Hi j9y. Welcome to the forum.

I am not a doctor, just a lifelong sufferer of IBS. 

What you describe could well be IBS, but there is also a very small possibility that it's cancer.

Unfortunately, no one on the internet can give you a diagnosis so I'm afraid you have to persevere with your GP.

Hi sorry your going through all this. Go to your Dr's get checked out. I was told I had ibs. My symptoms changed  and I started to have acid reflux, eggy burps, occasional vomiting, gas, blood in stools. I went vegan. Did fodmap kept seeing Dr's. My bloods and a stool sample came back fine. Stool sample came back as showing no blood. There was though I'd told the Dr's several times. Anyways for me blood loss got worse and I was telephone diagnosed with piles.... I then sought out a new gp and surgery and went in with photos of what I was experiencing. 6 weeks later and I'm all lined up for surgery next week. Pop in to the Dr's speak to reception find out if there's another way to book (I found out I could book a gp appointment on line. So much easier!) get seen to. Never too young and it could be many things other than CRC but ya best making that appointment and be heard. Xxxx good luck to you hope it all gets resolved xxxx

You're right. It's the only way really isn't it. 

Sorry to hear about your story, hopefully you've caught it in time, do keep the forum updated. If it helps in any way, my neighbour found blood in his stools some years ago, he was diagnosed with colon cancer, he's about 70 years old.. and... He won the fight. So there's plenty of hope. 

Do you mind me asking your age? 

Hi J9y,

I am suffering with the same problem. I have alternating (with blood) constipation, diarrhea, sometimes thin stools, sometimes larger stools, sometimes normal coloured, sometimes not! It’s been happening for about 2 weeks now. I’ve had abnormal pain too.  I’ve had blood tests (showed no signs of anemia or nothing abnormal) and awaiting a stool sample result! 

Please try to visit your GP. You can book appointments online with my GP. Perhaps that’s something you could consider. My GP has a system where you have to call up at 8am - but try to call them for 8am and be persistent with it! You will get through! 

Dandelios, how old are you? I’m sorry to hear. I wish you all the best. 

My understanding is that cancer doesn't really give you pain if symptoms have only just developed. That's normally IBS related from what I've read. I don't get pain at all other than bloated discomfort. Annoyingly IBS and bowel cancer symptoms seem to be quite similar. They say they're not linked, but both my grandparents had ibs and then followed bowel cancer.

From that experience I'd say ibs, anxiety, stress, depression, diet, bowel cancer are related in some way. Just my personal opinion.

I used to work for a good 7 years as a field engineer, as I was on the road often I'd eat mcdonalds or any fast food I found for many many years, back then I was fine. I was then made redundant and started eating healthy home food, it was soon after that when my stomach went nuts and I developed all these problems. So I'd say my diet has contributed to this, I was also bullied with my old employer, I ended up going to work hoping I'd have a crash or something, it got that bad to work for them due to the stress they piled on me, again, I believe that's contributed.

sorry for the delay have had issues getting into my account!, Im 41, had surgery 8 days ago and feeling great, fingers crossed thats all that will be required. how are you?

Hi, I am speaking from experience, don't let your GP keep telling you it' IBS if you are not happy with this. It may well be but so many bowel cancer cases are missed like this. Almost 5 years ago I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at 49. I had seen 5 or 6 different Dr's at my practice, all telling me it was IBS. This went on for 18 months. You need to insist on a colonoscopy, it is the only way to rule cancer out and get rid of the cancer worry which if it is IBS, stress makes worse. I had stool samples that came back normal. I did have problems with my iron levels but as far as pain just indigestion and the 'knotting pain' like on the tv ad. I had surgery. Last year it came back, symptoms were different this time, I had almost everything on the bowel cancer list except weight loss. Again I had surgery followed by chemo and my last ct was ok. Any age can get bowel cancer and if close relatives had it before 55 you are more at risk. You will probably be fine but PLEASE find out for sure. If it is anything serious, the earlier it is treated the better chance of a full recovery. Good luck and keep on and demand the test.

Wishing you a speedy recovery. I've been there twice. Hopefully you won't need chemo but if you do it quickly passes and then you can get on with life. It does change us as a person doesn't it.

Glad you're feeling ok dandelios. Hope you a speedy recovery. 

My situation is the same in terms of not being able to see a GP. However, my stools remained very dark for 5 days but then stopped. Its now not as dark and my symptoms i was feeling at the time of posting have gone. My stools remain on the 'soft' side though. It may be possible that i had a "ibs flare up". I am hoping that is all it was.