worried I have a Colon Cancer

[Sonyfanboy23]

hi there,

I am a 25 year old male - been pretty active my whole life.

as of late my stools have been quite soft and thin (see picture above) I will say my diet has been absolutely terrible and some days I don’t get enough fiber for sure. But the other day I had a slight bit of red blood when I wiped after visiting the washroom about 6 times (diarrhea) along with what looks like a black piece of dried blood

I’m going to see my doctor but I am utterly terrified that I have colon cancer.

I did have an endoscopic exam about 3 years ago but that didn’t show anything.

Anything helps.

Sean

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator]

Hi Sean,

Thank you for posting on Colon Cancer Connected. You are definitely young and you have that going for you👍. I’m also proud of you that you’re getting symptoms checked out. That is absolutely the best thing to do. Anytime there’s blood in the stool there needs to be an answer for it. I’m glad to see you’re going to see your doctor.

Make sure you’re discussing all the symptoms you’ve been experiencing. Another good thing to note is if there are any hereditary medical issues in your family. That is good information for your doctor to know. Information like that could drive the testing you will receive. It may be good to write them down to make sure you cover everything. I know when I’m talking to my doctor topics bounce around.

Just to let you know where I’m coming from, I get an annual colonoscopy, an annual CT scan, annual blood work, and an endoscopy every three years. I am a stage 4 cancer survivor with Lynch syndrome. So they want to catch anything early with me. I see that you’ve had an endoscopy about three years ago and that was clear. That’s great. The Endoscopy generally looks at the upper GI tract. I get one so they can look at my stomach and the upper part of my small intestine. It is the colonoscopy that looks at the rest of the colon. If you get a physical exam and it doesn’t lead you to the answers for what you’re experiencing, you should be getting the colonoscopy. I know you are young, but you should never base a diagnosis of an age. It’s always about the symptoms.

Another thing to know is that what you are experiencing could be caused by many different things. Unless there is some hereditary aspect going on, it really needs to be narrowed down as to what’s happening and causing these symptoms. You’re on the path to getting those answers.👏💪

I do wish you the very best in getting the answers you’re looking for. I think you’re doing great and everything is spot on to what you should be doing. Also, please let us know what you find out. Is that type of information that is helpful 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.