What were your symptoms prior to diagnosis of bowel cancer?

Cragster2025

I was in more or less the same position back in Jan; don'tunderstand sigmoid reference but had a lump removed from colon and reconnected. I should take the time to understand and remember all the technical terms! 6 months of follow up chemo tablets and I seem to be out the other side and back to how i was before without the anaemic side effects. Keep the faith and all the best 

Many thanks Notjohn. I certainly shall keep the faith and wish you well too! 

Actually earlier this year I started getting really sore knee joints. I just put it down to my job as walking about or standing I was fine. Sitting down for more than a couple of hours though they’d really start burning. I just put it down to getting old and started taking fish oil supplements for it. Then strangely after a month or two it went away. When I got my referral I did a fair bit of Googling and reading up and I think it’s on the Cancer UK website it did say it’s was a possible symptom to Bowel Cancer. I mentioned this at my Endoscopy exam to the Consultant. He wasn’t sure if it was a plausible symptom or not but maybe something to lookout for.

I had no obvious symptoms. General tiredness and burning stinging pain in my calves when I walked. Also put it down to getting old but generally now thought to be symptoms of the anemia. Went to the doctor for something completely unrelated and lucky that doctor was very thorough and persistent. 

Hi, I’m not yet diagnosed but symptoms are recurring severe constipation with diarrhea. Blood almost every day, having to wear a pad as even when I pass wind. I constantly feel full and have nauseaccasional sickness after eating and stomach pain. It would also be nice not to constantly feel like I need the toilet . I was referred for colonoscopy 3 weeks ago and it’s booked in for after Christmas, which I’m dreading as eating really causes issues. I’m trying not to get to worried as it could be anything but I’m 52 and my dad passed away at 59 from bowel cancer. I also don’t know if I should tell my adult children as I don’t want to ruin their Christmas? 

I’m also 52 and really feel for you. I told my grown up sons straight away as I had a health “secret” a few years ago that I hadn’t told them about and when I did, their main upset was that I hadn’t told them sooner. They will be able to support you in this, one of the most difficult points in your journey. 
I know everyone is different, but that was my experience xxxx

While it's certainly possible that these are symptoms of bowel cancer, there are many other possible explanations. A colonoscopy will tell you and your doctors so much more. 

Whether or not to tell your children is a personal decision and will depend on your children. If it were me, I would wait until after the colonoscopy when I knew more. 

Good luck with your colonoscopy. Try to enjoy the holiday time with your family even if you aren't up to eating that much. Let us know how you get on. 

Apologies as I know this is quite an old post so hope it's ok to still reply. Can I ask has anyone been diagnosed that hadn't lost weight prior to the diagnosis? The reason I ask is that I've been having ongoing abdominal pain, mainly lower left hand side but sometimes on the right side too. At times it also radiates up to my middle abdomen. I've been experiencing increasing gas-like pain as well as a small amount of mid-cycle bleeding (generally around ovulation). Many of these symptoms could indicate IBS & I suspect I may be perimenopausal, however I've read that the pains usually lessens after bowel movements with IBS but mine often increase. The one thing that helps me think it shouldn't be anything serious is that I haven't lost any weight (if anything I'm more bloated than usual). However the thing that makes me more worried is that I've previously had ovarian cancer although very early stage and removed with no issues and no need for further treatment. I have been telling the gynaecology nurses about my symptoms when having phone reviews (have told them multiple times over the last nine months) however haven't had any scans for around a year and no blood tests for about 7 months. As I said, the not losing weight aspect is a good sign but would like to hear from other people's experiences as sometimes the pain does get quite bad.

Hi Carry On Regardless I was diagnosed back in 2016 and I’m struggling to remember if I lost any weight or not. I’d taken redundancy from my job so stuck my head in the sand and convinced myself that the dashing to the toilet and loose stools was due to a lifestyle change. 
My advice would be to go to your doctor and have a chat? Might be something and nothing and there’s no harm in having full bloods done? The longer you leave it then the more stressed and worried you’ll get and then the issues may worsen?

Take care and please let us know how you get on

Karen x

No symptoms for me until 2 weeks before diagnosis.

Thought it was Gallstones - It was stage 4 with spread to Liver.

On my 5th Chemo next week and praying when I have a scan next month it shows its working!