Hi @MrsMCtobe
My only real symptom was bleeding, very obviously so, for years!
Not constant, on and off with bowel movements.
But very obviously there. And it would return like every few weeks.
As polyp got bigger this got worse.
The last straw was got campylobacter and the bleeding was unreal. I thought my time had come.
It was an A&E job so they did a contrast CT and pulled me forward on the waiting list for cams.
CT scan showed inflamed bowel (pancolitis) from that, and they wondered if it was perhaps an IBD but colonoscopy is the only way for a proper look in there.
Nothing on surrounding organs on CT, so I consoled myself that if it was going to be cancer at least it hadn’t spread.
Cam found it, huge thing! Been there for years pestering me
Other than the blood I can’t say there was any other obvious symptoms.
Thinking back on it I could possibly have felt it, kind of like it was in the way with bowel movements.
But no obvious diarrhoea or constipation that couldn’t have been put down to normal everyday changes. No weight change.
My aunty has also just had her cameras finally. She didn’t have bleeding but lots of pains and aches, always one or the other with constipation or diarrhoea etc.
For her it’s polyps and severe diverticular disease, she is older than me at 60+, so this is more likely at her age.
Try not to worry! I know it’s so hard but you are now in the best hands and they are going to find out what’s going on and treat you.
Best of luck x