The only reason I'm so scared at the moment is because I didn't know it COULD BE cancer until this year. Now I realize I waited too long and probably fucked myself in the event that it is cancer. That said, I'm only 25 and I think the chances of cancer are pretty low...
I've been shamefully reading every post in this forum trying to figure out if I have cancer or not. From what I've gathered though, some people have very few symptoms and it ends up as cancer, some have symptoms and it's not cancer.
My timeline of symptoms:
2016-2018 - when wiping there'd be a little blood. I thought I must've wiped too hard or something and just ignored it. No pain or anything weird when passing stool.
2019 April-May - becomes more frequent, every few weeks or months when I wipe, there's blood on the tissue. Still no pain. Takes 3-4 wipes to get it off. One time I look down and the toilet water is red. This is what triggers me to go see the doctor in May.
2019 May - Doctor pokes my butt with his finger, tells me I'm only 25 and it's probably a hemorrhoid he couldn't reach, and sends me home with instructions to use anusol and drink fiber (Metamucil)
2019 June - August - Only one time did I have bleeding and it was just specks
2019 September - Two weeks ago in late September I go to the bathroom, no pain still, go to wipe and there's blood. I call the doctor again and he tells me "you're young and it's probably not cancer but a scope would rule it out for sure. Up to you.". I feel really embarrassed about it but I say yes to the scope.
October 7th - Colonoscopy. I wish I could teleport in time to just get this week leading up to it over with.
So now I have a scope in 3 days. At the start of the year I wasn't worried about this at all and thought bleeding was normal, just hemorrhoids. But now after reading online and with a scope scheduled I'm freaking out and it seems very real. I'm really scared waking up to the scope and just fearing what they will find. Most of my fear stems from the fact that, I've had blood in my stool since 2016 and they're only going to look now. IF it's cancer that means it's probably really bad.
I don't really know if I have other symptoms, but:
Sometimes when I use the bathroom my stool isn't liquidy but the best way to describe it is "like a slushy". But it's not like when you're sick and have diarrhea and it's like a brown water. I don't know what it's called. This most recent time I bled in September I had this slushy stool for 3ish days. I had been thinking "wow I wish this would go away" and it did go away. I passed normal stool for the next day, but that was the day I bled. Maybe this slushy stool caused the bleeding somehow. Maybe it's a symptom on its own. No idea.
Sometimes I will have a very weak stinging pain in my stomach that goes away quickly. Not sure if this is related. I thought if it was a stomach problem that my stool would contain blood in it though, not red blood when wiping.
I tried googling stats to reassure myself it's probably nothing but according to CDC 0.7% of people in my age group get colon cancer a year, and that's everyone not just people who report bleeding. I assume if I'm bleeding the chances are higher. So it made me even more worried. Also out of like 8 of my friends in their 20s who I asked, I'm the only one who ever has had bleeding like this. To me my symptoms don't sound severe enough to be crohns or colitis since it's basically no symptoms and I'm just minding my own business and BAM there's blood when I wipe. So I was thinking maybe it sounds like hemorrhoids (can roids slowly get worse like this over a period of years?) or maybe cancer.
I haven't told anyone including my family about this yet (they're in another country, I moved to LA by myself. I don't want to needlessly worry them because they worry about me living so far away anyway I think). I'm going to work and acting normal on the outside but I'm freaking the fuck out on the inside now waiting up to the scope. I am kicking myself for thinking these symptoms were nothing for 3 years. If it's cancer I feel like I fucked myself. Every time I try and convince myself it's not cancer now all I see are the cases with symptoms like mine where it is cancer.
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As your doctor, rightly, said, at the beginning, it probably is hemorrhoids or IBS. If there was any doubt, I'm sure your doc would have arranged colonoscopy sooner. The fact that, generally the blood is only when you wipe, indicates the blood comes from edges of outside rather than from within. Good luck, and keep us posted.
Thanks for replying. I am more scared then I’ve ever been in my life about the scope and what they will find. It feels like a bad dream I can’t wake up from that isn’t real.
Hemorrhoids can cause all of the symptoms you've listed. I've had bleeding myself on and off for the past couple of years and got myself into the same mindset you are in. Mine actually started a couple of months after I had a Colonoscopy. Eventually, I paid to go private to see a specialist and have a Rigid Sigmoidoscopy. Straight away he diagnosed mild internal hemorrhoids.
These "mild" hemorrhoids left the toilet water and the tissue when I wiped red at times but the specialist stated even the smallest of hemorrhoids can make it appear that you are bleeding profusely. I had also been examined by doctors physically before this and they could not feel anything internally. The specialist I saw said that often doctors cannot feel internal hemorrhoids as they are soft and very difficult to diagnose without being viewed with some form of scope.
I hope what I've said has put your mind at ease slightly - I'm aware it's easier said than done but try not to think about it for now. Your Colonoscopy is tomorrow so you'll have a diagnosis before you know it. Try to keep yourself busy if you can.
Out of interest, what colour is the blood you're seeing? Bright red or dark?
No problem! That's a good sign then. Doctors in the past have told me that if the blood is quite red and fresh it's most likely closer to the end of the bowel (e.g. hemorrhoids) and that if you'd been bleeding from further up in the bowel, the blood is usually a lot darker and more tar-like.
I bled quite often until I made changes to my diet to include more fibre to soften stools. Even now, if I stray off the diet or my stress levels are high, I can have a flare up.
Hope it goes ok. Little tip for drinking the prep before your colonoscopy, I mixed mine with squash (orange, not anything red like blackcurrent as this can show up on colonoscopy) or juice. Once mixed let it stand for a while and sip it through a straw. Take your time (took me over 2 hours each time) because if you gulp down and are sick it may not work. I’ll warn you now it is unpleasant to drink. As for the colonoscopy I didn’t have sedation or gas and air and I felt fine. A little uncomfortable but no more painful than what I was suffering. If you can try and forget what is going on behind you it is quite interesting to watch on the screen. The staff are lovely. I did feel like something was coming out but they said trust me nothing is in your bowel and they put a sheet under you anyway. Another tip. Don’t go mad eating after as the prep stuff still works so still eat something light and be near a toilet. Good luck x
Thanks for the advice. I didn’t know you can sip it over time. My scope is at 7am but my instructions are to take the first drink at 5pm and the second at 9pm. Does that sound right to you? The box says it’s supposed to be a two day thing.
Yes it will vary depending on the time of your appointment. Mine was an afternoon so I had to start mine the evening before and then the second batch that morning. A long time without food! But that sounds fine. It’s pretty quick working. I had to go to the toilet within an hour. I even managed to get some sleep that night. But stay near a toilet!
My husband is 35 and has exactly the same symptoms. He has not got cancer, confirmed with tests. He's now on antacids for his stomach as they think he has a small stomach ulcer.
Hmm I’m not sure but don’t think so. This most recent time I had liquid/soft stool for a few days which was abnormal for me and no blood BUT then the first regular/harder stool I had after that presented me with blood.
The other incidents were 4-5 months ago. I can’t remember if the stool was hard or not in those cases. Sometimes I will randomly have a few days where I have a liquid almost slushy stool and I’ve been trying to figure out if that’s related or maybe something in my diet.
hi! I have UC and had similar symptoms when I was 14 , fresh blood means its probably in your lower bowel so a scope is going to be the best thing to start with. I have a scope every 3 years to check in and review whats going on.
The more relaxed you are the easier it will be for you.
I noticed a comment earlier about the box instructions and my last one had the exact instruction you do and worked really well. tip: get yourself some baby wipes/Vaseline etc
Nearly ever time I get some internal illness I get scared that it's cancer, including the ibs with the 2 colonoscopy I've had.
I also have an enlarged prostate and have to have a cancer screening yearly that is unnerving for me.
It's never cancer.
I'm preaching to you and myself when I say that there is a proper time to be afraid of cancer. It's when you've been diagnosed with cancer, not before.
I know it's hard but fear is a monster. Do your absolute best to stop this and just wait until your doc has solid info.
We understand. We suggest you speak to your health care professionals about your concerns. If you need any help and support about IBS please get in touch. theibsnetwork.org
I don't remember the procedure at all, and when I woke up my doctor wasn't there (I think he had another scope to do after me, didn't want to wait for me to wake up most likely).
Anyway the two nurses were helpful but it seemed like they didn't want to say much beyond telling me my doctor will call me in a week. I asked them what they found twice and they said internal hemorrhoids and a polyp which they're going to biopsy.
The discharge instructions only say two things. One, to eat a clear liquid diet for the rest of the day (fuck, I'm hungry after no food yesterday). It also says my doctor wants to meet with me in one week in his office to discuss biopsy results.
So uh... should I be worried here about the polyp and biopsy?
I wouldn't worry. The majority of polyps are benign and having a biopsy is normal for a colonoscopy. When I had mine, the doctor took something like 15 biopsies, as it's routine for them to test for various conditions.
The doctor will have you back in his office, even if it's just to give some dietary or medical advice to help relieve your symptoms.
I have had the same problem when wiping. Been told it is irritation. If bright red blood not a problem. If dark red then a problem. Your doc should have told you this. Good luck with colonoscopy and keep us posted.
Good to get checked. I was told bright red was due to internal hemorrhoids . I have had many episodes of this. Dark red is supposedly the one to worry about . Good luck and will pray it is nothing bad for you.
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