Symptoms

Hi Louli and welcome to the group. So sorry to hear that your husband has stage 4 Prostate cancer and that you list your best friend this year. You have a lot to deal with. You will realise that this  MAY be the sign of something sinister, but there are other things it could be, you need that GP appointment to start the ball rolling. You say you are struggling to get an appointment ? Is that just because we have had the Christmas holiday period? Or is it more a problem of getting a face to face appointment ? I would imagine if you can even get a phone consultation and mention that you have bleeding that should be a red flag to get you seen quickly. Good luck , and everyone is here for you .

Thank you so much Pita. I will keep you posted x

Hi Louli, 

Firstly welcome to our group but I’m keeping everything crossed that once you’ve seen a doctor you’ll not need to be here. I’m also very sorry to hear of your husband’s diagnosis this must be a really difficult time for both of you & also the loss of your friend. 

I understand the difficulty in getting a face to face appointment with a Dr these days, it’s absolutely shocking so I’m afraid when you ring your GP’s surgery you need to be very insistent that it is imperative that you’re seen in a face to face appointment with your symptoms. My GP’s practice, when asking for a face to face appointment the receptionist has to book a triage appointment with the nurse/Dr (telephone) first as their system will not allow them to directly book a face to face any longer!! I spoke to my oncologist last summer & asked why so many Anal cancers are diagnosed much further advanced than needs be & his reply was that the symptoms are similar to so many other conditions, including haemorrhoids, & that as it’s still one of the rarer cancers it’s often not on the GP’s radar at first glance. He also said anyone with symptoms that may indicate Anal cancer should insist that an internal examination be done at the Dr’s appointment so as I’ve said please be insistent that this is done once you’re seen. 

Anal cancer presents in many different ways so describing symptoms is difficult as everyone seems to be a little different, personally mine presented as an external polyp & what the lower colon team first thought was an internal ulcer but unfortunately this wasn’t the case, I did though present very early stages thanks to a very vigilant GP so please insist on that face to face appointment & get this checked out, hopefully it’ll be something & nothing. 

Good luck & please give us an update when you’ve been seen. We’re here if you need us. 

Nicola

Thank you so much Nikki65… I’m so touched by your kind concern. I’m going to call in the morning and insist in being seen. I will feedback tomorrow I promise. X

Ok insistance paid off! Nothing obvious on exam but ? Gluten causing diarrhoea then bleeding in surrounding area. I’m not totally reassured but if it doesn’t clear up with avoiding gluten I will go private in a couple of weeks.

I will keep you posted.. thanks again everyone xx

That’s good news Louli, but as you say if the change in diet doesn’t ease your symptoms as you’d expect then jump straight back on it! 

Nicola 

Thank you Nicola… yes sadly despite numerous visits to his gp over a two year period and one hospital admission for 4 days in an orthopaedic ward the medics failed to diagnose bone and lung mets as a result of undiagnosed prostate cancer. 
Same thing happened to my best friend.

Im taking your advice and ot letting this be the end of it.

thank you xx

I’m so sorry to read there was this delay in your husband being diagnosed - I fear this is quite a common thing, really they must do better!