Advice?

[worriedhorse]

So my troubles stared around 7 years ago - all kinds of symptoms. Doc said was young and probably IBS - gave me some medicine to slow down the motility of my gut and told me to eat well and exxercise. I got better.

Then another bout of symptoms - then got better

And another and got better - Like this for 7 years now.

Now I am having the same symptoms as always - some blood, urges to go to the loo, lots of mucus, etc etc but this time it's lasting for 7 months! I am a very anxious person, always stressing about something and at the moment there are some family issues that are really stressing me - But my sister was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis like 4 years ago so I know there is a history.

I have now decided to go to the doctor again and this time I will have a colonoscopy. I am at my wits end.

I was also on an aeroplane and had an accident because I couldnt use the toilet which was very embarrassing.

Everything is making me think I have IBD or cancer - Im just tired of suffering these symptoms for 7 years - always for a period and then better again.

Any advice please? Could this still be IBS?? Can I have it for this long and affecting my life so much and it not be IBD??

I have urges to use the loo but often it's mucus, sometimes with blood. When I defecate sometimes blood drips and there is always lots of mucus. I don't really have pain but just like a pressure lower abdomen, often right after I eat a meal I feel the pressure mounting and then have to use the toilet to pass gas and mucus.

At the moment I am going like 3 times a day, twice in the morning and one later in the day - sometimes it's just mucus and gas. I sometimes pass watery mucus like clear or white and then a bowl movement - sometimes small mud like balls other times more formed and bigger.

My appointment is with a specialist in September - Please give me some advice, I am terrified.

[Linley]

Hi

Can I take it that you did not go ahead with the colonoscopy 2 years ago?

As I am not a clinician it would be inappropriate to say what your symptoms are. What I can say it that your post shows your anxiety and I suggest that you go to your September appointment armed with a list of questions to ask the consultant as the only way to find out what the problem is to have a colonoscopy. Could you take a friend with you for support and to ease your anxiety?

Wish you good luck🍀

[Rozzy46]

Hi

You poor thing - it's scary to see blood in the toilet bowl and as you're an anxious person already that's enough to set you imagining all sorts of things. I agree with Linley that you need a colonoscopy to set your mind at rest - do hope that's manageable and that you can have someone go with you in September. I've had two and they're not as bad as thinking about them! It's better to take action than wait with too much time to think and worry. Good wishes - Rozzy46

[xjrs]

To put things in perspective statistically far far more people will come back with an IBS diagnosis after a colonoscopy than IBD. The prevalence of IBS in the population is much greater than IBD. IBD sufferers are a much much smaller percentage of the population.

You can certainly have unmanaged IBS symptoms for as long as 7 months. I had severe IBS symptoms over a similar time period during a long bout of work stress. Stress and IBS go hand in hand.

One of the first things to do at the moment is to attempt to get on top of the anxiety whilst you are waiting for a test. There are loads of online mindfulness courses right now that will help you to stay in the present moment and to stop you thinking so much about the future, which you cannot control.

When I was waiting for my colonoscopy I refused to discuss it with anyone. Discussing it would only make me worry more. What I had to do to get through the wait time was to just focus on each day, what I had to do that day, what specific tasks I needed to complete.

The future hasn't happened yet, the future isn't now and more often that not what we worry about in the vast majority of cases never materialises.

When you get your diagnosis (which is more than likely IBS), you can check back in here since there is much that can be done for you to get on top of your symptoms.

Good luck.