Worried- bowel problems

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My husband has, for about 5 weeks, been passing a lot of blood 3 or 4 times a day. He went to the doctor after a week of it and she did an examination with her finger and could find nothing wrong so gave him some cream. It made no difference so he was given pessaries for piles. This eased his symptoms but, after a weeks worth, still no better. He has a blood test on Tuesday, to test for anaemia, gluten intolerance and inflammation of the bowels. She wants to test for these first. If they come back clear then it will be a look at the hospital.

He is so miserable and utterly terrified it is cancer. He is early 30s. It is really affecting him as he is having to rush to the loo.

I've happened to read my magazine tonight and it was full of bowel cancer stuff and now I am suddenly absolutely terrified too.

Can anyone shed any light on what else it could be? We have had such a shit year I don't think we can survive much else.

OP, Please get him to see the doctor. It could be anything, but if it is sinister getting him an emergency appointment ASAP is extremely important.

Sorry, ignore my comment, I should always read the posts. Just get it thoroughly checked out, the best you can do which you are doing. Prayers.

Today is the day! Colonoscopy day! Finally, after what feels like YEARS it is here! He has suffered with the moviprep stuff poor man.

I'm so relieved it is finally here. We just want answers and I hope to bloody god we get them today and don't have to wait weeks for results!

Your poor DH. The endoscopist will probably speak to your DH afterwards, with you there if he asks for you to be. My DH has had several endoscopy procedures over the last few years and they always bring me in while they talk to him as he’s groggy from the sedation and they need to know I’m taking him home and looking after him.

I hope it all goes as well as possible.

Thinking of you both today . Horrible for him and hard for you to feel so helpless .
The colonoscopy is not too bad . But I did leak gel afterwards so either a pad or rolled up tissues in his pants should save that damp feeling .
They discussed the findings with me the same day with diagrams and everything .
Biopsies were all clear when pathologies came back a few weeks later .
Good luck.

How did he get on?

My family has a strong history of bowel cancer so I am very aware of the risks etc. Unfortunately it does seem to be one of those things that just happens for some people but thankfully in younger people it is extremely rare. My mum had Crohn’s disease from the age of 13 and lived to 70, it can be quite manageable now with the right treatment.

Hope your dh has some answers.

I’m glad the day has finally arrived and hope your DH gets some answers.
Fingers crossed for today.

Thinking of you today

My partner had problems a few years ago. He suffers from piles now. Had a big scare with them before Christmas. X

Best of luck!

Good luck to your husband and yourself. I hope you get the answers you're looking for today

Good luck for today and I hope you get some answers today

Thanks so much all, appointment not until this afternoon. Will update after with, hopefully, good news. Good news now means just not cancer!

Ok we have been pre warned that in someone of his age, often they can't see anything wrong? So they end up taking samples and taking 5 weeks to get results. Some people have nothing wrong? I mean it could be that I am now incredibly grouchy with worry and trying to cope with the 28degree way but that sounds like absolute bollocks. So if they find nothing wrong what questions should I ask? He has gone in now so I have 1.5hrs to get suggestions

They should be able to rule out cancer at least shouldn't they? Surely that would be a visible tumour?

Sorry you are going through this with so little information. Be sure to ask questions and clarify today, even if you have to be pushy. There seems to be such a range of attitudes - our local nhs are almost always couteous, patient and happy to explain stuff - improved a lot in recent years - but some family members' experiences elsewhere have been much more hurried/dismissive.

Cancer could need a contrast x-ray to rule out; crohns is not in the colon so may not be visible.. colitis would be visible in a flareup but it does come and go. Its detective work.

Has he travelled much? Some amoeba infections can also create these symptoms

Also (sorry about repeated posts) if he has lost weight its important to tell them- it might help piecing together the picture

Nope, no travelling. We all had a terrible sickness bug and his symptoms began soon after. I know one of the conditions can start with that.

What's worse is he has a job interview in a week and he won't feel comfortable leaving his current role (with sick pay etc) and starting again. Imagine if it turned out to be something terrible and he was in a new job!

Sorry to hear you're going through this and hope you get some answers today. Just to correct something I saw upthread - Crohn's is not always in the colon (can affect anywhere along the digestive tract from mouth to... ahem... the other end) so may not be visible but often is - I have Crohn's and have inflammation only in my colon - very visible on colonoscopy. My symptoms at diagnosis were similar to your husbands.

(And - if it does turn out to be that - don't panic! There are lots of treatment options available now and the symptoms can often be managed very well.)

Oops yes sorry Munstead, you are right. Should have said, not always.

Results: no sign of cancer (just finished sobbing like a loon)! They really did not want to give too much away. They found "indeterminate colitis' in 20cm of his colon, in the rectum and sigmoid colon (according to paperwork). No actual ulcers but inflammation. They have taken biopsies and we just have to do more waiting. They wouldn't diagnose colitis but said they would let us know the results and whether he needs to go back for clinic....I can only assume he will with symptoms like his!

Thanks all for the support. Feel like I've been run over by a bus but I guess the result was "good"? And we have a clue as to what it actually is!

Sounds like they are on the way to sorting this out then. I think he probably will need to go back, yes. Do let them know he will accept a cancellation (if this would be possible with work), as he will be wanting to start some treatment to ease things I should think.

I’m so pleased for you that it isn’t cancer.

Hopefully now he is on the way to getting some proper treatment!

How's things?