24 year old just diagnosed with bowel cancer

Hi Leighsp

I wanted to just say hello and say how sorry I am that this has happened to you at such a young age. 
It’s sounds positive that they’ve caught it early.
Don’t worry about treatment  right now your team will have a treatment plan for you once you’ve had the scans. Yes it’s terrifying but you can fight this once they have a complete picture. You need to have time to process this shocking news  
Others will be along that have knowledge in abundance

Im sending you a hug.  

Hi Leighsp

Welcome to the forum . But I am so sorry to hear this .

However they would not say that if they did not mean it . Surgeons never sugar coat things . If they think they have caught it early then that is from the visual information they have and years of experience to back that up.

We are here for you ,

Macmillan has teamed up with Bupa to offer six free counselling sessions . If in time you feel this might help you process things our helpline staff can give you more information on 0808 808 0000.

Bowel cancer caught early is very treatable . Phone our helpline staff as they will be able to guide you on egg harvesting etc . We have had forum babies following treatment . Rest assured !

One step at a time and hope tomorrow goes smoothly.

Take care ,

Court 

Thank you so much! I need to just try and focus on each day at a time, and not let my imagination run wild! I have a few classic symptoms but I am not ‘ill’, if anything hearing the news has made me more ill and it’s a mental challenge. I’m ready for this to be behind me but it’s only just begun 

Thank you for replying Court. I have been told this is the worst stage, and I don’t think they are wrong. I never thought I could be this upset and never thought anything like this would happen to me so young. I just wish I didn’t have to deal with this stuff and could be a normal 24 year old. Once my plan is in place I will feel better, but these tests and the results are making me feel so anxious! But I need to focus on what the doctor told me and stop with dr google lol, as a lot of the time it shows me the worst case scenario 

Hi Leighsp. You’ve had some great replies but I just wanted to add a link to this booklet which may help you?

https://bowelcancerorguk.s3.amazonaws.com/Publications/YoungPersonsGuide_BowelCancerUK.pdf

Please stay away from google - it is out of date and downright scary in places - stay on here and/or the Bowel cancer uk site and you can ask anything you like

Take care

Karen x

No words, the others have said it all, just a big hug to you.  

Hi, Leighsp, yes I had rectal cancer, straight to operation to remove (LAR) but the biopsy had vascular invasion V1 so then had adjuvant chemo afterwards. This is not mandatory but recommended. Perhaps you could ask about storing eggs or embryos? Take care.

Thank you so much Karen! It is very useful!

it really is, I think I also need to remember that every case is very different, there’s no one size fits all answer and it’s pointless me trying to find answers when we don’t have them all yet. Unfortunately I’m just going to have to wait, but I’m off work now and going to try and enjoy this time with my friends and family before I get the results of my scans back! Doing the things I enjoy xx

Thank you!! It comes in waves of sadness, but then I know deep down I can fight this and I am going to be ok!! 

Thank you for your response! Yes if it comes to it, I will need to have the treatment. I am young, and there are options to help, plus it doesn’t always cause issues and there’s every chance I can still get pregnant in the future! Need to remind myself I’m only young, and going to focus on making myself healthy and ready for whatever is coming cx