What were your symptoms prior to diagnosis of bowel cancer?

Woow so happy for you. Congratulations I pray this is my same outcome. Fingers crossed. 

Great news Vikki, well chuffed for you!

Thanks guys, appreciate the support and wish you all the best. 

Not diagnosed, but having tests for swallowing and GI issues, will also have colonoscopy soon. I am concerned about bowel changes. In the past I have noticed what looks like flattening to my stools. Recently, I see this flattening much more of the time. I have read that a tumor can cause this, as the stool passes? although not the only cause. 

Has anyone had this symptom and if so, can you tell me about it? I poop every day, often a second time after breakfast, and sometimes more later. Sometimes it is smooth, but flattened, and sometimes it is more like blobs with soft edges, but not diarrhea, but still showing the flattening. Only very occasionally is it thin.

I've only lost about five pounds, (but was already underweight) and have no real interest in food, I eat because I feel better after, not because I am drawn to eating.

Any replies would be appreciated, thanks!

Hi 88Bonnie88 and a warm welcome to the board. My stools became very thin and this was due to them squeezing past the tumour. It’s difficult to say what’s causing your symptoms but hopefully you’ll get an appointment for a colonoscopy through soon and they’ll be able to see what’s going on

Please keep us posted?

Take care

Karen x

Hello. My symptoms started in January this year. I wasn’t exactly constipated but I found it more effortful to have my bowels open. I kind of put that down to a bad diet over Christmas and having flu and then COVID in close proximity. There was blood in my stool at times but having had piles before it wasn’t a huge change. I would have some mild cramps at times but put this down to being linked to my menstrual cycle. I had some bloating but the real red flag to me was a change in appetite, I just didn’t feel hungry for breakfast anymore and that was so odd for me! I went to the GP who referred my on the 2 week cancer pathway as I had two close family members die from colon cancer. Colonoscopy found a large cancerous stricture in my sigmoid colon. I’ve just had surgery for a higher anterior resection and removal of my sigmoid colon. Waiting on staging but imaging suggests no spread so hopefully caught early. If I hadn’t had close family members who had cancer and if I wasn’t a nurse I’m not sure I would have gone to the GP when I did because my symptoms were so mild really. I did have something incredibly spooky happen which also contributed to me going to the GP but not quite ready to share that as people may think I’m mad!! 

So you didn’t have a cancerous polyp? But you had lung cancer? Sorry I’m having the same symptoms as you and freaking out 

I had a cancerous polyp and during the investigations for the polyp-the CT scan showed a small nodule on my lung. Fortunately for me the bowel polyp was completely removed and hadn’t spread, so I’m now on follow ups every 6 months. The nodule on my lung was also cancerous but unrelated to the bowel; I was just really lucky that the bowel investigations revealed it at an early stage. The lung nodule was also completely removed and I’m just on a follow up regime for 5 years.  Please don’t freak out, just deal with the facts your team give you.  The worst time for me was waiting for investigations and results as it’s easy to fear the worst.

All the best

Honestly waiting for my colonoscopy on Friday is extremely hard. I am so scared and feel like I have every symptom. 

I understand.  When you’re waiting every twinge or ache is amplified because you’re on high alert. I tried hard to keep busy as otherwise the anxiety/dread takes over. Hope it all goes well on Friday for you.