Bowel Cancer stories

[SpideyMom]

Morning all

So I’ve read this story in the Daily Mail today and it's scared me.

www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-7225773/Bowel-cancer-case-studies.html

I have posted a few times over recent months about my chronic fatigue, bowel changes (severe constipation) and other symptoms. The named two being the hardest to deal with. I have been seen by a bowel specialist now 3 times, one of those appointments was a sigmoidoscopy where nothing obvious was found. I have been taking laxido, but I am still struggling to go. This has been ongoing now since February. My GP is tired of me and thinks I am a nuisance (its obvious the way they are with my at appointments now). I am told ‘there is nothing wrong with you your bloods are all within normal ranges and you are only in your 30’s’, I then end up crying saying how I am feeling is not normal. The chronic fatigue has been ongoing for 2 years and makes me incredibly miserable. They will no longer deal with this problem until the specialist does what he needs to. It's so frustrating. I know my body!

Yesterday I met with the consultant again. I asked if the problem could serious and further into my bowel, which he replied 'well yes but he feels my problem is in the rectum, not higher up'. I have been referred to the FINCH team to help me manage things and possibly further investigatory procedures. I did leave feeling reassured but this story on Daily Mail today has sent my mind into overdrive. I am told a lot of what the people have been told by their GP, with it being dismissed as IBS. My bloods are normal, but so were some of these peoples too.

I guess its scared me all over again that I really don’t know what’s going on with my body ☹ It turns out some people really do have little to no real symptoms before diagnosis

OP perhaps you need to try to accept that you're doing everything possible to try to get a diagnosis. You're having ongoing investigations.
Anxiety can be exhausting and make bowel symptoms worse.
That article was really irresponsible and alarmist, no surprises there it was the Fail after all.
It was based based on people's accounts of what happened to them, not always reliable, and most likely embellished by the journalist for dramatic effect.
GPs will no doubt now be inundated with worried people thanks to the article.

I would say to specialist you are worried about cancer but the specialist sees people all the time so should know when further tests are needed. I would ask for a colonoscopy.

I had bleeding for a year before referred for tests and took quite a few GPs visits to get a referral. It was all clear but I think when it is missed its usually GP not referring on rather than specialist missing. It's a difficult cancer as often symptomless in early stages. I did find referral very slow - when I had bleeding it bladder it was immediate 2ww, and vaginal bleeding was immediate gynae referral as non-urgent but immediate cervical smear and ultrasound.

I had a sigmoidoscopy first of all which was clear and specialist (private) said he would do colonoscopy and he would be amazed if wasn't clear so seems they know.

thanks everyone. I know, I just need to relax and trust I am doing all I can