Colon cancer?

[Lydia1960]

The gastro specialist thought I had a palpable colon in the left iliac fossa. Also maybe diverticulitis. Hasn't sent me for tests. The strong dull pain, discomfort in my stomach has just gotten worse over this weekend so worried as to what this can be? It seems to be in the middle of my stomach rather than on the left side of it. Quite sore. Is that significant?

Checked online these two conditions which have quite similar symptoms so difficult to know which one, if any, it is likely to be. Right now am feeling quite sick and the pain is tremendous. Also feeling tired and weak, with low energy and wondering which category this would put my symptoms under.

Worried about the possibility of colon cancer. Haven't lost any weight so far, so wondering if it was this whether I should have done by now? What are the actual symptoms for this and how do they progress? If it is that, how advanced is it likely to be if I haven't lost any weight? Really troubled by this and thinking that maybe a trip to A&E could help as also read that diverticulitis can be quite serious too... can anyone advise?

[kantara71]

Hi Lydia,

I just came across your post so I hope your health has improved since you posted on here.

Your symptoms sound similar to those of my wife.

She was not losing weight either and it was suspected diverticulitis. She had 2 screenings for bowel cancer as well as numerous blood tests and it was not until she had a CT scan and then a sygmoidoscopy that she was diagnosed with colon cancer, that was less than 3 weeks ago and she will be going in for surgery next week.

I would suggest that you monitor how you are feeling and also what you eat and see if there is any connection between what you eat and the symptoms you are feeling, my wife was told to eat a high fibre diet due to diverticular and then once cancer was diagnosed it switched to a low residue/low fibre diet.

It turns out the tumor on the sigmoid colon had narrowed the passage so much that the camera could not pass through it and it also made digesting bulky food difficult causing problems.

Because of the screening tests coming back showing things were clear we were always thinking it was something other than cancer. If I knew then what I know now I would have insisted on further investigation sooner, just hoping we have caught it in time to completely remove all traces of cancer.

Best of luck to you and wishing you a healthy 2017

[Lydia1960 in reply to kantara71]

Thanks for that, Kantara71. I've so many health conditions right now that it is difficult to decide which ones to concentrate upon. Best go with the ones that are needing the most attention. I shall definitely be looking into this matter. Thanks again..