Hiya guys, I'll try to keep this as brief but as informative as possible to try and help someone. This whole thing started about 2/3 years ago when I started suffering with a stomachache here and there. It would wake me up in the middle of the night because it was that intense at times. This stomachache felt like hunger pangs, is the best way I could describe it, but REALLY intense ones. Anyway, I went to my GP about it when I couldn't take it anymore and they were really good. Took some blood tests and checked to see if I mightve been diabetic. All the blood tests came back OK and no diabetes. The stomachache continued but since all my tests had come back OK, I just got on with them. Fast forward to early this year, 2023, around May/June, I started to get really bad bloating and people thought I might've been pregnant. I'm wasn't. End of June, all of a sudden I started with intense diarrhea. Which soon followed with my stomach making these horrible loud growls/rumbling noise all day long. All night long. Whether I was hungry or not. Whether I was awake or asleep. Aallll the bloody time. This really stressed me out and made me feel ever so anxious. Anyway, soon after, I started popping a LOT of mucus, sometimes brown, sometimes white and chunky and sometimes bloody. Now, this is when I got scared, as soon as I saw the blood, I went straight to my GP because I then started googling things like we all do and I got REALLY SCARED thinking the worst. My GP were amazing. They did some more blood tests, took wee samples, and stool samples to check for inflammation. Again, all those tests came back OK. They told me to wait a couple of weeks and if my symtoms didn't get better, to go back. They didn't get better after 2 weeks, so I went back. This time, they did a FIT test and referred me for a Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy at the same time. Because I had now started vomiting too, for whatever reason. Anyway, my FIT test came back positive after a week, which was just over a week ago now. They scheduled me for a colonoscopy straight away, which was today. I was soo anxious and nervous and scared for the worse, like most of us are on here, so you KNOW the feeling. It was horrible. Anyway, the worst part was the prep I had to take for it. It was HORRID. I've just done my Colonoscopy and THANKFULLY, he could only see inflammation at the beginning of my rectum, so he took a biopsy. My whole colon looked clean and clear, no polyps, whatsoever. He got to the end of my colon and decided to push the camera in further into my small bowels because he wanted to take a biopsy in there too, to make sure there isn't anything else going on in there. That hurt so bad but I survived.
So, in the end, they said they suspect I've got Colitis but until the biopsies come back, they won't know for sure. What I'm trying to say is, no matter your symptoms and how bad they are, please, please try to refrain from listening to and believing everything you see on Google. I'm not saying it's wrong, but there could be soo many more reasons as to why you're getting these symptoms other than the C word which most of us have condemned ourselves to before we even have any tests done.
So, overall, my symptoms were, diarrhea, which sometimes was followed with narrow, ribbon-like stools (that scared me A LOT!) A lot of mucus in my stool. A bit of blood in the mucus, I never saw actual blood on or in my poop even though my FIT test was positive. Stomach cramps and pain, all OVER my stomach. REALLY LOUD rumbling all day and night long. Backache. Nausea and vomiting. Acid reflux and also, little gurgling noises in my chest, neck area. Metallic taste in my mouth. I've also started having nightsweats.
I have my Gastroscopy booked this coming Saturday morning but I'm hopeful that nothing will come of that either.
I hope this gives ONE person peace of mind and if you need to chat or anything, please don't hesitate to ask questions or message me.
By the way, I'm female, 32, black and live in the UK, if that matters. Good luck guys xx
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Angiecat
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Thanks for posting with us. You have given way more than ONE person help!!!! Thank you so much for your words from experience. You are right in every way. We all do the google and effects us all differently. Half way into my clinical trial my doctors told me to "stop googling" and they were right. I stopped.
Symptoms for a lot of different things can be the same. I think another point to make besides going google crazy is to not ignore symptoms. Get them checked out and live on the side of having good answers. You did just that. Bravo. Being young is a big reason someone may ignore symptoms but you did not. I was a victim of not taking symptoms seriously and ended up as stage 4 colon cancer with the initial visit🤔. I waited for lower abdominal pain to enter the picture and it was pretty bad getting to that point.
Thank you for telling your story. It's important. One of the main ways we defeat certain sinister diseases is to prevent them from happening in the first place by getting screenings and getting symptoms checked out early. Your message is heard loud and clear and everyone should read it.
Thank you again.
~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.
Hiya GCCA-survivor, thank YOU for your reply back on my post. I decided a long time ago that if and when I'd had a colonoscopy, whatever the results, I'd always come back and share my story in hopes that someone else will read it and take something from it. Whatever that may be. When I felt at my lowest and wad worried sick, this page is where I'd spend HOURS, DAYS, looking at stories and reading posts/replies. A lot of the stories gave me hope but quite a few also made my anxiety worse too, because I compared a lot, I think. But here I am. That said, my GP did reassure me that because of my "age" there was no way it could be cancer. But I liked to be sure and didn't just take that as an answer, you know?
You're absolutely right that symptoms should never be ignored. It's better to be safe than sorry. I'm soo sorry that you feel like you ignored your initial symtoms which lead to your diagnosis. If only we knew these things prior. But you're a survivor. I'd like to ask but feel free to not answer if you'd rather not. Have you had any surgeries and are you in remission at all right now? I hope and pray that you are.
2 surgeries. I had partial colectomy surgery to get rid of the tumor. I spent 8 days in the hospital and lost 44 lbs😲. The cancer matastised to an area near my celiac nerve. After 2+ years of chemo and radiation, a clinical t rial found me. It was with an immunotherapy drug Opdivo. Found me just in time as I was pretty bad off with pain and it hurt to eat. The trial was the game changer for me. Quite miraculous. However, when the drug triggers your own immune system to attack the cancer, it is possible it will attack a healthy organ in the process. It did eventually rid me of the cancer, but in the process it strictured my duodendum (first place out of the stomach). I had to come off the trial and then had to have a gastrojejunostomy surgery (a form of stomach bypass). That created all kinds of eating challenges that continue today.
As of this this year, I am 11 years from diagnosis and 6 years NED (No Evidence of Disease)👍💪. I enjoy telling my story wherever and whenever I can. I am big about getting genetic testing so you know your biomarkers. I am encouraged by the cancer research going on especially in the area of DNA sequencing. I am all about catching things early. Getting symptoms checked out early. And even better yet, screenings and tests that could prevent it from occurring in the first place❤️. The company I work for (GCCA) does a lot with awareness and equity of screenings and testing around the world. There is a lot to do in that arena.
OMG, wow. I'm quite in awe and speechless if I'm being completely honest, about your story. What an amazing and quite extraordinary one. Wow. Thank God! I don't know what to say. I'm SOO happy for you. Just simply amazing. Keep on doing the great work you are doing too. Another of people appreciate you more than you know, I'm so sure of it ❤️
Thanks for taking the time to write such a informative reply.. I'm sure it's helped alot of folk I'm.64 amd always googling about one thing or another honestly there's so many cancers it makes u have health anxiety which I've got ...nightmaire x
Ahh, thank you for your response too. Honestly, Google nearly killed me. I found myself googling symptoms all day and all night before bed. It made my anxiety REALLY bad. I wish I could stop myself now that I know everything is OK but isn't hindsight a wonderful thing. Lol. Xx
We all google. Yes we do. Just because we can. I actually googled too much as well and I guess I was asking my oncologist some crazy questions and he said ... "please stop googling" 😲😂... and I did. Well, I didn't let on by asking questions.
Hi, this does help loads! I had a scare this year. Stomach pain on the right side. I was referred for community abdominal ultrasound. I had to wait months for that!!!! Anyway, meantime I had tiny amount of bright red blood on toilet paper. I had rectal exam and it was discovered the skin was slightly torn at the join and the rectum skin was “excoriated”. He gave me a FIT test at my request. Was told NOT to take it until treatment course for my rectum was completed. After that two week period took test. Scored 7 which is considered negative. So, had to leave it at that. Things aren’t so bad but I do have a lot of minor problems with bowel and stomach. I’ve been diagnosed with IBS 20 years ago now. I just keep an eye of things for now. I’m almost of the age where I should be getting regular FIT without request. The NHS were supposed to lower the age range for qualifying for regular FIT test.
Oh, wow. Isn't it weird how many people are going through the very same thing and we don't even know about it. Thank goodness for this group. When I was at the peak of my anxiety, I found myself on here most days looking for answers and people who had similar symptoms to me. But I'm soo glad you're alright too. I say that but IBS isn't very nice either. To say it's "only" ibs, the symtoms make you feel like something much more is going on there. Like you said, you're keeping an eye on things. And if anything changes, you'll know immediately and take action xx
oh yes. The worst thing is, if you have IBS and anxiety, anxiety make IBS symptoms worse! What a right party ‘ey!
I hope gastro results give you piece f mind. Tests aren’t all that nice. If we could get away with it, it would be nice but, tests settle matters; putting an end to wondering and worry. Not knowing and waiting for answers is the worst.
Yeh, stomach and bowel problems are very common nowadays. Modern living stresses and modern diet are our curse. Plenty of advice out there to improve things for us but, it really is harder to do than we think.
Very true. I agree, completely, with everything you've said. Do you know what the worst part of it all is, and this may sound crazy to you but I swore that once I'd had the colonoscopy and everything was OK, my anxiety would ease greatly and I'd have no reason to worry and stress. I completely made myself believe that. And guess what, now that the colonos in my large bowel IS clear, I'm scared as to what OTHER reasons there are for how I'm feeling. "If it's not my bowels, what's to say its not something else in my body?" I've been really struggling today but I think its all in the mind and how it works. It's crazy but scary too. Lol.
I can't wait for the gastro and then that's it! I've also decided to go back to my GP so that they can explain all my blood tests to me one by one and what they all mean, plus numbers, if possible. Once all that is done, and everything is good, I'll FORCE my silly brain to behave and stop overthinking every little thing. 😫
oh, the easing anxiety after tests isn’t crazy. What’s bizarre to me is that deter tests, after anxiety had tapered off the symptoms I had and, went to GPs with in the first place, all subside! Ease off 🙄 still, at least Thr mind body has motivated us to pay attention to something and get it looked at.
Yeh, if the problem isn’t completely resolved you can get thinking it’s something else and need for a different test. Then, comes the anxiety to blow up the symptoms. It’s an ever decreasing circle.
I’ve learnt breathing exercises and stretching exercises to help. It definitely help with bowel stress diseases like IBS being the major stress disease.
Aw, thank you. I was apprehensive about how much I had to say but like I said, my aim was to help someone out there, because when I was feeling really anxious and hopeless, I wish I'd found something like this just to put my mind at ease a bit. So I'm glad 😊 I've opted to have the highest dose of medication they can give you, again, for my gastro. Which calms you down but doesn't completely put you to sleep, which I thought it did for my colonoscopy, lol. Anyhow. I will deffo post on here again after I have it done. I'm feeling loads better going into this one, this time round. Xx
Thank you! Having stomach discomfort all over my abdomen, after 4 nights of drinking. Started having trouble pooing then pooing some full-ish “logs” but cut short then semi thin ribbon lookin poop. No blood but definitely worried! I go for my check up with my doctor tomorrow. General blood work came back all normal. But I want to be referred to a gastroenterologist to make sure my colon is clear and clean. Weird one day I pooped a mini torpedo looking poop but i think my anxiety and anticipation makes my poo narrow when im on the toilet. But this definitely made me feel better!!! Its 12 midnight here and i have been googling and getting anxious!
Bless ya. I don't blame you for being anxious because I was exactly the same. Still am. Just not as bad as I was before. I have my gastroscopy tomorrow morning and see what comes of that. I'm glad you're also looking into your symptoms and not just ignoring them. I'm glad you're wanting to get referred to a gastroenterologist, I would too. I'll keep you in my prayers. Please keep us updated whatever the case. And please, please stay off the Internet if you can. I know for a fact its easier said than done because I've done it sooo many times and drove myself MAD! I fully convinced myself something was wrong but my colon was completely clean. No polyps, whatsoever. Good luck on everything 😊
I am going to a colorectal doctor next week for a few problems that I won’t go into right now. I too have those hunger pains with or without it being time to eat a meal.
Never thought much about it, what do you think about that. I know I haven’t given anymore information. Going to wait till I see the colorectal doc.
Thanks for your post it's definitely put my mind at ease a little. Been having symptoms mainly change in bowel movement but consistently for over a year (one or the other but never 'normal' and small amounts of blood occasionally. Was booked in for colonoscopy a year ago but anxiety got the better of me and I cancelled. A year on still no improvements on symptoms so biting the bullet and going through with it. I have a young daughter so the thought of it being something bad terrifies me! I have my initial consultation in an hour, wish me luck!
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