I've just been diagnosed with bowel cancer after the routine test in the post

Hi SwimWalker

Welcome to the forum . I going from no symptoms to a diagnosis is quite a shock for sure and will definitely take time for you to find your feet with it .

If you are at all concerned you could phone our helpline staff 0808 808 0000. They could possibly guide you regarding the pain aspect  

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/diagnostic-tests/colonoscopy

This is the guidance booklet and does have some post procedure information but it might be worth checking it out with your team or the helpline .

Regarding waiting on the scans and gathering all the information together , everyone here either directly or indirectly can sympathise with the waiting aspect and would be more than happy to offer support .

Hopefully others will share their experiences or we have a search function at the top right hand side of the page if you want to look at older posts for others experiences .

Take care and I hope it resolves quickly for you ,

Court 

Hello. I’m just about a month ahead of you with the same experience. I had my operation last weds and I am home, doing well. During the time I was waiting for the operation  I started to feel weird things, stitch in the liver area, mild cramps, a feeling of not emptying Bowel. Like you I had no symptoms before the screening test. By the way, this new FIT test is far more efficient than the previous tests ( so said my wonderful surgeon MS Kate Schwab). I still don’t know if the feelings I had after diagnosis were a co incidence, or had I missed them before? But most importantly we are the lucky ones, 90% plus of those of us diagnosed from screening will make a full recovery. I understand your shock, I am just getting my head around it now! I wish you all the best for your treatment.x

Were you told to take things easy after the colonoscopy? I was in a bit of a daze when I was given the diagnosis - all I can remember is the specialist saying that I wouldn't need a stoma bag!

No I don’t think so, I naturally didn’t go mad with food straight after colonoscopy, I think for the first two days things weren’t quite normal. You may be having a right sided hemi colonectomy which is the same as me, if you don’t need a bag. They have done mine using keyhole surgery, it is amazing! I only have a couple of small incisions, I hope you get this option. I was out of hospital after three days. I am not surprised you were in a daze, it’s such a shock when you had no idea you were seriously ill. You are really in the best position, you will get through this! All best Tina 

The specialist wouldn't commit himself to anything until I have had the full body scan in case it has gone anywhere else - I've got to wait for this appointment first. I do remember him mentioning chemotherapy - I was just in a dream. The 'relaxant' they gave me put me completely out of this world

Hope things are settling down now, and you get some answers soon. All best Tina 

I now have the body scan on the 15th so I can relax a little knowing that this is on the way. A few answers will help me cope - thank you everybody

Hopefully your discomfort has gone now since the colonoscopy? , but I did have these pains you describe after my colonoscopy. They did disappear after about 4/5 days . 

Not much I can offer by way of information, but I can offer support. I was diagnosed back in September. I had chemo and radiotherapy first, and am having surgery in about a week and a half. In my case it was stage three on diagnosis.  In my case it is awkwardly placed being very, very low.  COnsider yourself hugged. A virtual one will have to do. Good luck. 

G

As yet I have no idea what stage I am but I'm in my 70's so not a spring chicken and have been doing the tests every couple of years, so am just hoping that nothing has been missed on previous tests. The discomfort has more or less gone thanks Takayasu but i am left with something more akin to the dull 'pain' I used to get at the start of a period, maybe my uterus got a bit of a bashing as well.