Hi, sorry to read you are going through all this worry.

The waiting is just awful.

I've had bowel cancer in the past.

It's good that your bloods came back normal.

Your age too, not impossible but would be very rare in someone your age.

Try not to google!!!!

Is your GP aware that BC is in the family? Maybe this would get you seen quicker.

There are lots of things could be causing your symptoms, I would get on to your GP again and see if they can hurry it up from their end. Tell them they couldn't even find your referal.

Keep on at them xx

Hi thank you for replying,  Yes my gp knows that my nan had bowel cancer but because she was 82 and had an ibd for years before and shes my dads mum they dont seem too concerned, I do try not to google but I do it to try find some reassurance that it could be something not so serious but all I've seen is that if it was hemorroids and a tear then bleeding would be on the tissue or the gp would of felt or seen them, I dont know if its possible to have a tear or a hemorroid higher than they can feel and i canr rationally explain to myself with the bleeding this time wasnt on top of the stool and why it was floating separately with a bit of mucus , I'm so sorry to hear of your diagnosis and hope your doing well, was your symtoms bleeding like mine ?

My GP couldn't feel any hemorrhoids or tears but the colonoscopy found hemorrhoids, One of the nurses/doctors (not sure what their role was) told me that it's not that unusual for GPs to miss hemorrhoids as some can be internal and others can retract and may not be visible at the time of the examination.

And if you look at the stats, bowel cancer is very rare at your age with your symptoms. I am 41 and was 40 when I had my colonoscopy. My symptoms were rectal bleeding, some weight loss, occasional loose stools (maybe once a week) and a few weeks of trapped wind. Again, if you googled, the symptoms seemd to point in a scary direction, but the specialist said at my age, the odds of cancer were extremely low, that hemorrhoids were the most likely option with ulcerative colitis a possibility but far less likely. Given that you are over 10 years younger than me, it may even be less likely in your case.

Lastly, my impression is that bowel cancer usually develops slowly. From what I've read, it generally begins with a benign polyp and can take 10 years or more to develop into cancer. If you had a colonoscopy four years ago and they didn't find any polyps, it makes cancer less likely again. 

I've actually had it twice.

No bleeding first time but was second.

I'm doing ok thank you. x

I'm so sorry that you're having to face such a long wait, I know how scary it feels when you look at your wee ones and imagine the worst. I'm similar to you in that my symptoms started this summer too. My Dr tested and found inflammation present, but it was the positive fit test that allowed her to write again to the consultant and get me into the "two week wait" route for colonoscopy. Has your Dr given you a fit test? If not it would be a good idea to ask for one to be done, a positive result will help your case for a more urgent referral. 

Try not to worry, I know it's hard not to but it is so very unlikely to be cancer, there's lots of reasons for similar symptoms. 

Thank you for your reply, It was reassuring to read that all turned out okay for you, Any time I try to reassure myself I just find myself thinking the worst  . .Again today I went to the bathroom only a small bit and there was a light coating of blood over the top of the stool, it worries me that its not there when I wipe as that would more likely be hemorroids bleeding, Could I ask if you had bleeding just on the tissue ? Thank you for your message x

Hi thank you for your message , I know It's awful looking at my son and worrying that something is wrong especially as he's an only child ...Yes I had a positive FIT test, not that I needed it though as the blood is visible, Its usually on the top of the stool and then yesterday was the first time I noticed that there was blood mixed with a bit of mucus in the toilet , Im just so worried.. I really thought it would subside again and that maybe it was just another once off.. but I seen it again today about an hour ago and its so upsetting,  Its not like its something I can ignore or not look at as its something our bodies need to do every second day! I cant find anyone online whos symtoms were like mine , usually the normal things is on the paper or when you wipe, Mine theres nothing which scares me theres something really higher, Did you have your colonoscopy yet ? X 

I'm due to have it this Sunday. One of my symptoms is blood on stool and occasionally in the toilet, nothing that was on wiping if you know what I mean; I think it sounds like perhaps a similar experience to yours. I was checked too, for hemorrhoids, and I know how you feel,  how worrying it is when that doesn't seem to be the issue and that it's a higher up bleed.

But I am keeping telling myself that you know there's many things it may be. In my case, I'm thinking it's possibly diverticular disease because you can have bleeding with that, and I'm finding it difficult to eat with pain right after I do eat something. I've had the mucus thing too, myself. I think it may be a sign of irritation? Could be a benign polyp that's bleeding. Honestly I know how difficult it is not to panic, but really we have statistics on our side; it's very highly unlikely to be something sinister. I have two little boys, and my ex was just horrible...I cannot be ill, they need me. You just have to see the positive side, you know? 

I really wish you the best. And please get back to your gp and push for an urgent referral! ( I know what you mean about the fit test; it was obviously bloody and it felt a bit silly having to do one, but it is part of the diagnostics for who will be referred on the 2 week pathway) 

That does sound similiar to my own symtoms and it did feel so disappointing and unnerving to hear they didn't think it was hemorroids.. I've been distracting myself trying to focus on everyday routines which works for a while but its one of those things that you cant ignore when you need to go , Tiktok really doesn't help , I'm unsure about whether or not the videos that show up are  related to your search history but a woman came up on mine shes 28 from another part of ireland  and got diagnosed with stage 4 bc after being investigated for bleeding that they were all convinced was from hemorroids, I just felt of all the videos that had to pop up ! It is really good to hear that you are getting your colonoscopy this week I'm hoping that all goes okay for you , My gp has said they can more or less tell you straight away if all was normal and what they found , I hope you get answers too and its all okay, If you get good news or anything I would love to hear how you got on, I'm having anxeity even thinking about the prep but only if you feel comfortable sharing how you got on , thank you for your kind messages I'm hoping things work out for us x 

Yes, it was mostly just on the tissue, but I had one instant of it coating the stool.