opinions please? not feeling listened to by doctor

Hi MrsIrving 

Welcome to the forum . 
If you are having episodes of blood it needs to have a colonoscopy to see what is causing the bleeding . 
You are right to want that investigated .

Can I suggest phoning our helpline to see how to approach it with your doctors .

The receptionist is not qualified clinically to dismiss your concerns .

0808 808 0000.

take care ,

Court 

Hey MrsIrving ,

I urge you to aggressively self-advocate and get seen to as soon as possible. These symptoms have been increasing over years now and while it could still be due to something innocuous, especially as you've had two babies, it’s so important to get checked out just in case. At the very least to find solutions that could remove your discomfort and pain. If you’ve recently had babies I suspect you’re a young enough age that you’re being fobbed off by your local services - that shouldn’t still happen in this day and age, and this situation needs to be escalated to specialists. 

It’s a crying shame you didn’t have a colonoscopy, or at least a sigmoidoscopy, years ago while pregnant - I had those exploratory procedures while pregnant that resulted in my rectal cancer diagnosis (16 weeks along during the first one, and I endured endoscopic removal of my tumour when I was 5.5 months along - it took 5 hours, awake and on my back; not an easy procedure). I’ve been very fortunate that my GP was fantastic and I was not fobbed off at all - things moved quickly despite my early pregnancy, lockdown restrictions, and the Christmas period, and the London trust I was treated by have been fantastic from minute one. 

Please: self-advocate and get some answers. Good look honey x

Hi MrsIrving 

Firstly it is not all in head and please trust your instincts.

Some GP practices don't seem to realise how many of the younger generations are now impacted by bowel cancer. Let's hope the NICE guidelines get updated soon to help younger people to get investigated swiftly.

I was also not taken seriously. Take a big deep breath and keep fighting for investigations such as CT scan and colonoscopy.

Does your GP practice have an electronic consultation option such as econsult? If so, I'd suggest you raise the request there  detailing all the symptoms you have, especially those that match the NICE guidelines, and bluntly state you are concerned it may be cancer. This gives a formal request that holds them accountable as well enables them to swiftly transfer symptoms to their 2WW (2 week waitlist) referral form that has criteria that your case needs to meet. Hopefully this way leaves no room for further rejection.

I do hope they find a non-cancerous cause for you, but until they do I'd recommend pushing to be on a 2WW bowel cancer referral.

Thank you this has reassured me that i am not being a drama queen.. After multiple appointments them telling me its just constipation. 

I am 30 and when i was pregnant they told me in these exact words.. That i am just constipated and no one is going to touch me while pregnant. Theres nothing they can do. 

I am in blackpool and nhs services seem to be shocking here so far since i moved her from Manchester. 

Thank you again for your reply, it means a lot to me x

I didn't realise i could ask for a CT scan, so this could maybe be my first ask if they aren't willing to do a colonoscopy. 

I don't think the NICE guidelines are age specific i think they just see it more in the elder generation due to have routine colonoscopy's but i may be wrong. 

I have expressed to them alllll my symptoms on the on the online request form and yet in myGP app they have only listed two of my symptoms and i also mentioned that i think its cancer but again this wasn't written down either. 

I am hoping it is something else but i am trying to prepare my brain for the worst so that anything else that i am diagnosed with will be easier for me to digest mentally. 

Thank you so much for your reply it really means alot to me and will ask about a CT scan in my next appoinment x

I didn't identity any blood in my stool but did have severe constipation.  Even when I had been vomiting for 24 hrs the receptionists still told me to go to a pharmacy! Keep up the fight and take yourself to a&e if not getting anywhere with the GP. you need a scan!

Sadly it is age discriminated. My GP proudly showed it to me when bragging mine couldn't be cancer due to my age.

An easy example is the NICE - Suspected cancer: recognition and referral. Also known as NG12

Keep fighting till you get answers that you feel are suitable.

 I have only had blood twice when wiping so far but my stools are black sometimes. Two weeks ago they was size of my little finger and now thinner than a pencil. i just did another online appointment request at go and they have told me to go A&E. I was also laughed at last year when i went with severe constipation and said it cants be cancer as i am not 50. It is so bad that dr's are treating people like this. Thanks so much for your reply it means alot to me 

Yes last year when i went to the doctors they said it cant be cancer as i am not 50. 

I have told them they are not following nice guildlines as a stool fit test result of 10 or above needs to be direct on cancer pathway. They told me doctor said its normal. i have done another dr appoinment request this morning and they have now told me to go to A&E.. Its so bad that i am not the only one that is being fobbed off by services. 

Thank you for your reply it really means alot to me 

Hi MrsIrving ,

I was 42 years old when I was diagnosed and colorectal cancer in young people is on the rise. My recurrence diagnosis (lung metastases) was delayed by a year because the radiologist didn't report a scan correctly, during that year I flagged symptoms etc. and got told to see a counsellor... The hospital finally recognised that there had been a breach of duty on their behalf. I understand how you feel about your doctor. You need to keep pushing and even threaten of medical negligence (after 3 days in A&E for my daughter I had to mention the word sepsis to finally get to see a specialist!). I hate that it has to come to that but sometimes you have to look after your best interest.

Good luck