Bowel issues - diagnosis worries

[CleoClara]

I had a couple of spells of IBS type symptoms in the summer with some streaks of blood on stools. Am
in my 50s and always had a “sensitive “ digestive system, but this was worse, with blood obviously being a concern too.
Gp did a range of blood / stool tests - all normal.

Symptoms have changed slightly- now normal to hard stools, back pain around tailbone but sometimes moving, and a few more steaks of blood.
I have been referred for an urgent colonoscopy next week. I’m normally quite a rational person but I have got in a complete state about what the diagnosis might be.

For context, DP has had a very serious diagnosis this year with treatment underway, and given the impact of that on our lives, I don’t feel I can talk to him or any of our support network about my concerns until and if they are proven to be serious.

I have therefore done too much googling, which I know I shouldn’t, and can now only think I will be diagnosed with cancer.

Can anyone give me any reassurance please - need to calm down to get through the next few days

Coming back to update having now had my colonoscopy.

As so many of you said was likely to be the case, fortunately nothing sinister was found but I do have a mucosal prolapse. So I assume the other symptoms were IBS.

And for anyone else who may see this ahead of having a colonoscopy- the prep was fine: I found the Moviprep drinkable but improved with some lime and mint cordial added. My only concern was that it took until 3am before the Moviprep had any effect (started taking it at 7pm) so I was worried it wasn’t going to work.
Sedation was fine, with just some discomfort during parts of the procedure .

@Twins4M and @notsosoftanymore - I hope you also get reassurance when you have / had your colonoscopies

@CleoClara glad yours went well! I had mine today and got the all clear. My bowel prep was the opposite and worked within about half an hour.

They didn’t give me as much sedation as I would of liked but was fine.

Hi, a report back on my colonoscopy. I thought the prep was fine in that it didn't taste too bad but being expected to down 2 litres of the prep solution in two hours and then two hours next morning was hard to do.
The colonoscopy itself was absolutely fine, I had a mild anaesthetic and I didn't feel a thing. I was slightly woozy but could watch the screen and I recovered quickly.
They found 3 polyps, one of these was 1 cm which is the size beyond which they may be precancerous (the other two were tiny). They were also all adenomas which is another question mark finding because they are the sort of polyp that might turn cancerous one day, so I'm waiting for the result of biopsies. The consultant did say he didn't expect any problems and that he had totally removed all three polyps but then he would say that at that point!
Anyway, I'm relieved to have it done with and it wasn't awful at all.

@notsosoftanymore it’s worth remembering that the majority of adenomas will be innocent, also often the endoscopist can look at them and recognise the ones that are dodgy. But removing all polyps is important, it’s like weeding the garden.
Hope your histology is all fine and that you don’t wait long to find out.

@notsosoftanymore I hope you get some reassurance quickly

Thanks MIssyB1. I gather the larger polyp was 1.1. cm I've just heard and showed mild dysplasia which I gather means low grade cell changes which are precancerous. I am of course now totally freaked out and see it as awful whereas the GP thought it was a good result.
I wish we had a functioning NHS. I have a mild immune problem, discovered in 2018, which is supposed to be regularly monitored and I have had non stop problems getting the GP surgery to do the monitoring, to take the correct tests and to let me know the results. Hence I don't have a lot of faith in them knowing what to do next (I found a NICE report apparently setting it out).
So many people with unrecognised and untreated cancer out there, what a state we are in.

Good news, cleoclara, hope your DH gets good care and a successful outcome. Thinking of you and thanks for your comment.