Please read this

[chardy]

HI all, I don't want to frighten anyone I just want you to be aware. I have had a pretty bad time recently and I want to ensure that no-one else suffers what I have been through.

I had IBS diagnosed last year although it had been discussed many times before. I didn't believe it was IBS and several times I asked if I could have a colonoscopy or scan to eleiminate anything else. This was refused and I was offered Diazipam for stress relief but I refused this. A few months ago I posted here that I was losing blood and you lovely poeple came back to me with some good advice and urged me to see a doctor. Luckily my usual doctor had left the practice and I saw a new doctor who was alarmed by my symptoms.

To cut a long story short, I had a colonoscopy two days ago and I have bowel cancer. So please if you have not had every investigation possibe don't accept the IBS diagnosis. If only I had insisted then it wouldn't now be as far advanced as it is.

Take care

Chardy xx

[Hidden]

Hi Chardy,

Very sorry to read your post this morning. You're so right in that nobody should have to put up with a diagnosis of IBS until they've at least had a camera up one end and down the other. It's all too easy for doctors to lump common intestinal disorders under the good ol' get-out term of IBS without investigating them properly.

I'm sure you'll hear and read this many times over the coming months, but I know a great many people of both sexes and of a variety of ages who have been treated very successfully for bowel cancer and I'm sure I'm going to be able to add you to my list in due course.

Don't leave the site, keep posting with your progress and be assured that we'll be rooting for you all the way.

Roz

[chardy]

Thanks Roz, I will stay with the site. One more thing though, I really thought it couldn't be cancer as I had a poo test and blood test that came back ok. On Thursday the surgeon told me that these tests wouldn't have detected this cancer.

It's comforting to know that so many survive this.

Thanks again

Chardy xx

[zaralouise]

can i ask what symptoms did u have please its just that ive been thinking something seriously wrong along time ago

[chardy]

Of course Zaralouise.

I have had ongoing stomach problems for years without any definate diagnosis. Three years ago I started to have an urgency to go to the loo every morning, this got worse and I couldn't leave the house before lunch time if then. Poo was not really C or D but more of an explosion. I saw a doctor at the surgery and she diagnosed bowel incontinence and gave me meds for diarrhoea. I was in a lot of pain and went back to see another doctor who said that my bowel was impacted and gave me laxatives, this made it all worse. I then got to see my usual doctor who said that it is IBS caused by stress and he could give me meds for the stress. I didn't accept these but asked for a scan and/or a colonoscopy, he refused saying it's just IBS. I then joined this forum but haven't read anything like what I was going through. A few months ago I started to lose blood, not actually when I went to the loo but all the time. Back to the surgery and the doctors have changed again. I saw a new doctor who was horrified by what had gone on and immediately referred me for a colonoscopy which is where I found that I had bowel cancer. I can actually feel the tumour in my rectum and it is painful.

If you believe that there is something seriously wrong and you haven't had the correct investigations then please go back and insist you have them. I would have done this but the doctor told me that cancer had been ruled out by the blood counts. Good luck and let me know how you get on.

Chardy xx

[Bibabunny]

Hello Chardy, so sorry to hear your news and wanted to thank you for sharing it.

You have been dealt a low blow by the GPs who really should have investigated further, at least now you will be getting all the help and advice you need. It is frustrating how many GPs view ibs as a mental health issue and how many do not keep an open mind when dealing with ibs type symptoms.

Like Roz1485, I hope that you will keep in touch with your journey. Many people survive bowel cancer, my mum was diagnosed in 2007 and has been 5 years in remission and she goes for regular check ups to ensure there are no changes.

Wishing you the very best, and look forward to hearing about your journey.