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Very worried I have bowel cancer, but GP won't do a thing

Posted , 5 users are following.

Tomatom
Tomatom

hi

I'm 44. 15 months ago I started feeling abdominal pains in various areas around my navel level. I remember having some long skinny poos some time before that. I went to the GP and said I was worried the pains might be cancer as my mum died of ovarian cancer at 50 and maybe I had inherited a bad gene(s) from her. The GP ignored me and put me on 2 x 20mg omeprazole. I wasn't sure why I was prescribed that for abdominal pains but the pain went away. It came back again and I was prescribed omeprazole again. This has happened three or four times.

I've seen several GPs at the practice and said I'm worried its cancer, but they've all ignored me and their response has ranged from telling me I'm suffering from anxiety to telling me it's not normal to think abdominal pains might be cancer. They won't refer me and haven't done any tests other than full blood tests that came back fine.

Other symptoms I've had include a complete bowel habit change - like a gloopy hummus in the morning and constipated at night with dense sticky pellets if I can get anything out. Been feeling very tired too, waking up tired and used to sleep in my lunch hour regularly in my old job. 11 days ago I started getting constant 24-7 abdominal pains that haven't stopped. I've seen 3 doctors in the past week and none will do anything. The only symptom I haven't had is visible blood in my stools, but as I've been on strong proton pump inhibitors I'm wondering if the lack of acid being produced in my stomach as a result might mean any polyp / tumour wouldn't bleed.

I've decided to pay £2000 out of my savings and have a private coloscopy / gastroscopy as I can't get the GPs I've seen to do anything. I'm a bit worried I'm paying a lot of money to find out I've got cancer, which may be so advanced its terminal. Just wish I'd done it when I first got the pain, didn't realise I could and the GPs have never discussed it with me despite knowing I'm worried I may have cancer.

 

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • susan21751
    susan21751 Tomatom

    Posted

    So sorry to hear how your GP's haven't taken into account your family history.Go ahead with Colonoscopy and see what the outcome is.That is the only way you'll know what's going on.

    Your anxiety will get worse if you don't get a diagnosis.

    So think positive - get it done.

    Good Luck.

    Come back to this site and let us know what happened.

    Best wishes -Susan 

  • lorna65
    lorna65 Tomatom

    Posted

    You are doing the right thing, I went privately, they found a few tiny polyps, snipped them off, and I had peace of mind. Believe me it was well worth it. Good luck.
  • ihavenonickname
    ihavenonickname Tomatom

    Posted

    Hi Tomatom,

    Omelrazole-Prilosec is a medication prescribed to treat gastroesophageal reflux, peptic ulcers, and other malady caused by excess stomach acid.

    Having too much stomach acid is not good.

    Having too little stomach acid is not good either.

    I have carefully considered your symptoms, perhaps you should discuss an alternative to omeprazole...

    Physicians are trained to hear symptoms. Your symptoms as stated above do not match the symptoms of cancer.

    When we lose a parent to the nightmare of cancer, it is natural to become hypervigiliant...I am so sorry for your loss

    kind regards

    • Tomatom
      Tomatom ihavenonickname

      Posted

      hi ihavenonickname

      I'm concerned that the new pains of the past couple of weeks are actually my aorta. The pains have spread to my legs / thighs, as well as base of the spine / spine and abdomen, particularly over the Iliac crest.

      I'm worried either the cancer's spread to my aorta or is pressing against it. Hopefully neither are the case.

    • ihavenonickname
      ihavenonickname Tomatom

      Posted

      7 days to go...you can do it.

      What you describe does not sound like cancer of the aorta, nor dies it sound like cancer pressing on the aorta

      So, if you felt really fabulous what would you want to do?

  • Tomatom
    Tomatom

    Posted

    Thanks for all your replies. Hopefully everything's ok, having the top and tail in 8 days time and will find out then. Fingers crossed for an all clear result.

    • susan21751
      susan21751 Tomatom

      Posted

      Keep us up to scratch on what happens -

      Very good wishes

      Susan.

    • Tomatom
      Tomatom ihavenonickname

      Posted

      Thankfully the top and tail came back with a clean bill of health. Hope everyone else is as fortunate with their tests. Unfortunately I still have lots of pain, and have been experiencing chest pain and heart palpitations for the past two weeks. I'm wondering all the pain might all be a side effect of the Omeprazole I've been prescribed, as it seems it can interfere with nitric oxide uptake in the heart and blood vessels.

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