Worried I have bowel cancer at 23? Please help

[Worriedguy1996]

I woke up about a week ago with a burning sensation while weeing which concerned me as I’ve had an UTI in the past (I’m a male) however I didn’t have chance to see a doctor the same day so I just waited a few days to see how it went. I started to get quite bad abdomen pains, I found it very painful to walk, turn in bed, cough or sneeze, no changes in bowel movement. I’d say on a scale of 1-10 - it was about 5,6. I think the pain was everywhere in my abdomen, not just on the left or right side. So I went to the out of hours doctor expecting it to be another UTI. The nurse said no infection was found which surprised me so she said to visit my GP. The pain went pretty quickly and I can’t feel anything now.

Fast forward a few more days - I have quite bad constipation. I haven’t had a bowel movement since Tuesday and when I do strain a lot, a tiny piece of poo comes out with mucus and dot of bright red blood (sorry to be TMI) and it was long and pencil like! I had blood tests recently which showed as normal except my haemoglobin MCH was a tiny bit low but everything else is within the normal range (I do have an underactive thyroid which isn’t being treated at the moment)

I’ve googled my symptoms (yes - I know doctor Google isn’t my friend) and they all say bowel cancer

I’m going to push my GP for a referral to see the colonoscopy but I’m so worried it is bowel cancer? Has anyone has the same or similar symptoms as me and found out it was something else? I’m not sure if I posted this in the right place and I don’t mean to disrespect those battling with this awful disease - I would just like some help as I don’t know who else to turn to.

Thanks for reading

Every one of your symptoms point to anxiety and panic

You do not have bowel cancer. You have anxiety. Surely you’d rather treat that than spend your life chasing the symptoms of it?

I would like to think it’s something like IBS as I have all the symptoms of that (especially weeing! I wee a lot more than I poo!) why do I bleed time to time? I do suffer with anus tags quite badly but I’ve never recalled them bleeding. Who knows! I’m just so taken back by how many people have responded to me it’s so nice that there are strangers out there who want to make you feel ok even though none of you know me! So thanks guy

hello.
ignore me if already mentioned.
The blood isnt normal at al.
if bright red likely to be internal haemorroids. but id ask fro a caprotectin stool test. it looks at levels of inflammation in bowel.
It could be inflammatory bowel disease rather than irriitable bowel syndrome

Thanks littlebird. I have done a FIT test and I am awaiting the results. I don’t feel nauseous now so that’s probably related to my anxiety

My dh sometimes has bright red blood in his stool and mucus with constipation or diarrhoea if he accidentally eats gluten as he's intolerant. I'm not saying that's what it is for you @Worriedguy1996 but all of your symptoms including anaemia and weight loss can be attributed to bowel inflammation which can be caused by a number of things, infection, food intolerances etc. Try not to worry too much, as pp have said bowel cancer in young people is very rare and I'm glad you're now being investigated by the GP. The next step may be to refer you for a colonoscopy. Have they done a coeliac screen in your bloods do you know?

I had (self diagnosed) several cancers, MS, Lupus, brain tumours, Parkinson’s and MND when my health anxiety was at its worst. I had loads of physical symptoms. I was convinced I was dying.

All the symptoms stopped when I dealt with the anxiety. Our brains are amazing at making our bodies do weird things.

Go back to your Doctor and take up the suggestion of treatment for the anxiety.

STOP CONSULTING WITH DR GOOGLE. NO GOOD WILL COME OF IT, HE’S A COMPLETE TWAT.

Why are you still chasing all these diagnoses but only 'looking into' CBT for your anxiety? That does sound like the critical treatment you need here, medicine can make a big difference alongside CBT or counselling.

The blood is no doubt from straining or wiping repeatedly looking for blood

@SootySueandSweeptoo, OP has clearly said he has anxiety and that comes across from his first post.

Ask your DH if bloods etc would be coming back normal if he had bowel cancer?

It’s horses, not a zebra

@CherryPavlova in 2008 my best friends brother died of bowel cancer aged 23. He was fobbed off for months because they said he was too young, by the time it was diagnosed it was too late. So your information isn’t accurate

SootySueandSweeptoo I think your emotional response is misreading.
My information is accurate and talks about under 25s. It’s tragic that someone of 43 died with metastatic colorectal cancer but that is a nearly two decades older than 25. The incidence increases with age so one would expect there to be more people in their forties with the disease. I don’t think I said people under 50 never get the disease.

To those of you hijacking the thread to argue about the prevalence of colon cancer and people who have died of cancer, how on earth do you think you are helping the OP who clearly has anxiety around this?

I'm 23 too OP and recently went to the doctors with the same problem in maech after being quite poorly. She was quite dismissive, but she said it's so unlikely but could still do tests of I wish, but because it was only over the course of me being poorly and on meds it was unlikely to be cancer.

I decided to wait and see, as my anxiety used to make me make quick rash decisions which was never good.

I stopped googling as I would always convince myself I was dying thanks to Google.

When i got over my infection my body and bowls went back to normal and no more bleeding or mucus.

I occasionally get bleeding now.. I'm pregnant so the constipation is making me bleed a bit.

IBS can result in bleeding, as any change in bowel movements, hard or soft, can cause piles which are prone to bleeding anyway.

I could be wrong on this one, but I'm pretty sure red fresh blood is usually a tear or pile ect, and dark red/black blood that resemble coffee grounds are a sign of a more serious condition, such as an internal bleed.

Cancer is very unlikely. I dont think your doctor wants to be dismissive but the NHS just doesnt have the funding to be teating you left right and centre for something they're professionally not concerned about.

If your symptoms persist for more than 1 weeks start to finish, let your doctor know. Although if it is related to a condition like IBS then it's likely to be a long term thing for you and you may have better and worse days.

I know it's hard worh anxiety, but try not to dweel on it. I can almost 100% Guarantee that if you preoccupie yourself for a few days and try to convince yourself there is nothing wrong, its just a change is appetite and diet, your symptoms will go.

It is proven in people like us that have health anxiety that we can imagine symptoms, we can literally think ourselves poorly, we can be so convinced we have a disease that we can actually feel the symptoms of it.

Try not to worry :)

Exactly Sooty There is a reason for the "never too young" campaign and Cherry's inaccuracies need to be called out.

Although you are young it's not unheard of to get colorectal cancer in your twenties. I believe the youngest recorded case is 14 but astonishing rare. My OH was a late diagnosis with stage 3 bowel cancer, fobbed off for 10 years by various GP's as piles, stress, IBS etc. Our Practice Nurse saved his life by listening to him when he attended feeling very unwell, his Haemoglobin was down to something like 8 due to years of internal bleeding. 3 yrs post major surgery and a yearcof chemo and he is doing brilliantly. I think it's unlikely this is bowel cancer but to put your mind at rest insist on the appropriate testing and look at your diet which may be the culprit. I wish you well.

Oh and DP would have been in his early 30's when the cancer mutated from the original polyp..he unknowingly had cancer from before I met him and for the duration of our relationship... never, ever dismiss any symptom if you are concerned x

HippyChickMama - I’m not anemic but I haven’t done the coaelic test so maybe I could suggest that

BentNeckLady - google isn’t my friend but I can’t help myself!

Doyoumind - I totally agree! Reading about death pretty much scared me a lot but this just goes to show - always be persistent with your GP and don’t let them fob you off if you know something is wrong

SootySueandSweeptoo - is Lynch always passed on through genetics? I don’t have any known relations with bowel cancer. My inflammation levels: CRP - 2 and ESR - 5. Are these alarming figures?

Seemstress - thanks for the advice! I’m glad to hear your partner is doing so well

I've read the whole thread. Please stop panicking

Sorry, posted too soon. If your thyroid is borderline under active your digestion will be slower hence the constipation and possibly also the extreme anxiety.

Constipation can cause urinary problems and superficial bleeding.

Adjust your diet, add l

Sorry again! Add Linseeds, inulin, porridge, Fibogel and lots of water and fruit and veg to your diet. And follow up on the thyroid issue, you might find thyroxine sorts it all out.

People need to be aware that when someone has health anxiety the worst thing you can do is feed it by offering up stories of the exceptions to the rule.

His GP knows him better than us. And clearly believes he needs therapy to deal with his anxiety.

As soon as he is told he doesn’t have bowel cancer it will be something else. Or he’ll just go shopping for another doctor.

OP please deal with your anxiety. I can recommend some of the health anxiety forums on Reddit for a start.