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Should I go ahead with my colonsocopy or cancel it? (20 year old)

Posted , 5 users are following.

daniel27041
daniel27041

Hey everyone,

For the last 2 months now I have been having varying levels of lower abdominal pain mainly on my left side just under my rib cage and a little lower. It's not severe but it seems to be there most of the time.

I have already been through various tests including an ultrasound of my lower abdomen, blood tests including carotenoids, urine tests, a stool test which all came out perfectly normal and I have already had a gastroscopy about 2 months ago for my acid reflux issues which came up normal too. In saying that as well the pain under my rib cage actually started about a week after my gastroscopy but the ultrasound that I had about 2 weeks ago of my lower abdomen came up normal so I assume there wasn’t any damage done?

I am just a bit fearful of going through a colonscopy if it isn’t need as it might make things worse and that the pain under my rib cage might have been a cause of the gastroscopy I had?

Both my gastrologist and gp definitely think I have IBS and health anxiety with the latter that I can say for sure but they still said to do the colonscopy to ease my mind. My question is at my age would it be worth going through with the symptoms that I have especially with the fact that every single test I have done so far has been 100% normal could all of this been anxiety?

Thank you in advance,

Daniel 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • sue162
    sue162 daniel27041

    Posted

    Hi Daniel,

    It's a tough one.  They have done thorough tests and are doing it to reassure you which is good.  Only you know if you will feel better with knowing you've had a colonoscopy or not and that your mind will settle down after it.   Health anxiety is rubbish, I too have it to a degree but also if we actually have physical symptons of something that's a bit different other than we do tend to think of worse case scenarios and the what if we don't have that test done.  I had colonoscopy done and nothing was found, my grandma died of colon cancer and I was having tummy issues and so they did it for reassurance as I needed reassurance.  It did reassure me and I had severe constipation while on holiday a month ago and thought I would be thinking something was bad but knew I'd had colonoscopy done so forgot it.  I'm three times as old as you though.  It does happen to younger people but is mostly an older persons presentation.  The trouble is with health anxiety myself included something worrying us health wise, others dismiss, but we google and think the worst so we move from one worry to another.  Maybe discuss it with your gp,  the worst bit is Moviprep more than the procedure, everyone is very nice and they do so many colonscopies,  read the positive stories not the bad ones. X 

  • joann51897
    joann51897 daniel27041

    Posted

    I also have bad anxiety and worry alot about my health I'm a little older then u also though I'm 42. To ease your mind I would just get the colonoscopy it's really not that bad the worst part is the prep I did get the sadation also. I can tell you I am very thankful I got the colonoscopy done. I'm sure you r fine considering all of your other tests came back ok but this is a very thorough test and will put all your worries to rest.

    • TheToad
      TheToad joann51897

      Posted

      Hi Joann. Hope you're ok. Yes, I agree with both posts. Even though you're young, it is worth it to ease the anxiety. Mine was no problem. And yes, Dr Google can make the anxiety worse. Good luck. 

    • daniel27041
      daniel27041 TheToad

      Posted

      The risks involved are my main worry like what if I go through this it comes up clear but something bad happens like perforation it would be completely unnecessary and actually put me in a much worse off situation I’m just unsure at this point and I’m only a week and a half out from it.
  • sue162
    sue162 daniel27041

    Posted

    Aww, I asked the same question of myself and asked the consultant about perforation. I think it's the health anxiety talking. What if that happens to me. I was the same Daniel. Perforation is less than 1 percent. If you google that you will get loads of stories.   I got reassured that they do so many of the procedures when I asked about this.  Imagine if you had visible blood or definitely needed a colonoscopy you would just want the test done as you would want to know everything was ok inside.  You hear more bad stories as this makes the news.  The people who had it done and are reassured don't make the news.  Once you decide either way you will feel calmer inside.  Like other posters say it's the thought of the unknown as we hadn't had this procedure done before and once there you are sedated as well.  It's like toothache, check ups are bad enough but if we have toothache we just want the tooth seen to. X

  • Scareddcat
    Scareddcat daniel27041

    Posted

    My 36 year old son just had a colonoscopy for the same reason and they found 4-5 small polyps and diverticulosis. Not expected at his age but glad they found the polyps before they grew into something! Good reason right there to have the colonoscopy! (Plus ease your health anxiety)
  • daniel27041
    daniel27041

    Posted

    Just an update is anyone that is my age had one before or know of anyone that has had one at a young age?
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