antibiotics that he is currently on finished he will go back to gp. Anyone any words of advise, im so worried. Hes 53 and diabetic as well which is a whole other problem.

Could be a perforation, he definitely needs bloods done.
My dh had a perforation that turned into a fistula and he had similar symptoms to your dh. He got very sick and spent weeks in hospital, definitely get it checked asap.

Thank you @Whoops75 its getting him to see how serious this is, he has promised tomorrow he will ring the gp and hopefully get an appointment. Everything take so long, appointments, referrals and im panicking that it will be too late

Yes, he needs to be seen by the GP and referred on for further investigations. There is no reason to believe it’s necessarily cancer. It could very well be inflammatory bowel disease that was misdiagnosed all those years ago or any number of other bowel conditions, particularly if he’s diabetic. Antibiotics are an anti inflammatory so they may hold it in check while he’s on them and then it flares again as soon as he stops. I think he 100% needs to push for a 2 week referral and also a calprotectin test (I can’t see why there is a need for a FIT test if he’s obviously bleeding).

Thank you @mindutopiahe has agreed to go to gp tomorrow or at least call them to see if he can get talking to the gp that seen him last. Thanks for the advice, really just need to be reassured im not over reacting.

Just to update Dh has been now referred by a gp for a colonoscopy and are doing the calprotectin test. He has been triaged by the service that received his colonoscopy referral as it came in marked as non urgent but after talking to Dh they have now placed him on the urgent wait list (which can take up to 4 weeks 🙈). Just such a worry 😟

It's good that he's in the system. As pp pointed out there are lots of other conditions this could be. If he's losing blood then he's probably anaemic which would explain the breathlessness.

The two week wait no longer exists, it's a 28-day faster diagnosis standard - so a 28-day target to rule in/out cancer. There's a 56-day target for starting treatment. He should receive an initial report immediately after the colonoscopy about what could be seen by the eye. They will take biopsies of his bowel even if there's nothing visible and then the biopsy results will be discussed at a multi-disciplinary meeting to agree next steps before results are communicated to him. So it might take a little while yet.

Even if it is cancer, bowel cancer is usually slow growing so these timescales are plenty fast enough. Although the waiting is still tough.

If you need to talk to someone in the know, Macmillan has a support line you can call. Try not to get too deep into "what if" territory right now. Most people on suspected cancer referral pathways don't have cancer.

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/macmillan-support-line?

Fit test and bloods will only be indicators. The diagnostic method for confirming if it is cancer will be the colonoscopy. If they find something it will be biopsied. Keep the time pressure on them. As pp said, bowel cancer is one of the more treatable ones, which is a positive.

Thank you both @HarryVanderspeigleand @decorationday feel some relief at having someone to give me some advise and have someone to chat to.

Colonoscopy next Sunday but they will get him before that if its possible 🤞relieved and scared

That's progress, I'm glad you've got a date. The days will probably feel faster now that you have a specific date booked rather than the yawning uncertainty you had before.

Try to stay in the present as much as you can over the next week and remember to take care of yourself (eat, drink, sleep, rest, try and find some time for at least one nice activity each day even if it's just listening to your favourite song).

It's not a very nice prep but at least it's going to be done, and you'll get some answers.

If I understand correctly, diverticulitis was diagnosed 10 years ago….. but he has not had another colonoscopy since? Not even FIT tests? And in recent months he has been bleeding from his back passages - and still he was fobbed off and wasn’t referred for a colonoscopy until he insisted? I am glad that he is finally getting another colonoscopy, but why the long delay? This is outrageous!

Thanks @decorationdayhave tried to keep busy over the weekend, doing some things in the garden with Dh. Ive started listening to a new podcast and a book and signed up today for a 4 week online yoga class with meditation. We're getting some renovations done at the house too at the moment so this week will fly by. Trying to keep a positive outlook

Exactly @TheBroonOneAndTheWhiteOne

Yes @Enrichettayou have it in a nutshell. I know Dh should himself been a bit more pro active in that time and kept on top of it, but it didnt bother him at all in all this time, only now. I spoke with a friend over the weekend and her dh has had diverticulitis for the last 15 years she said he has had a colonoscopy every year since being diagnosed. Hes also had 4 bowel surgeries as well as he ended up with a perforated bowel. It is outrageous and I am so angry when I think about it.

Unfortunately you get told you have diverticular disease then nobody wants to know. I’ve been hospitalised with it once. And a note of caution is a colleague who had similar symptoms to your DH, also with a prior diagnosis of diverticular, bleeding and pain, when finally seen at hospital has needed major, life changing surgery. (All diverticulitis related, not cancer thankfully). So it’s good he is in the system as you just never know what’s going on. Good luck to you both.