Terrified I have colon cancer... please help!

[Sloughbird95]

Im a 25 year old female by the way...The other day I went for a poo and noticed a little bit of blood on the tissue, I got abit worried but had no blood after that for a couple days. Then yesterday morning I woke up to blood in my underwear, im not sure if It was actually coming from my vagina or my anus.. I've been told they're an inch apart so not sure how to distinguish them from another, I still am bleeding but not sure if its a period or not cause I had my period 12 days ago, I can't get the thought of cancer out of my head, looking at Google I've found out that thin stools, and stomach cramps are symptoms.. please can someone tell me if this sounds like cancer or not? Thanks

[bantam12]

You don't know which is your anus and vagina ?! Take a look and you should see where the bleeding is coming from, if it's unusual for you and you are worried then best see your GP who can examine you and put your mind at rest.

[Sloughbird95 in reply to bantam12]

Noo you mis understand, I was told by my friend that the rectum and vagina are very close (about an inch) so I'm not sure where the blood is coming from! I've also had another period a week after my other one, so want to know if these are symptoms. I've made an appointment but I feel sick with worry and feel like losing my mind, I just want some helpful advice from someone who's had colon cancer to let me know if there's cause for concern.

[bantam12 in reply to Sloughbird95]

You need to know where it's coming from, no point in worrying about colon cancer if it's vaginal bleeding so take a look and see which is bleeding.Rectal bleeding could be a fissure or haemorrhoids, you would likely have more symptoms such as change in bowel habits and pain if anything sinister was going on.

[Sloughbird95 in reply to bantam12]

Thats the thing I don't know where the rectum is.... sorry if I sound dumb, but is the rectum the anus or what?

[bantam12 in reply to Sloughbird95]

Maybe google some anatomy pictures so you know where your body bits are located, the rectum is above the anus.

[Sloughbird95 in reply to bantam12]

Yeah I Googled it and I've gathered that the rectum is the bit before the opening on the anus, I have severe health anxiety so I try to look things up but my brain fog makes me unable to take stuff in... so if I had rectal bleeding it would becoming out of my anus cause the rectum is inside of it?

[bantam12 in reply to Sloughbird95]

Yes

[Sloughbird95 in reply to bantam12]

Ohh, thank you for your clarification! This has helped so much.

[Nicole_GCCA Partner]

Hi Sloughbird95 ,Thank you for posting and I'm sorry to read that this is causing so much anxiety for you.

That is great that you are educating yourself on your body but I also understand that the more you read online the more anxious you can become because putting in even mild symptoms (related to ANYTHING, not just rectal bleeding) can come up with some scary google results.

There are many reasons for blood in the stool, some are very treatable with medication, diet change, and minor procedures, and of course, there are more serious reasons for blood in the stool as well. For that reason, we always advise patients to seek medical care when they have blood in the stool.

The best thing you can do right now: reach out for a doctor's appointment and that may take some time and energy to get done with COVID. Minimally you should be able to get a video visit with your doctor and they will determine next steps.

We've heard from individuals who have rectal bleeding, that if they get a physical exam from the doctor while not actively bleeding (within the last day or so), that sometimes the doctors have had a hard time identifying where the blood was coming from. We have heard that doctors tell patients "if you were bleeding today I would be able to see where it is coming from." If this is the case, I would recommend discussing with the doctor a plan for when you are actively bleeding - is it possible to have a note in your file and that they squeeze you in when you are next actively bleeding.

Please seek out a medical professional so you can get examined and get some answers.

Try not to get ahead of a diagnosis that you have not received. I know this can be incredibly challenging to do... so we do recommend that you make getting seen by a doctor your #1 priority, and then once that is set up, try your best to distract yourself when you can.

If you haven't, check out the recent posts in our group, many people posting lately similar experiences.

Keep us updated and remember that we're here for you

~Nicole, GCCA Staff Member & Colon Cancer Connected Site Administrator.

Just a reminder - this group is here to offer support, share experiences, and offer our thoughts - but this is not medical advice, and you should always consult your medical professional(s). Additionally, for all emergencies, seek urgent medical care, never delay.