Please help me figure this out.

[Le1890]

Hi I have not been on in a while as I have been doing bit better but I can feel myself starting to worry more.

The recent issues started April time where I started to notice I felt it couldn't push stool out. Alternating diareah and constipation. Sorry for tmi. Long story short gp ran tests for inflammation on stool sample and it came back positive. So she referred me to a GI consultant to check for crohns etc. he was really rude and just brushed off my symptoms and said that although the inflammation level was higher than normal (it was 3 times higher than the upper normal limit!!), it was still too low to be of any concern and sent me on my way. He diagnosed ibs constipation.

Since then the issues have continued. Constant feeling of trapped wind and pressure in rectum. I also saw a uro gyn consultant about 8 weeks ago who examined pelvic floor and rectal exam. She said I have a slight prolapsed bladder and bowel. (2 kids and 3rd degree tear). She said she could do surgery to 'tighten' things up but that she is reluctant as the ops don't last that long so I would need several by time I was 50! I'm 33. She also said because issues were not too bad(leak tiny drops of urine sometimes) the by I just leave things along and do Pelvic floor exercises.

So last week I saw my gp and she did a rextal exam and asked me to put pressure on her finger. Well I thought she meant to push like I was going to so a poo. so I did and when she had finished she said I appear to have lost muscle tone?!? When i looked up how to do a rectal exam it said to ask the patient to squeeze the examination finger. And that's not what I did and now I'm confused. I've had 3 other rectal exams in the past 16 months since the 3rd degree tear and all been said to be normal( last one prior to uro gyn was march time).

I've looked this up this lack of rectal muscle tone and most things talk about tumours in the spine sacrum area. And I do have on off low back pain there, had for years. So now I'm wondering of instead of colon ca I might have a spinal tumour causing me to have issues with bladder and bowel!!!! She's referring me back to the gyno. But this gyno is rated as being top specialist and it took me 12 weeks in the first place to get an app. I want a colonoscopy but my gp has said I saw the GI specialist and it is his job to diagnose and he did not feel I needed a colonoscopy.

I also had a bladder ultrasound about 10 weeks ago and all was normal. Bloods have been normal.

I'm starting to get very scared thinking I either have colon ca or spinal tumour.

I'm sorry this post is so long but please can you reply to try and help me work through this.

Thanks x

Have you actually expressed your fear of a spinal tumour? I doubt if the doctors have considered this as it would be so very rare. I think you should mention it just so you can get reassurance.

Good luck, it all sounds very miserable.

Thanks I called the gp surgery today and asked to speak to the doctor on call. I explained my frustration and he said I have to make a double app to come and see him tomorrow. I've not spoken to this particular gp before about everything. I have told him I want a second opinion from a different GI consultant. He said there is not problem in referring me for a second opinion. If so why have I already asked on 3 separate occasions and still don't have the referral in! I'm honestly getting fed up going back and forth and being passed from pillar to post meanwhile I'm dealing with these bowel issues.

I also said to him that I am confused how the gp said I have lost muscle tone in rectal muscles when I saw a specialist uro gyn consultant 8 weeks ago who performed a rectal exam and said the only issues I have is a stage one rectocele and a stage one cystocele. The gp I spoke to on the phone said that if there was indeed a problem then the consultant would have found it as that's what she's does. I agree with this. And for this reason said I don't see the point in going back to see her for the straining to have a bowel movement, when it's a colonoscopy I want.

So fed up feeling like I am not being listened to.

I hope that the appointment goes well and that you're listened to. Why do you think that you might have a spinal tumour? Have they offered / could you beg for an MRI and CT if you're worried about this?

I started to worry about spinal tumour Becuase the gp said when she performed a rectal exam last week that it felt like poor muscle tone. I freaked out and googled and it said nerve compression due to tumours as a possibility.

But now I have clarified with the other gp today that me pushing instead of squeezing my muscles would have led her to think that! Plus the specialist a few weeks ago said it was normal except the prolapses.

I'm back to worrying about why I need to strain to have a bowel movement even when not constipated. I'm worried about rectal or colon cancer. A) because of various bowle symptoms and B) because the stool test showed inflammation

Just wanted to ask if you have had blood test for coeliac disease as symptoms sound very similar to how I was before diagnosis?

Hi Ruby

Yes it was negative. I have heard though that only the biopsy is 100%. Another reason I want the colonoscopy.

Have you shared your concerns (not your googling) with your GP? Reay important. And if you're not convinced they're taking u seriously, make another appt. with a different one at the surgery. Not that I think it's a tumour - I've absolutely no idea. I'm not medical. But this is a very big worry. I understand that.