Specialist appointment - bowel problems

I had problems with bright red blood and saw my GP. He referred me and I didn't have to wait very long to be seen. I have had the cameras in looking for any problems and thankfully there weren't any. I have haemorrhoids and had an operation so thankfully the blood was from them. I have suffered for years from constipation and still do.

Don't worry about it too much, it shouldn't be too long to wait, although I didn't have to ring to make an appointment. It was all done from the hospital.

Best wishes

Hiya

I've got my appointment it's 5 weeks away..My appointment is on the Tuesday and I'm having a a operation on Friday to have a fibroid removed..

What will I expect at my first appointment?

I'm concerned about the risks of having a colonoscopy and sigmoidscopy..Apprently the doctor could perforate your bowel, whiich is life threating!

Should I ask for later appointment with the bowel specialist incase he wants to do invasive tests....I don't want to delay my fibroid operation..It's taken almost 5 months..

Any help is much appreciated

Regards

Tezi x

Hi again Tezi - thought it might be you!!

Just to add to my last posting to you on the other site - you must not start worrying about bowel perforation with a colonoscopy - it is so very, very rare. I don't know who has been putting such ideas into your head.

I think you must have a medical book tucked away and are looking up all the possible ,but very rare complications!

Please don't worry.

Take care

Katie xx

Just seen Katie's reply and she is right. I have had both the sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy and was sedated for one of them and watched on the screen for the other. It was fine. They have to warn you re any possible errors, by law, but it is very, very rare. I have recently had an endoscopy and I was warned of the same thing re the gullet and I am perfectly okay.

Take care and try not to worry.

What they are saying is true, youll be wondering why you was so worried after you get it all over with

Hi Katie,

I don't know why I'm sooo worried about my operation and possibly having a colonoscopy..

I think it's my hormones...My friends said it was side effects from the zoradex injections...

Katie I'm soooo depressed you wouldn't beleive..

I keep thinking the operation is going to go wrong or something bad will happen when I've had a colonoscopy..

Sorry for going on..

Tezi x

Hi there Tezi

I think your friends could well be right - you could be feeling over anxious as a result of your hormone injections - it's just a rotten side effect which you could have well done without.

It's just so unfortunate that you, of all people, have two procedures to worry about - it quite a lot for anyone to cope with.

Hopefully, when you see the bowel specialist he will put your mind at ease - you have very minor symptoms and he may decide that further tests are not necessary - certainly not until your fibroid op. is over and done with. We'll just have to wait and see what he says.

Take care and try not to let your worries spoil you Easter.

Katie xx

Hi Katie,

I don't know whats wrong with me..I'm worried now that I might have bowel cancer or something serious like that...

I've always had problems with my bowels for year's, abdomin pain, bloatiness, constipation but I put it down to stress and maybe IBS

but since I saw spots of blood on the toilet paper it's really freaked me out..My friends think it might be piles..

I'm sorry to go on..I'm just soo desperate to be well and for all this to be over... :cry:

Thanks for your support Katie

Tezi x

Hi there Tezi

My daughter (now 25) has had exactly the same symptoms as you for years. She's seen various specialists over the years and they've all come up with the same diagnosis - IBS. It's particularly bad when she is stressed - like you are now Tezi, and understandably so. She too, had several episodes of bleeding - she had a simple rectal examination and it proved to be piles which was soon remedied with cream.

I am almost certain this is the cause of your problems - but it is sensible that you have it checked out. Please try not to worry so much.

Take care

Katie x

Hi Katie,

My bowel specialist appointment is in the same week as my operation 22nd April. If he does want to do tests do you think I could have a 'virtual colonoscopy' as a screening test rather than a traditional colonoscopy..? I understand that a virtual colonoscopy is less invasive.

Could I have this done on the NHS or would I need to go privately? Surely if I've been reffered I should get NHS treatment....

I don't want uncessary tests or invasive tests which could put my health at risk..

I know if they found anything I will still need a traditional colonoscopy.

Many thanks for your help at this stressful time

Tezi x

Hi Tezi

I'm fairly sure that the NHS would only offer a traditional colonscopy (though I'm sure the time will come when an alternative will be available - but not for a while as it is more expensive).

If your specialist does suggest a colonoscopy (he may offer a barium enema first - a painless procedures, but just a bit embarrassing!) :oops: - talk to him about your fears. He may be happy for you to go privately for a 'virtual' endoscopy, but obviously you would have to pay for this. When he realises just how anxious you are, he may feel that a colonscopy may not be necessary for the time being.

Be brave - I'm sure it will all be fine.

Katie x

Hi there,

I saw a specialist last tuesday who did a rectal examination and told me he's fairly sure that it's internal hameroids or IBS but to make sure he wants me to have a colonoscopy..

I'm worried about the risks of this procedure...i.e perforation of the bowel..

surely they would be experienced at this?

Regards

Tezi x

Hi again Tezi

You will not end up with a perforated bowel, I promise - it is very, very rare - and when it has happened it's invairably because the poor patient involved has had a very extensive bowel problem ie Crohns Disease or Ulcerative Colitis and the bowel wall is weakened. Yours will be fine. Medics today have to mention every possible thing that can go wrong, otherwise they can be sued if something happens which they haven't previously been told about. I'm still a firm believer that 'ignorance is bliss'.

Tezi, you must stop worrying. You've managed well with your very recent op. and you really need to concentrate on getting fully fit - rather than worrying about something that is NOT going to happen. And put those medical books away, and stop looking up things on the internet!!

You are as bad as my daughter - as a Christmas present her colleagues at work gave her a huge medical encyclopaedia !!:lol:

Katie xx

Hi

I just wanted to post this as an encouragement to people who suspect they may need a colonoscopy but are put off, either because they fear the procedure, or they fear what might be found.

I am in my late 20s and started having problems 8 months ago - lots of wind, mucus, and rushing to the nearest toilet about 5 - 8 times per day. I petrified myself by looking on the internet as IBS was supposed to be intermittent, and this was persistent. Most of the time there was no blood but on a few occasions there definitely was, mixed with the mucus. Increasingly, I felt I hadn't finished and would be back on the toilet within half an hour of having got off.

So what did I do? I worried and worried. I looked up symptoms on the internet and convinced myself I was going to die and there was nothing that could be done. Anyway, after seeing a doctor I was recommended for a colonoscopy.

The preparation was nothing. Sure, it doesn't taste very nice but really it's no big deal. I just stayed at home all day and read a good book - without any guilt because I was 'sick'!

The procedure was nothing. They gave me an IV sedative and I chattered away to the nurse while the two consultants looked around. In the end they spotted a 2mm polyp which is currently being biopsied. The chances of a polyp that small being cancerous are about 1:500 so I'm not worrying about the results. One in five hundred? Life is actually too short.

IN CONCLUSION:

- I thought I had ALL the symptoms of bowel cancer and was sure I did. As it turns out I probably don't (crossing my fingers as I type this...)

- Getting checked out has solved all my worries and I feel about 1,000 times better.

- The prep was fine and the procedure was fine. It's all really a piece of cake.

SO... If you're worried about your bowel symptoms, DON'T FRET AS MOST LIKELY THINGS ARE FINE BUT GET THE COLONOSCOPY DONE TO PUT YOUR MIND AT REST!

Best of luck to everyone on this site,

MPH

Hi

My main concern is if they perforate my bowel and I might die?

I read on the internet that if they do perforate your bowel its life threating?

Tezi