What were your symptoms prior to diagnosis of bowel cancer?

Thank you so much 

Hi, 

I’ve just turned 29 in August. I went to the doctors 3 weeks ago as I’d had symptoms such as lots of wind, constant going the toilet but small amounts of diarrhoea, blood when wiping and in stools. I’ve also had constipation too. No bloating, no pain. Half a stone lost in weight. I’m very lucky that despite my age the doctor has taken this seriously and decided to give me a FIT test as well as blood tests. Unfortunately I got a call on a Friday night (3days later) from the doctor to say she was expecting to see inflammation in my blood tests expecting colitis because of my age but bloods are normal but FIT shows blood in the stool. Colonoscopy is this Monday coming up, I’m terrified. 

Hi Chloe.Ellen95 It’s great that your doctor is being so thorough and a colonoscopy is a good way of seeing exactly what is going on in your bowel. It’s not long to wait till Monday and they will tell you afterwards egat they have seen.

Try to focus on what you know as facts and not let your imagination take over - there are several things that can cause blood in the stools such as colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, piles, diverticulitis - but the important thing is to get it checked out.

Take care and please let us know how you get on?

Karen x

I’m 44 and over the last 3/4 months have been having diarrhoea 3-4 times in a month .. to went through a period of having diarrhoea daily a  few years ago  .. I cut out egg and caffeine which minimised the bowel movements until the last few months when it’s come back with much higher frequency..and no pattern. (Whereas the last time there seemed to be a direct correlation between eating egg/ drinking coffe and then having a loose bowel movement ) I’ve  got no blood in my stool that I can see  no other symptoms. Getting more concerned now that’s it’s something sI buster and I’ve just been self diagnosing food intolerance incorrectly. Did anyone else just have diarrhoea as the only symptom?

Hello Emb81,

Yes, I did. It lasted a year and I had to use the lavatory at least six times every 24 hours. At first I assumed it was food intolerance and I avoided certain foods and milk but I was kidding myself. COVID was rife at the time and people were going into hospital for certain things and dying there, so I took my chances outside. My GP referred me for a colonoscopy and Bingo! there was a large lesion in my rectum. All sorted now.

Dulac

I had no symptoms whatsoever. Just a feeling that something was not quite right, and this could have been anything from a brain tumour to flat feet. A little voice in my head keep telling me to go and see my GP. And thankfully I listened. I had a call with a locum who asked loads of questions about my family history and - I had not actually considered this - I found myself telling him that all of my dad's side of the family had died from cancer. And my brother had it too. And it had not once occurred to me that it might be cancer. Well, it always happens to other people, doesn't it? 

Got referred to a bowel consultant in view of family history who, after doing some blood tests told me that he was 95% sure I DIDN'T have cancer. Phew, let's get out of here and go shopping I thought. Luckily, my husband who was with me, pressed the consultant....what about the remaining 5%?, he asked. At which point I was offered a colonoscopy to which I reluctantly agreed just to keep husband happy. 

A few weeks later I had the colonoscopy and was told there and then that I had cancer. 

Life has been a bit rubbish since then, but I thank that little voice in my head and my husband's persistence for giving me a fighting chance. 

What cancer was found? Well done to your husband for pressing on that matter. He has saved your life and it has been caught early and now you can get it treated. Thanks for sharing your story. 

I am feeling a bit sad, a close friend passed away and the funeral was last week. He was 61 and had pancreatic cancer for 2 years. He said he ignored toileting issues (diarrhoea) for quite some time and believes if he had got it seen to earlier, he may have had a chance to survive it. 

I had 1 x cancerous polyp removed from my bowel this year. I’m now getting annual check ups. My sister has had bowel/colon cancer so it is something I need to keep an eye on. 

for anyone out there reading this: It isn’t great having a colonoscopy, but put that aside and get checked, it is over very quickly and will put your mind at ease. 

Oh that's brilliant news! 

Hello everyone,

Hoping for some general advice for potential symptoms. 

I have suffered with health anxiety since February this year and I have really struggled with it so I am unsure if I am fixating on the symptoms and convincing myself that something is wrong when there isn’t. 

Anyway, about a week ago I noticed a small ache in my pelvis area on the left hand side that would come and go and is not a constant ache. I put this down to ovulation as that was around mid cycle. I have a lower back pain but I put this down to my work (I work in an office and sit down for the majority of the day). The dull ache still comes and goes a week on. I have also had 2 instances of diarrhoea this week (one was after a dominoes pizza which isn’t out of the norm for me). I have never had blood in stool that I can see despite having hemorrhoids. I was straining to poop this morning with the smallest amount being passed and I noticed clear mucus in the stool. Leading up to this my stool has always been normal. 
The only cancer that has been in my family is my nan who had ovarian cancer.

I am now panicking that this is something serious and even making this account has caused me to have anxiety.

I have contacted the GP who haven’t got back to me with an appointment yet.

Thanks in advance for your help. 

This is a great idea and my surgeon  , gastroenterologist and 2 GPs have all said following my situation they were now taking this as "learning/ teaching exercises ". I worry that my awful symptoms were 'missed' / other reasons consistently given and that this could happen for others as we know spread rate can sometimes be quick. I'd had crohns disease for 33 years but last April time things changed. With crohns, you get gradual increasing symptoms like extremely fatigued/ constant diahorrea and irritability,  etc. Prednisone would immediately settle it. But last year, I was having sudden onset severe abdominal pain and accompanying vomiting. A number of times I couldnt cope at home with the extreme pain and ended up in hospital on IV fluids/ antibiotics/antiemetics and strong analgesia. I had a week on gastro ward also and sygmoidoscopy and numerous CT and MRIs taken. Was told had " extreme amount of strictures and inflammation ",  was diverticulitis on background of crohns, over and over, for 8 months. I would be ok for a week, sometimes 2, still working full time,  feeling weak but then would be 'struck down' with sudden symptoms again.  Many episodes ,  maybe 15??

January (  from Dec 23rd) in 3rd week in hospital and symptoms not responding to maximum IV doses and addition of horrific faecal vomiting,  my surgeon then agreed with my request for surgery though told " extremely risky,  likely catastrophic recovery ", stoma, etc. I was desperate and would take any risk so had right hemilectomy with total resection and amazingly no stoma needed. He revised surgery to an oncology resection as found "something suspicious " & told me in recovery. Removed 35cm of disease. Recovered well and 2 weeks later stage 3 BC confirmed and spread to lymph nodes so then chemotherapy required. 

Family have wanted to complain this was 'missed' for so long,  and could have metastised further, could have avoided brutal chemo, etc, but I am satisfied the inflammation/ strictures were concealing this on so many CT/MRI/Bloods  etc. I am also more than satisfied with the amazing and swift care I've had since and will remain to on 'very close monitoring schedule '. But, I knew this was different than 'just' crohns/ diverticulitis and my medical team mentioned have said anyone presenting with my symptoms after this will be straight for colonoscopie as only definitive way of seeing BC ( hadn't had one for 2 years). I'm pleased they will bear this in mind for others as we know we cannot mess around with this condition! 

We have to be our own best advocate,  take care all xx