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Bowel cancer scare

Veryanxiousone
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I'm not even too sure what I'm after with this post, maybe just reassurance or even similar experiences. 

 

For the past year (and yes, I've left it for too long) I've been having heavy rectal bleeding and this is almost everyday. During summer my bowel habits completely changed, always been fairly regular and now almost going to the toilet every hour. Feel like my bowels are never empty. Sometimes I just sit in the toilet and there is nothing. I have a young child and been bloated ever since having him, so the bloating and occasional tummy pain I put it down to that.

When symtoms got really too much, and this includes mucus, itch, and the blood I went to the GP and they have tried to do a manual exam and noticed they couldn't as there was a mass in my back passage. I was referred to hospital, but this was months ago and I've been calling them as symptoms were getting worse but I kept being told I was referred as routine, so it could be up to a year.

Eventually I couldn't take it any longer, and went back to GP. This time I had bloods a FIT test. Turns out that on my blood work both ESR and CRP are elevated and my fit test was a high positive... I'm heartbroken, panicked and just feel so stupid for not chasing this up earlier. I'm 35 years old so I know at my age is rare.. But I'm absolutely petrified and can't stop thinking about this. I'm being referred again, this time as urgent, but it can take up to 4 weeks and I just don't know how to cope with thee wait.

As anyone had similar and it turned out to be nothing serious? xx

  • Offline

    Hello,veryanxiousone,

                                        just read your post and particulary your question at the end. It struck me that this being a cancer focused site,those who got the all clear are not as likely to visit again,so do not read too much into a lack of responses should that be the case.

    l can understand your fears,but you should take into account that there are other conditions that could cause the symptoms you describe, Certainly if as you say,bleeding is taking place everyday for the past year,with no progression to elsewhere it suggests it may not be cancer related.In any event you are now in a position where you shortly will get some definite answers,and l hope these turn out to be less onerous than you currently fear,Try not to overthink or pre-judge outcomes,stay calm and remind yourself that there is nothing you can do to change anything that exists,but a lot you can do in staying calm and focused for any treatment that lies ahead of you,it will then thayt you can make a real difference,

                       take care and tread gentley,

                                                                       David

  • Offline in reply to gruntifen

    Hi David,

     

    Thank you for taking the time to read and reply. I think it's still the shock of it all that is playing on my mind but like you say I will get some answers shortly. The waiting is definitely the worst part of it. 

    Thank you for the reassurance :) 

  • Offline in reply to fredbloggs

    Hi fredbloggs,

    I ended up in A&E with severe bowel impactation  a few weeks back whilst I was waiting for the two week referral appointment. Then it was discovered that one of my ovaries was also very enlarged, so ended up having a CT scan, but due to impactation they couldn't see much. Had a few scans for the ovary a few days later, all is well, just fluid. My bowel, however, complete different story. Had an attempted colonoscopy, but unfortunetly my bowel simply doesn't empty. . Not even after 5 days of laxatives and moviprep. I'm now due another one this weekend. Hoping to get some answers then. 

  • Offline in reply to Veryanxiousone

    Good luck. I doubt it'll be anything sinister.

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