GP has referred me after a few visits over the last few months, and I've got a hospital appointment at GI clinic in mid March, so am in the system, but am worried. 41, and history of IBS. Had flexi sigmoidoscopy in 2005 - all ok - but now suffering from different combination of symptoms and getting myself into a state. I also suffer quite badly from health anxiety so that's not helping.
IBS has settled over the last few years and only odd flare ups, but I had a gastro virus last July which really messed my system up, and I've suffered from episodes of nausea, belching, stomach aches, odd episodes of diarrhoea, and a lot of excess gas and trapped wind. Most of this has subsided now, and not had any episodes of diarrhoea for months, but I'm still getting excess gas, and rumbling and gurgling guts.
I can cope with all this, as I've experienced similar symptoms before, but at the end of October I had an episode of rectal bleeding. Again, I've had this on and off for years, usually due to a chronic anal fissure that occasionally opens up. I think this is what caused the bleed this time, as it was after a hard bowel movement and it felt sore. But I went to the GP because of the other IBS type problems. I was really hoping it would obviously be the fissure or piles, but she did a digital exam and couldn't feel anything.
A few days after that I started having feelings of incomplete evacuation and fullness, and ended up straining. These symptoms haven't been present every day, but I've had them on and off since November. I do get the urge to go, and can pass really long poos, but sometimes I really have to push, and it often feels incomplete, and I'm constantly aware of a full feeling. The continued problems with trapped wind and gas don't help, and I've also had continued soreness and anal pain and it can sometimes feel really tight. GP referred me for blood tests (including coeliac, ESR, full blood count, thyroid, vit deficiencies, liver and kidney function etc) and all came back ok. Was supposed to get referral to GI clinic before now, but it never went through and I've had to chase it. Went back to GP at the end of Jan for the soreness and painful feeling and she did another digital exam but again couldn't feel anything and can only see a huge skin tag (from the fissure) that I've had for years.
I am just really worried that it's something sinister, and the symptoms are being caused by a tumour. I know there are probably lots of things it could be, but I am so aware of it all the time, and very stressed about it. I drink lots of water, exercise a lot, eat enough fruit and veg, pulses etc, don't eat meat, and so don't think it can be constipation. Not given birth, no piles that I know of, and no bleeding since that one episode in October, and I have been checking dementedly for any signs of blood since then.
Can anyone help to calm me down, suggest non-sinister causes, had anything similar? Sorry this is so long