Really worried that I might have bowel cancer :-( Long, sorry!

[SpawnChorus]

Bit of background - I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease about 7 years ago. It took quite a while to diagnose as it wasn't very typical - no diarrhea or bleeding, just weight loss and upper abdominal pain. I was treated and took meds for a few years after. Started TTC and with doc's approval stopped all meds.

All was well in the digestive department until about 6 months after DS was born (i.e. about a year ago), other than occasional bleeding which GP said was piles.

However about a 9-12 months ago I started to get gripey upper abdominal pains again. Went to GP - he wasn't concerned about it. Possibly mild flare up of Crohn's. He suggested I take Losec (acid-inhibitor) which is what I'd been on for a few years after my Crohn's diagnosis. I didn't take it cos I was BFing, and wanted to avoid meds, and the pain wasn't severe.

Anyway, I've just kind of realised over the past few days that over the last 4-6 months I have all the symptoms of bowel cancer. I've had loose poos on and off for a while...I'd put this down to stomach bugs, as some of the time it's coincided with DC's dodgy tums. Recently (as in over the last three weeks) I seem to have alternating contipation.

I have blood in my poo.

I get gripey upper abdominal pains.

I feel really tired a lot of the time.

I'm too scared to poke around in my abdomen to see if I can feel a lump.

I've just booked myself in for a doc appt on Friday, but I am absolutely terrified.

I feel almost paralysed with fear, and am thinking the most terrible morbid thoughts about leaving my DCs motherless

Oh poor you

I have crohn's and have worried about this periodically.

Are they not giving you 3 yearly colonoscopies? This should pick up any polyps which could be dealt with before they become a problem.

TBH all the symptoms you describe are also attributable to Crohn's. I would think it is just that grumbling rather than cancer

HTH

There are a million other reasons for your symptoms too especially with your chrohns diagnosis. I too have all the symptoms you have stated and I'm pretty sure mine is piles and ibs related. Have you had unexplained weightloss? Is there a strong family history? If not i'd try not to worry and just be sensible and get checked out.
Even if you have bowel cancer it's only if it is advanced and spread that you would die, a lot of people survive this condition and treatments are improving all the time.
Good luck

You are doing the best thing by getting yourself checked out. My brother was diagnosed with bowel cancer four years ago at the age of 39. It was very far advanced, as well as the primary tumour he had secondaries in his liver.
We scared ourselves stupid looking at stuff on the internet - it seemed clear he had not got a very good chance of survival.
He went through two years of treatment and was lucky enough to go on a clinical trial for a drug named Avastin which I now think is some sort of miracle drug.
For two years now he has been clear of cancer. The tumours are gone and there has been no recurrence. And yet his was a worst-case scenario, just a few years ago, his case would have been written off as hopeless.
I really hope that your symptoms will prove to be something much less serious that bowel cancer, but I wanted to let you know that even what seems like the worst diagnosis possible can end in a positive outcome.

CD - thanks

I haven't had any colonoscopies since my original diagnosis! I did ask about this at a consulation I had about two years ago, and the the consultant said it wasn't necessary as I hadn't had any reocurrance.

I am such an ostrich when it comes to my health.

I think it's the (slight) constipation and tiredness that's bothering me. My poos have always been very regular and pretty perfect...you know,little tweety birds flying around them with sprigs of blossom in their beaks, that sort of thing

Sorry - was too slow typing, and hadn't read the other posts.

Frosty - no weight loss really. Have shed baby weight, but nothing dramatic. Am back to pre-baby weight, maybe a bit heavier. Have a voracious appetite . Re: family history - no bowel cancer as far as I know, but my mum has had breast cancer for 10 years (diagnosed when she was 49) and I think there's a link between breast an bowel cancers.

Rosa - I am so pleased to hear that about your brother. What a wonderful story. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been for you all. Thanks for sharing such a positive story - that really has cheered me up

Well I think you should question that again - they should have you checked regularly.

Bowel cancer has a very high survival rate if they catch it early.

CD - yes, I'm going to ask for another c'scopy. Farking hated the last one though. Not the actual procedure cos I was sedated, but the vile stuff they give you to clear out the colon....putrid salty 'lemon' flavoured drink. Makes me gag just thinking about it

Oh yes it is vile
bleagh

Still better than having undiagnosed bowel cancer though

Spawn Chorus, I may have missed something, but....

you have Chrohn's disease,

you aren't taking medication

you have symptoms which are typical of Crohn's disease

....why do you think you have bowel cancer?

you need to get back on the Crohn's medication, and an endoscopy wouldn't go amiss!

CD and tissy - you speak speak sense O wise ones.

Re: the Crohn's think, it just doesn't feel like the flare up I had before. And does Crohn's ever present with constipation? Ah well, I guess the ball will start rolling on Friday. I just have to stop myself from doing my usual spiel of 'I'm not really worried....slight discomfort....barely noticeable...thanks doc, byeee'

I've just been diagnosed with colitis, which is just a different bit of the bowel to chrohns (sp). If there was a link with breast cancer, they would have checked out my bowel when I was diagnosed with bc in the summer. I was scanned and x-rayed and blood tested for all sorts of other problems that bc affects.

The tests are horrible aren't they?! It's no fun having cameras shoved up your bum.

For now I'm on large doses of steroids and I have other medication which I will prob have to take forever.

I hope it all goes well at the docs and you get the medication back on track.