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Convinced I Have Bowel Cancer

FormerMember over 6 years ago

18 replies
129 subscribers
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Hi,

I'm 17 years old and a boy

Symptoms:

Blood on toilet paper - occasion 1 - I passed a firm stool that wasn't loose and when I went to wipe, there was bright red blood on the toilet paper. A lot of blood. Not a HUGE amount but it couldn't have been considered a small amount either. I was shocked. I went again about an hour later and there was only a small amount on the paper but I noticed some blood dripping into the bowl. The bleeding stopped after a couple of hours and didn't happen again for 3 weeks. It was ONLY on the toilet paper though, not in the stool.

Blood on toilet paper - occasion 2 - About 3 weeks after the first incident happened, I went to toilet again and when I wiped there was a small trace of bright red blood on the paper again.

Blood on toilet paper - occasion 3 - A few days later after the second time, I wiped and again, there was red blood on the paper but it looked like it could've been from wiping too hard or something.

POSSIBLE blood in stool. Once I got really obsessed and passed a looser stool onto some toilet paper and examined it.. and I noticed very very very small vague traces of darker material. It didn't look a whole lot like blood but it looked suspicious. It could've been like the air in the stool or something, but the stool itself wasn't black, it was a normal brown colour. So I'm not 100% sure that this was blood.

Mucus in stool. I did notice about a month ago that there was noticeable mucus in my looser stool. This hasn't happened since to the best of my knowledge. There was also a clear sticky mucus discharge out of my anus.

On and off constipation/diarrhea/normal stools. One day it feels like I'll be constipated, the next I'll have looser stools, then diarrhea and then the stool will be normal. I don't mean they change like every day, but frequently like every few days or every week or so. I don't know. I do have a poor diet that often lacks fibre and I eat a lot of junk food, and of course I'm ALWAYS WORRYING about something so that can unsettle my bowel. For instance, I'm constipated now and have been for about a day.. could be anxiety but I don't know.

Thinner stools. I have noticed that my stools often look thinner. I only started paying attention to my stools over the last month or so but I've noticed when they're more solid, or not loose, they're thinner. Not like seriously thin but just like they've been pressed down on slightly with a board or something. They're not like ribbon thin or anything though. I did worry about bowel cancer 4 years ago and when I did, I noticed my stools were thinner then too and I read anxiety could cause this due to tension in your gut or something. But I'm literally ALWAYS worrying about something so maybe that could be the cause of it.

This only started yesterday, but when I woke up after about 7-8 hours sleep, I felt tired all day, like I needed a nap. And the same today, after 8-9 hours sleep. It's not like exhaustion but I just feel like I kinda want to go back to sleep. Before yesterday though, I felt very much alert and not tired. Maybe it's because I'm worrying so much? But I was worrying before and didn't feel tired so..

It also feels like there's a lump on the left side of my abdomen, on the same level as my hip but up a bit so it's next to the bone above my hip. It's not necessarily a lump but whenever I tense and feel my abdomen wall, it feels like a certain bit next to that bone bulges out a TINY bit more than the rest. It's probably normal, my family have felt it and they said it's normal and when I went to see the doctor (read more below), she didn't feel anything abnormal but I didn't tense when she was feeling me. It's only when I tense I can feel it.

I have no stomach pain or bloating or pain after I eat or whatever, or feel full. No vomiting. I also have my appetite still.

They're my main array of symptoms, that I can think of off the top of my head.

I did go to the doctors a couple of days ago and she checked for piles. I didn't have them. So she said I had an anal fissure (which makes sense because it was like I was bleeding directly on the paper rather than it being mixed in with my stools), but the bleeding was entirely painless and it didn't feel like I cut myself anywhere in there. She also felt my abdomen and said it felt all normal. And she said only to worry if I had 6 weeks of like constant diarrhoea. But I read that it can also alternate and my stools are like mostly thinner too..

Also, I'm a MASSIVE hypochondriac. It only just came back with this worry, but 4 years ago I used to worry about my health CONSTANTLY and it just would never give up. I then started worrying about other things constantly until now when I noticed blood for the second time and started convincing myself that I had colon cancer.

Now I'm FULLY convinced that I'm going to die, like I feel depressed. I know it's very rare in 17 year olds but there have been cases

Arla over 6 years ago

Hi tpmh432,

I had womb cancer last year and since my surgery I've had a bit of a dodgy bowel and bleeding, so like you I went to my gp, I was convinced my cancer has spread, but after a bit of a wait, I had a sigmoidoscopy, which I was able to watch on the screen, and I got the all clear. I didn't feel any pain from the bleeding either, I just saw it. I know how anxious thinking about symptoms can make you feel though.

its always important to have a doctor check out any medical issues but there can be lots of causes for your symptoms that are non cancerous, it's good that you have already been to your gp, if you are still worried it might be a good idea to go back and explain the symptoms that you didn't mention and also explain how anxious you are, your gp should be able to help with your anxiety.

You can also call the Macmillan helpline on Monday after 9am on 0808 808 0000 for advice and ask to speak with a nurse.

If you need to speak with someone in person sooner you can call the Samaritans on 116123 or the NHS on 111.

I do hope that you are able to enjoy the weekend, as you say, it would be really rare in someone of your age.

xxx

dom1969 over 6 years ago

Hi,

Anal fissures are very common and sometime cause no pain at all, I would be very, very, very surprised if you had colon cancer.

Plan of action

1. Go to the drs and ask them if they will refer you for a colonoscopy, they are not painful and there is no need to be embarrassed by the procedure.

2. Stop eating so much shit and start eating more fibre this will help with the constipation

3. Tackle your anxiety issues as this can really affect your bowels, talk to your dr about this or your pastoral support at school / college or a family member you trust not to take the piss.

4. Get some exercise, just walking more will do, this will help with the tiredness and fatigue, remember being worried and anxious all the time actually takes a lot of energy, been more active will help with the worry

4. Come on this forum for support as you need it, been worried all the time is crap, most people on here at experts at been worried!

dom

FormerMember over 6 years ago in reply to dom1969

I should probably also add another symptom:

POSSIBLE weight loss. I don't know how much I weighed before, but I'm sure I used to have more of a belly and now I feel a little skinnier. This could be due to anxiety and it could be in my head that I've lost weight, because I was never REALLY fat before and I still do have a bit of a belly but i don't know.

FormerMember over 6 years ago in reply to Arla

Arla

Thank you so much for the advice.

I wouldn't be scared myself if it was just bleeding, it's just all these other symptoms- whether they're anxiety induced or diet induced or whatever- are really scary.

Thank you, I didn't know Macmillan had a helpline. I think I'll call in on Monday to see what they think. Thanks a lot!

PS. I hope you're well or at least better now after your womb cancer.

FormerMember over 6 years ago in reply to dom1969

dom1969

Thanks for the advice!

Yeah I read they can be painless and that would make sense given that the bleeding must have been from inside the anus since you don't feel much in there

1. I want to do that but I'm scared that they won't let me have one due to my age

2. Yeah last time I was constipated I ate some beans and I went to toilet soon after. I should do that again

3. I would do that but not right now because it feels like I'm ignoring the fact that I might have cancer

4. Thank you for making me feel welcome here

FormerMember over 6 years ago in reply to Arla

ALSO! I'm going to give blood next month so hopefully they'll pick up on any anaemia or whatever may be wrong when they test the blood to see if it's safe

Arla over 6 years ago in reply to FormerMember

No problem tmph, I'm doing well thanks, it's definitely wise getting more medical advice, you know your own body, but I do hope that you can get some help with the anxiety too, it can be really debilitating, I know as I've had it myself. Counselling helped me and I also liked listening to relaxing sounds apps. Keeping busy and distracted doing anything at all that you enjoy should help too.

FormerMember over 6 years ago in reply to Arla

"it's definitely wise getting more medical advice"

Do you think it could be bowel cancer? Arla

Arla over 6 years ago in reply to FormerMember

Hi tmph,

i am not a medical professional and I don't know anything about bowel cancer, but I expect as you said, it would be really rare for it to be found at 17, it was rare for me to have my cancer at 36. I only said that you should get medical advice as you are still anxious and don't think that your doctor could feel the lump you thought you could feel. Your doctor will put your mind at ease and help with your anxiety and if they feel that you need further investigation can make a referral for you.

Nicky Nosher over 6 years ago in reply to Arla

Hello tmph

There are so many other things that it could be which are much more likely such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis to name a few, all much more likely than bowel cancer at 17 years old. It may be nothing at all and an improved diet may fix your symptoms. If you look them up you will see that they all have very similar symptoms to those that you describe. As others have said you should relax, take a deep breath and follow up with your GP who will hopefully refer you on to a specialist, who will set your mind at rest and do whatever tests are necessary to give you a diagnosis and management plan, if you are found to have something wrong. It is very easy for your mind to work overtime and until you get a definitive diagnosis you should try not to panic, easier said than done I know.

good luck

Nicky

A life lived in fear, is a life half lived.

Nicky