Worried

[pinkpineapple26]

i’m very young and still in my teenage years. however i have had blood when i wipe many times and extremely often some form of mucus, whether it’s clear or yellow. And my bowels always struggle to pass anything other than mucus. I have been to the doctors multiple times however they always tell me i’m too young to be worried about anything and put it down to ibs. however my mum and grandma have both had bowel polyps / bowel cancer in their lifetimes so there is a family history. I’m also very tired all the time which i don’t think is normal for someone as young as me. I would like to have a colonoscopy for peace of mind or find out if there is something causing blood and mucus but i don’t think my gp will ever refer me any further as i’m so young.

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator]

Hi pinkpineapple26,

Thank you for posting on Colon Cancer Connected. I really hate to hear what you are having to deal with. You are dealing with symptoms that need a definitive answer. It is very concerning that you are being brushed off because of your age🤔. There also may be a hereditary aspect to what you are experiencing. You need a better answer than what you have been given.

I am curious about what tests your doctors have given you. Did they give you an FIT test? This is a test that checks for blood in the stool. A test like Cologuard could be done from home. It's a kit they send you, you send it back with a sample and in a couple of weeks they should send you the results. Anytime that blood is a symptom you need to get a good answer as to its cause. And please know that what you are experiencing could be caused by many different things. We need to find out what's causing this, so you don't have to speculate. You are absolutely right that a colonoscopy would go a long way to getting you those good answers.

I am sorry to hear that your mom and grandma both had bowel polyps/ bowel cancer in their lifetimes. One thing that needs to be done in this situation is determine if their cancers are hereditary. This would require genetic testing. This could be done with a blood sample from either you or your mom or grandma. Even if you were not experiencing these symptoms, knowing if the cancer in your family is hereditary or not is good information to have👍.

This really hits home with me because I have lynch syndrome. It is a hereditary condition that exists in my family. When I had my cancer, one of the first things that I had done was genetic testing. The testing revealed my biomarkers (MSI-H) and the fact I had lynch syndrome and my genetic counselor said that everyone on my father's side of the family needed to get tested to see if they have the condition as well. My father had it and one of my 4 aunts had it. I had two cousins pass away from colon cancer in their 30s.

You are not too young to get a colonoscopy. Your doctor may not be aware that there is an increase in young-onset colorectal cancer (meaning people under the age of 50.). While 90% of colorectal cancers do occur in people over the age of 50, people ARE being diagnosed with colon and rectal cancers, many in their 20's and 30's, people who are active and otherwise lived a very healthy lifestyle. I have experienced this in one of my cancer groups that I belong to. Two of our members ages 17 and 21 passed away from stage 4 colon cancer. I was absolutely shocked. This is why I'm a big advocate of getting early screenings. Colon cancers are highly preventable if caught early. And there are screenings available that can catch it early and even prevent it.

I do believe the absolute best way to determine what's going on with you is to get a colonoscopy. I hope someone can help you navigate your health care system so you can get that done. I know there is an option to go “private” but that can be fairly expensive. Another thing you could do is to have your mom request genetic testing to see if there is a hereditary aspect to her cancer🤔. She could say her daughter is experiencing some symptoms and the family would like to know if they should be on some surveillance regimen to catch something early.

We do wish you the very best and finding good answers to what you are dealing with. I would also double check that your doctor knows the family history of cancer in your family is that would be a good reason for you to be on some kind of early surveillance protocol. And you may try to do is get a second opinion. I don't know if that would be allowed within the health care system but maybe it would be allowed if you went private and got a second opinion? And again, what you are experiencing could be caused by many different things besides cancer. But you are absolutely correct in that you need to be careful and not ignore any symptoms you may have. Especially with your family history. And I'm proud of you as you are doing exactly that.

Please let us know how you end up navigating this issue. You are not the first one to run into this. It is this type of information that can prove to be beneficial to others on this site as well.

Thank you,

~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.