Bowels - thread about threads.

[Sabriel]

We seem to have had a spate of threads recently about changes in bowel habits. Most posters pile in with recommendations for yogurt or health food supplements.

Bowel changes that last for more than a couple of weeks can be a symptom of something wrong. Please don't google or ask on here. Go to your GP. If you have Ulcerative Colitis or heaven forbid bowel cancer you will not get better by self medicating.

I had bowel cancer and my only symptom was having to go to the loo more and more often. I was always a twice a day girl. By the time I was referred I was up to 10 times a day and 2-3 at night. No bleeding, no weight loss. No pain. At the start, it got worse during my period then better after.

My tumour had been growing for 2 years apparently, and had started to spread to the lymph nodes. I had only had symptoms for 7 months - so for 1 1/2 years I was unaware I was ill. I am not in the high risk age group.

Most people with odd bowel changes will not have cancer but in the time you are messing about with different food exclusions and supplements you could be getting more ill. Thank you for reading.

As another who has had bowel cancer (and also not suposed to have been at risk) I would agree with everything Sabriel has just said. My symptoms were initially put down to piles although I'd never really had a problem with them. Fortunately I went back to the doctor and also mentioned a slight change in bowel habit and got referred. I think rhe main thing to watch for is symptoms that persist for more than a few weeks. I'm sure most bowel symptoms will not indicate anything too serious but it's always a good idea to get them checked if they persist

My mum had bleeding for nearly seven months, the Dr just fobbed her of by saying it was piles, in the end with a lot of pestering, he sent her for a colonoscopy. They diagnosed proctitis and also found a pre cancerous bowel polyp which they removed whilst doing the procedure.