Should I see a doctor? Tiredness and bleeding

[Ilovenobody]

Hi all, I'm a 29 year old female and I'm starting to get a bit worried about how my guts are feeling, I've been pretty much bleeding when I poop everytime I try and go for about the last 2/3 years, I say try as I've also had usually horrendous constipation sometimes not going for 10 days (but sometimes diarrhea too it's a daily surprise) but still bleeding throughout, I put it down to piles as the blood is bright red so didn't think it was worth seeing the doc. The last year I have been very healthy eating well loads of veg and fruit and water, have given up alcohol the last 6 months and walking 2 hours per day but I'm starting to worry as I still bleed and strain with cramping pain and recently in the last year I have started being EXHAUSTED especially after a bowel movement I can barely get up with weakness and in my day to day life I just feel completely drained unlike my usual peppy self! Have also been getting mucus when I fart (sorry tmi), have found it harder to hold in wee/have had leaks, lower back pain too and a few times I have had horrendous cramps in my guts where I sweat and feel like I'm going to pass out but it's mainly the fatigue and bleeding I'm worried about, does this sound bad? Just feel I'd be too young for cancer?

[Nicole_GCCA Partner]

Dear Ilovenobody ,Thank you for posting in Colon Cancer Connected. I'm sorry that these symptoms are causing you anxiety.

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.

Please make an appointment today to speak with a doctor about your symptoms. Write down specific questions you have, as well as having all of your medication lists up to date, including over-the-counter medications.

We can't offer medical advice and even if we could, I'm not a doctor, and even if I was, no one can tell you if you have colon cancer by reading your symptoms on the internet.

Unfortunately, there is no truth in anyone being too young for colorectal cancer.

I do NOT say this to stress you out further. I say this only because when rectal bleeding is involved, we always want tests performed.

90% of colorectal cancers are diagnosed in individuals over the age of 50. However, more people under the age of 50 are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and we take those rising incident rates very seriously.

There are many reasons for blood in the stool, some are very treatable with medication (over the counter or prescription), diet change, and minor procedures, and of course, there are more serious reasons for blood in the stool as well.

Many many people who post in our group are sure that they've got colon cancer, and thankfully, most of the time they do not. We do believe that if something is "off" it is very important to get it checked out. Sometimes that means changing Doctors. If you do not feel that your Doctor is taking your health concerns seriously, they may not be a good fit to be overseeing your medical care.

Please, reach out to your doctor to get some answers and hopefully some relief!

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.

[WthrMtsfan712]

Unfortunately, your symptoms definitely sound bad to me and I think you should try to see a doctor as soon as possible. Your symptoms are very similar to mine and everyday, I just pray I can get a colonoscopy before it might be too late for me. I haven't been able to get one because I have some big uterine fibroids that will make it very difficult for a colonoscopy to be performed on me. Ugh.

[Kjojo999 in reply to WthrMtsfan712]

Hi I saw your post and you had mention about uterine fibroids? Is that similar to having maybe a ovarian cyst ? I am in the process of seen a GI specialist

[WthrMtsfan712 in reply to Kjojo999]

I'm not really sure if ovarian cysts are similar to uterine fibroids. I know both can cause heavy bleeding during a woman's period as well as painful periods. But, usually, symptoms of cysts will go away on their own, whereas large fibroids, like I have, will most likely have to be surgically removed. Like I wrote, if I don't get the fibroids removed, it's going to be very difficult for me to be able to get a colonoscopy and I really need to get one since I still can't say I don't have a problem with my bowels as well. What bowel symptoms are you experiencing that have you wanting to see a GI?

[Kjojo999 in reply to WthrMtsfan712]

I have experience diarrhea and constipation. The constipation is the worst because it’s painful for my bladder as well makes it harder for me to go pee sometimes. I try to eat smaller portions to help with that or exercise or even take marshmallow root it helps at times.

[WthrMtsfan712 in reply to Kjojo999]

Okay. Thanks for letting me know what bowel symptoms you are experiencing. And I definitely think you should get them checked out. Currently, I am primarily dealing with constipation that gets much worse during my period. The problem is I can also suffer from some bad bouts of diarrhea, which will lead to me not being able to pass stool again for days, like the poster who started this thread is supposedly dealing with. Plus, I bled rectally from August 2019-December 2019 and still occasionally see some white mucus and blood in my stool. And I have lost over 60 pounds since the summer of 2019 as well. Mind you, I have made a lot of dietary changes and exercise almost everyday. But, that is a lot of weight to have lost. I truly think I could have colorectal cancer, or if I'm lucky a bad case of IBS-M or Crohn's disease, but most likely can't get down to the bottom of anything until the uterine fibroids I have are removed. So I'm really in a tough position right now.

[Kjojo999 in reply to WthrMtsfan712]

Have you gotten tested other ways to see what you may have ? Seems like your symptoms aren’t going away or getting any better and you should tell ur primary care doctor. It sucks but we have to advocate for our selves. I was told it was stress,my diet, covid etc. so I said I rathe see a GI specialist. I am still in the process of seen one initially I had bladder problems since oct 2019 so I got referred to a urologist to see this coming month. But now I am having digestive issues and loosing a lot of weight. So now I am eager to see if I am able to control it

[WthrMtsfan712 in reply to Kjojo999]

I've had blood work done and while I'm a little bit concerned about what it shows regarding the status of my liver, the doctors I'm seeing don't seem to be. Other than that, my blood work looks pretty good. When my symptoms first started in August of 2019, I did find out I was anemic and suffering from a severe vitamin D deficiency, but since I started taking a multivitamin everyday, both problems have improved. I had a CT scan and MRI scans performed on me to diagnose the uterine fibroids. My hope is that some of the bowel symptoms I'm experiencing will get better if I have the fibroids removed. And then, hopefully, I can finally get a colonoscopy as well as endoscopy to determine if I have additional issues.

[Kjojo999 in reply to WthrMtsfan712]

Well hopefully all turns out ok if that is the case! I hope the process of getting that done goes smoothly. I have read many things about it and it’s def not fun. I am scared to get that done but as long as I have an answer and solution soon.

[Pipinha in reply to WthrMtsfan712]

Se os testes de sangue estão bons e bom sinal! O que o médico diz disso?

[digar]

Any updates? I hope you were able to schedule a colonoscopy.