TERRIFIED OF COLON

[feather234]

it is about anorectal problems i am 22 years old it happened all of a sudden on march 7th that i had burning sensation and pain in anus and with a swellling on it then i went to a doctor he examined using rectal exam and gave me assurance that it is a fissure and it goes off within 5 days after taking tablets then i started taking tablets and after that i met him he told me take a course of 15 days tablets it goes away but sudden rectal pain started coming from the leftside of rectum and i informed doctor and he told me to get mri after rectal examination but i cannot afford mri scan and i am having sometimes thicker and thinner stools with constipation and sometimes diarhea stools some stools matched with google colon cancer stools please can you help me i am not knowing what my problem is and i am terrified about it?

[Nicole_GCCA Partner]

Dear feather234 ,Thank you for posting and I'm sorry to hear about the symptoms you are experiencing and the anxiety it is causing you.

It is very upsetting not to be able to get a medical test performed due to the cost of the test.

Depending on where you are in the world, there are resources that may be able to help you advocate for the test to be covered.

Do you have health insurance? Try researching local nonprofits in your country or city that have colorectal cancer as part of their mission (or their entire mission). Many of these nonprofits have screening assistance programs or patient navigators that will work with you and actually help advocate alongside you, to get the tests you need.

When a doctor recommends that a test be performed, they typically can advocate on your behalf to the insurance company or the government entity if that is who your healthcare is provided by, that this is a necessary test and therefore should be covered at no cost to you (other than any deductible or co-pay you would be responsible for).

If you experience severe pain, never second guess going to seek emergency medical care. Emergency rooms should not be used as primary care, but they are there for exactly what the name says - emergencies. If you experience a severe level of pain, that could be a sign that you need emergency medical care.

Try not to get ahead of a diagnosis - there's no one photo of a bowel movement that can determine if you have colorectal cancer. There are sophisticated tests that are the only way you can be diagnosed with the disease. People are often very concerned because they'll see that they have some of the same symptoms that someone who has colorectal cancer experienced. It is important to remember that the symptoms that people who are diagnosed with colorectal cancer often experience, are also the exact same symptoms that people experience who are diagnosed with a number of other gastrointestinal conditions. And sometimes, the symptoms are caused by environmental factors, such as diet or exercise or medication, and the patient does not have a disease at all, their symptoms were caused by an external factor.

We're here for you if you have questions, or want to vent.

~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.

[nieldy]

Hi, How are you doing now?