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Hi, I'm a 22 year old female with high levels of anxiety about health, life, and pretty much everything. Recently I've been having anxiety over what appears to be red in my stool. I don't know if it's food or what, but it's causing me to panic every which way and Dr. Google isn't helping. It kind of looked like flecks and it only seemed to be really noticeable after wiping. I'm also experiencing some irritation with my anus, so it's led me to be a bit worried. Some background though, I experienced this today, and yesterday I had pizza and a taco with a few tomatoes in it, as well as being constipated and straining recently due to stress from a large assignment over the weekend, to which I even had a panic attack over at work which was embarrassing. I've also had stomach/bowel problems ever since I was a child, according to my mom, and pretty much everyone in my family is either A. Allergic to dairy, eggs, gluten, and B. Have some form of IBS (which I also probably have because I get stomach problems depending on what I eat,, not to mention anxiety causes issues.) I have no family history of cancer, save for my grandfather getting Leukemia in his late 70s. The females in my family also have a history of having some type of reproductive problems, my sister PCOS, my mom has a "fluffy uterus," a few of my cousins have endometriosis. Heck, I probably have some problems but I just haven't been formally diagnosed and it's usually solved with my BC pills. (Note: My dad also died from a weird heart mutation that gave him congestive heart failure, which I have been tested for and do not have, as well as most of my mom's side having diabetes. But that's a story for another day.) I could be panicking for no reason, but there's this underlying fear and it's causing problems with focusing in school, work, or other life activities, as well as causing depression which I'm prone to. I've seen this type of thing before, too, but I feel like I can always trace it back to something red I ate the day before. I'm also seeing a new doctor next week, and I feel like I should tell her about these problems to get some reassurance. But some talking sense to would be nice, as I feel like I'm driving myself up a wall with this worry. Thanks for reading this far!

Hello Everyone, I’m new here and need some advice/help/reassurance. Please bare with me as this could be a lengthy post (sorry)! I’m a 26 year old male from the UK - 5ft 10” weighing 13st 12/13. No previous health issues, no family history of any bowel issues. This all started a month ago, when I was experiencing chest pains etc. And thought I was having a heart attack. This led to me to have multiple panic attacks and led me to multiple GP visits and A&E - I had numerous tests done all of which came back fine including an ECG. This subsided and then I started experiencing issues with my bowel. A change in bowel habits and ‘flat stools’ along with blood on toilet paper. So I went straight on google and found bowel/colon cancer - so I’d convinced myself I had something seriously wrong. This led me to the GP again multiple times. I had bloods done and was told it sounded like piles/fissure and to try creams and wipes. Had bloods done and switched to Wipes and used cream. This stopped the bleeding in its tracks and haven’t had any blood for over a week now. My bloods came back perfect, bar an infection showing at 10 instead of the 8 average. They put this down to the chest cough/cold I had at the time. So after my bloods were good and the bleeding has gone. I’m still experiencing multiple symptoms; - Change in Bowel Habit - Flat Stools (Not all time) - Occasional Lower Abdominal Pain - Excessive Gas/Flatulence - Passed Mucus only 2/3 times. - Frequent Bowel movement in morning and then constipated later in day - Frequent Urination So, I went back to the GP. Who diagnosed me with Health Anxiety due to my mental state and how worried I was and all my googling and obsession. She prescribed Sertraline 50mg and I’m on my 5th day of these. She also said my bowel issues are IBS related and reassured me that it is NOT bowel/colon cancer. Saying something would have shown in bloods. Now, multiple health professionals have told me I’m fine, yet I still can’t get over this feeling that I have something seriously wrong with me. Its driving me mad, every day I’m worried about it, I’m googling etc. And convincing myself I have cancer and I’m going to die. I don’t have some symptoms of the cancer; weight loss, anemia, loss of appetite, constant pain etc. Should I be comforted by the doctor telling me there’s nothing wrong? Am I just being a Hypochondriac? Any one siffered similarily? And help/advice? Thanks

Hello everyone, I've just refound this site and glad I did. I'm worried again. Trying to cope but just getting stuck on the last hurdle. Last year, about 14months ago I had really bad trapped wind, bloated ness after xmas. I thought then it was stress or tight trousers! Anyway I think there is a connection to wheat and think that when I wear my tight trousers, (which i love) and eat certain wheats, I get badly bloated. If i take a windeaze tablet i'm fine, even if i loosen my belt i'm fine. But for some reason this time i'm focussing a bit too much and convincing myself i have something serious. So, basically I went to the docs last week to ask about wheat allergy and to tell him about my symptoms to see if he could give me some nutritional help. I only had 8 mins and told him i had IBS symptoms. He immediately said that I was at the age when I was still low risk but only just for things like Bowel Cancer..i'm 39! I didn't freak out immediately but he examined me and said there was nothing wrong and he gave me a FOD diet plan and told me to watch the symptoms. He didn't answer many of my questions just kind of agreed etc. So since my visit I've been googling my old friend bowel cancer again! I have none of the symptoms, only trapped wind and uncomfortableness that really does seem to disperse if i loosen my pants of take a windeaze pill. I have also calculated that I have had the same problem for at least 16 months. I'm now trying to wear looser pants again and to eat slower but i'm getting all sorts of other anxiety related feelings that i didn't have before. My rational mind is telling me not to be so daft, but my hypo mind is telling me...'It could be BC....it might just be really subtle..' So...2 questions.... 1) If i'd had this for so long and it was anything serious, wouldn't i probably know about it by now? 2) and 2....Surely taking a wind gaze tablet or loosening my trousers wouldn't stop the symptoms of bowel cancer?!?! would it??? Any help appreciated!!