What could this be if it's not cancer?

[tobyj]

My DM (mid/late 70s) is awaiting the results of urgent 2ww tests which were ordered by her new GP (after the last one fobbed her off). Tbh I've been so convinced that it would be bad news that I haven't really thought what else it could be. But as the days tick by and still no results, I'm starting to think that perhaps they won't find anything - but if they don't, where do we go from here?

Her main symptoms are digestive - she has serious bloating that hasn't gone down in about three months (it's worse some times than others, but always bad, 24 hours a day). They've found blood in her stool. She has regular bouts of vomiting and diarrhoea (maybe once a week or two)? She's lost her appetite. She permanently feels tired and low level unwell. It doesn't help that she's also suffering from anxiety, insomnia and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Some of her symptoms have come and gone over the last couple of years, but they're definitely now much worse and permanent.

Over the last couple of weeks she's had various blood tests (slight thyroid imbalance but not massive), a trans-vaginal ultrasound (no results yet), a virtual colonography (no results yet) and a gastroscopy (normal). I know there have been doctor strikes, but if they'd found anything serious, would she not have heard something by now? It's at least a week since her last test. (Someone else I knew had a CT the same week, and they admitted him to hospital direct from the CT because they found a tumour).

I realise I ought to just wait for the definitive results, but I can't help wondering what else could be wrong that could cause this severity of symptoms? Previous doctors have suggested IBS, but it seems more severe than that, particularly as the bloating is perrnament. She's tried cutting out gluten, but it doesn't seem to have helped (and she's had a negative coeliac test).

Is this set of symptoms ringing any bells with anyone? Any ideas of what could be wrong, if it's not some form of cancer?

Diverticulitis? It’s very common in elderly people and can cause the tummy symptoms you mention. The anxiety and insomnia aren’t necessarily related, maybe she’s just worrying about what’s causing the other stuff.

That does sound quite plausible, thanks. She's taken quite a lot of meds and anti inflammatories for arthritis over the years, so that might be a factor. Presumably the colonography would show diverticulitis, if that's what it is?

My DH has diverticulitis and had a CT scan which showed thickening of the bowel and then had to have a colonoscopy where they take biopsies of the inflamed areas, but diverticulosis was what he was told he has. This disease runs in his family. The biopsies showed he also now has colitis and has now been given medication to help manage this. He was on a 2 week pathway, but as soon as he had the colonoscopy he was discharged from that. All the symptoms your DM has are similar to my DH apart from the vomiting. He had a phone call from the bowel screening team to tell him the results 9 days after his colonoscopy, then he had a call from the gastroenterologist team the following week, who sorted out the medication. Can you call your gastro unit to ask about the results.

Thank you so much, and sorry your DH has this. DM is going to call the GP today to try to chase up the results of the scans.

Coeliac disease, check if she had blood test for this, needs endoscopy to confirm diagnosis.

Thanks, yes, she's had a negative coeliac test.