Does this look concerning?

[RandoLakes101]

Hi, 30 yo M here. Recently I've been having stomach aches that feel like sharp pains in my lower belly, most commonly on one side, along with unusual fatigue and sleepiness. I've also noticed small black dots in my stool, but I'm not sure if they're the kind that people talk about when they refer to the ones that are indicative of colon cancer. I've taken a picture and would like to know if this seems like something I should schedule a colonoscopy for. Thank you!

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator]

Hi RandoLakes101,

Thanks for posting on Colon Cancer Connected. It's good you are looking into getting answers about the various symptoms you are seeing. I don't know if what you are experiencing would be indicative of cancer as there can be many other reasons involved as well. Do you have a family history of certain diseases going on where some surveillance screening might need to be done? What we need to do is narrow down the options and get some tests done.

Contacting you GP would be a good way to progress through the process. You could take a FIT test which looks for blood in the stool. The abdominal pain is definitely something to get looked at and get answers about. A colonoscopy would go a long way to getting answers as you are very well aware of. It could be being caused by many different things.

I'd get your GP involved and get some peace of mind as to what's going on and not have to speculate about what may be going on and just get some good answers. Catching things early goes a long way in preventing certain things from having to become a fight.

We do wish you the very best in finding out what's going on and getting on a path to resolving them. Please let us know what you find out as all these things can help others on the site.

~Tom, GCCA Survivor - 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.