hi, 

I have been reading these forums for months now, and feel like I would like to post myself now. It feels really insensitive to post without an actual diagnosis, sorry I apologise to anyone going through something so terrible. I have so much anxiety and needed to get it out.  For just over the past two years I have had on and off rectal bleeding, bloating and back pain and tiredness, ans change in nowel habits and terrified I could have something sinister going on. I’ve been referred to a specialist for about 8 months now after putting it off for over a year, had a sigmoidoscopy 6 months ago which was abandoned halfway through as painful, most recently was rescheduled for theee weeks ago, but when I got to the hospital could not go through with it due to anxiety... am now waiting on an MRI as an alternate. I feel so afraid, alone and so much anxiety I don’t know what to do...so much time has passed..

im not sure what the point in this post was but just wanted someone to talk to and advice on how to cope. I am 26 years old with two small children. I have a history of IBS for 12 years but it has never been like this.