Mystery bowel problems/bowel cancer fears
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi. Bear with me here as this is a long story! I’m a 31 year old male who has been going through hell for the past four months or so. At the end of August I woke up one day with a horrible upset stomach; at first I didn’t think much of it but it continued, and then I was getting other symptoms like constant erratic bowel movements, constant loud gurgling stomach/bowel noises and terrible crippling abdominal pain. Over the next 2-3 weeks or so, the problems were persisting and the pain unbearable just under my belly button so I must have visited around 10 different doctors at my surgery, all of whom I didn’t think were really taking my problems too seriously and they all said “It is possibly IBS” without doing any testing whatsoever. I then ended up at A&E with the pain as it got so bad and they just sent me home without doing anything! I then finally got some blood work done at the doctors and everything seemed normal - no anemia, no inflammation shown in CRP test, liver and kidneys working well, and no obvious explanation for my symptoms. I then had an ultrasound of the abdomen which came back clear and a stool test and urine test which showed no infections. Eventually at my insistence, I was referred to a gastroenterologist who I saw at the end of September who sent me for more extensive blood tests and I was told to hand in a stool sample to test for fecal calprotectin, and go for an abdominal and pelvic CT scan. Anyway after a fair wait, I found out all these came back clear. Nothing abnormal was seen and seeing as my fecal calprotectin was normal I was told it was extremely unlikely I had inflammatory bowel disease. Yet all the time my symptoms were changing/worsening and I developed terrible back pain that moves into my legs and sides while the abdominal pain has lessened slightly. I have been extremely frightened that what I am dealing with is bowel cancer although 20 doctors now or more have told me IBS, but I don’t feel there has been enough tests and I don’t feel reassured. I have lost a fair bit of weight and have tried the low fodmap diet to no avail. It doesn’t matter if I eat or don’t eat, or what I eat, the pain is unbearable and I am in constant suffering with whatever this is. I also have a feeling like I need to go for a number 2 constantly. I have become isolated and my family life is suffering greatly. I have now been sent for a virtual Colonoscopy (CT Colonography) after practically begging for some more investigation but it looks like I will be waiting a fair while for an appointment. The constant pain and discomfort is making my life unbearable and I don’t know what to do. Everything has come back clear including a CEA cancer test so what should should I think and how do I deal with this constant pain? I know a few people with IBS and they have flare ups and it goes, with this it is constant! Having been told I don’t have inflammatory bowel disease my mind keeps telling me I must have cancer, and I can’t get that thought out of my head. Has anyone got any advice or been through something similar? Many thanks for reading!
0 likes, 40 replies
Sam1986
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cheryl52225 Sam1986
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Hi Sam one one of the occasions my boyfriend went there A&E the discovered he has aterial fibleration of the heart had to wait for a 24 hour heart monitor they say they picked up an extra heartbeat and have told him to take beta blockers. We’ve had nothing but worry since June my boyfriends gp referred him for a ct scan that showed up something on his liver they wasn’t sure what it was so he needed a mri scan of liver turned out it’s nothing to worry about so liver specialists say why they didn’t do a mri scan of his bowel then I don’t know so got to wait for further scans and endoscopy as an out patient A&E have sent him home from hospital every time we have asked for them to admit him to hospital but they kept saying it’s not life threatening
Sam1986 cheryl52225
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Yes I have had the same problem with A&E! It is an awful situation waiting around for outpatient appointments in extreme discomfort and distress with no solutions. I suffer with heart failure since the age of 28 (I’m 31 now) and also take beta blockers.
Sam1986
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Also A&E never help. The last time I ended up there I got given paracetamol and told I was wasting everybody’s time... well hold on the pain is unbearable! What am I supposed to do when I Am in constant discomfort and waiting around for gastroenterologist who are reluctant to do anything. I also end up at my doctors every week but this is a waste of time as apparently “there is no more they can do”.
cheryl52225 Sam1986
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Sam1986 cheryl52225
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Rubes123 Sam1986
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The useless they make me feel like i'm attention seeking making this stuff up.
Sam what you say in your last message its being moderated.
Sam1986 Rubes123
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Rubes123 Sam1986
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Oh sam I really can relate because I feel the same. This time 4 weeks ago they wasn't a day in my life I didn't cry or felt like ending it. I probably feel like again in a few weeks because I hold onto hope then get nocked down again by the surgeon.
Do you hide your feelings from your family?
Sam1986 Rubes123
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Sam1986 cheryl52225
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Sam1986 Rubes123
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cheryl52225 Sam1986
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Sam1986 cheryl52225
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Sam1986 cheryl52225
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