Search the Community

Hi. I have never posted before and I’ve wanted to for a long time. I have suffered with HA for at least 20 years (I’m 51) and I’ve done all kinds of therapy and take medication. I understand how to manage it but there are times when it can get the better of me. My sister (age 50) went to the hospital about a month ago because she was feeling terrible (and had been for weeks) and had continued to worsen. She thought she might have COVID. Turns out she has Stage IV colon cancer that had perforated her bowel and I’ve been a mess ever since. She’s out of the hospital, receiving chemo and seems to be adjusting well. I, however, am not doing so great. I’m terrified that I have it too. We have minimal cancer on both sides of our family, all after age 65 and all survived to old age. Never CC. There is no evidence that her cancer is hereditary. She started to have symptoms about a year prior (blood in stool) and ignored it. She also had some GI issues she dismissed as IBS. I too suffer from IBS and have for many, many years. I have experienced any number of shapes, shades, sizes and consistency of stool over the years. I have always had unstable bowel habits. I don’t think I would know or recognize a “change in bowel habits”. I am hypothyroid and see my GP regularly. All my bloodwork is fine. But, about 3-4 years ago I began having a mild, stitch like pain on my lower left side (pelvic region). Almost like a dull, pulling, stretch like sensation. It would come and go usually around my menstrual cycle. I dismissed it for this reason. I have not been to my OB/GYN since then (likely out of fear). It comes and goes, lasting about a week and never worsens. Sometimes I go months without it happening. It has started up in earnest since my sister’s diagnosis (still intermittent and mild). I should have had my colonoscopy last year when I turned 50 and then COVID struck. I turned 51 in May and my sister turned 50 in April. Regardless, I now have my colonoscopy scheduled for next Thursday. Before now I would have been at average risk of CC and the timing for my first colonoscopy would be adequate. Now I have a first-degree relative with CC at a relatively young age and feel like my timing for the procedure is now way too late. All this to say that I’m terrified that all the symptoms I’ve had over the years and my sister’s diagnosis is confirmation that I have CC.

Hello everyone, long time reader, but this is my first post. I am 43 years old. I've been afraid of colon cancer for about 10 years ago, probably after I first read about some of the common symptoms. Over the years I've seen blood in the toilet a few times. The first time I was diagnosed with an anal fissure. The second time I had bright red blood separated from the stool. My Dr. told me considering my age (37 at the time), that I should monitor and come back if it continued (which it did not). About 10 months ago, I started experiencing very, very loose stools every single morning. If I went later in the day, the stool was often well-formed. I kept an eye on it, and a couple months later I changed my diet (increased soluble fiber, decreased insoluble fiber), and I noticed an immediate improvement. Since then I'm still not "normal", still having loose stools a couple times a week, but normal ones most days. Then, a few weeks ago I was having a day where I was going a lot, and my last BM there was only one small piece of stool, but separate from that there was a piece of mucus with some blood mixed with it. The blood was pretty bright red. Again, the mucus/blood were separate from the stool. But of course I freaked out and went into a panic. I've been anxious and depressed now for several weeks. I went to the Dr who did a full CBC, Celiac test, etc., and all came back fine. He also referred me to a colonoscopy, which I'm having on Tuesday morning. I AM TERRIFIED!!! I am terrified of the test, of the sedation (I don't like to be "asleep"), and of what they could find. I have convinced myself it's CC, and of course it's Stage 4 and that I will be given a death sentence. I've been so depressed this weekend, all I can do is lay around, unable to exercise, etc. This is so horrible! If anyone can offer some words of reassurance, I would really appreciate it!

Hi Guys - Just joined today but I've been a reader of the site for some time now...I finally decided to post something to maybe get some opinion or comfort from folks that know exactly what this is like. Some background info, Male, just turned 36 last week and am hopelessly anxious all the time...mostly about my health. I have GAD and see a therapist for it. Over the years I've diagnosed myself with just about every chronic and fatal disease in the book and usually led doctors and specialists on a wild goose chase of testing to rule something out. Then when nothing ever came back, the symptoms simply went away. It's a vicious cycle and it has become a horrible existence at times...I simply can't find a way to be normal. I used to take SSRIs and they sometimes helped because they'd make me not obsess over things, but the side effects were too much and I went off them and have been clear of them for about 8 months now....here we go... So about a month and a half ago I started feeling some discomfort in my right hip and went the the chiropractor a bunch of times over the next few weeks to try and alleviate it and nothing seemed to work. At times the pain would descend down into the groin and right testicle. It's not a brutal pain or anything, just a dull ever-present discomfort that's always there. Sometimes it's tender in the area just to the left of the "ball" of my hip and pretty much down a line...I think that's the inguinal ligament. Anyway, around Thanksgiving I contacted my doctor because I was sure I had Epididymitis. I would squeeze the epididymis and it would hurt like hell and since I had had it before 2 times I thought I had it again. I got in touch with my Dr. and amazingly he gave be an antibiotic to treat it...against his better judgement, I pretty much trapped him but contacting him right before the Thanksgiving holiday. Something I still regret doing. In any case, my pain pretty much went away towards the end of the 10 day course of antibiotics and the lower right abdominal/hip/groin pain didn't. I've been waiting and waiting to call the Dr. back again and go see him but today I finally did and made an appointment to go in tomorrow. I can't really say it could be a hernia because I don't really have any bulges in the abdominal wall. Here's the whole reason for the post though. So lately, say over the past week and a half my bowel movements have changed. They're not regular, sometimes hard, sometimes soft and overall they seem "thinner" and kind of flat. That freaks me out because even though I've fought it forever at the advice of my therapist, I broke down and started to seek advice from the evil Dr. Google. The BMs don't contain any blood which I feel is some sort of positive, but is that always the case with colon cancer? I've feared this particular type of cancer for some time now, my parents, grandparents and even my older brother (who is 41) have all had colon polyps. I'm just afraid again and seeing some sort of comfort/advice...maybe even stuff to mention at the Dr. tomorrow. I should also mention that last year I had similar discomfort in the lower right abdomen and the Dr. sent me for an abdominal CT and nothing was found. Would they have seen a problem with my colon in that or is that only seen through a colonoscopy? Over the years I've had 2 abdominal CTs, a few head CTs and XRays and I'm starting to also wonder if I may have caused something to myself with all that radiation. Sheesh I just don't know anymore, but I'm starting to get to my wits end with this and it's just messing with my quality of life in every way. I wish I knew what it was like to be "normal" and not have to experience these "episodes" every year or so. Thanks for taking the time to read this mess and for any advice/suggestions you may have. I know that if you're here on this site you probably have a lot of the same afflictions as I do and might be able to lend a hand. I'll be sure to update this with whatever comes of this situation and hopefully help someone else out in the future.

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

Hey all, Lately I have been having a seriously debilitating attack regarding colon cancer. First a brief history of my colon cancer fears: - In 2014 I started to get severe abdominal cramps and bright red blood on the toilet paper and once throughout the toilet water - I went to see my GP who did some searches for abdominal masses and ordered an ultrasound, the ultrasound came back clear and he said I was fine. The light red blood on my toilet paper intermittently continued to occur - A few weeks ago around 5 days after startling Lexapro 10mg and started to notice mild constipation - Constipation grew and I started to notice frequent small spatterings of light red blood on the toilet paper - Went to see a new GP who diagnosed me with a small hemeroid and anal fissure. I was prescribed antisceptic suppositories - this morning after taking the suppository the night before I noticed a white candle wax like substance floating above my bowel movement I guess my questions are: - has anyone experienced Lexapro induced constipation? And - Is this white candle like mucus leftover suppository or should I be worried about something more insidious? Also I'm 25 no history of any major illness in my family

Hey all, Around 4 years ago I had a colon cancer scare in which I had terrible abdominal cramps alongside constant bright red blood on tissues after wiping. I went to my GP a very highly respected professor of Medicine at my countries most prestigious university and he didn't seem to worried. After doing some blood tests which came back fine he sent me off to get an ultrasound, after an anxious week or so the ultrasound returned fine and I moved on despite the fact the blood on the tissue never went away. Here I am four years later, always periodically having blood on my tissue after a bowel movement and I am currently insanely constipated. I put this down to starting Lexapro which can occasionally cause constipation. However this has resurfaced old anxieties regarding bowel or rectal cancer. I took a laxative last night to get some motion in the ocean and it worked. I saw no blood in the bowl or stool however there was some minor upon wiping. What would the chances of me going four years with no increase of blood expelled or increase of frequency (occurs every second or third movement) with a serious disease?

I have posted about this a million times over so near with me. Quick run down is I had a colonoscopy in April 2014 after have intermittent blood streaks on my stools for about 15 months. I was one month shy of 27 years old. They found a 10mm polyp on my sigmoid colon near my rectum, I also had small internal hems. The polyp was removed and biopsied and I got a call 3 days later that the polyp was completely benign. It was called a Hyperplastic colon polyp which has zero malignant relation when in the sigmoid or rectum. For some reason the fact I had a colon polyp so young has haunted me and it's been tough on my anxiety recently. I called my gastro office a couple weeks ago and requested full medical records. I had never seen my pathology report. The pathology report is simple and says - Hyperplastic colon polyp - benign - no dysplasia detected - benign neoplasm of the colon so does this mean I should stop thinking my pathology was wrong? The polyp truly was benign?

I am going to be honest. I have always had digestive issues. When I was young, I couldn't have orange juice or other acidic foods because it would wreack havoc on my stomach. At school I would avoid anything citric or sour. I remember thinking I don't want to leave the house because I might get diarrhea (that's how I would rationalize it). It got better the older I got but never really went away. About 10 years ago, I lost about 50 lbs and was able to keep it off for about 5 years. I started gradually gaining weight in 2011 but I also stopped exercising and watching what I ate. In late 2010, I started having weird digestive issues that leaned more toward constipation. They have come and gone. I will say I have Never gone to the bathroom feeling I need to go and then eventually can't go. One of my first experiences with HA happened when I googled my symptoms and Colon Cancer came up. Got over that but as the years have gone on the digestive issues haven't gone away. I can't do lots of dairy, spicy foods etc. I visited 2 primary care doctors who prescribed benefiber and Miralax. Both did nothing for me. Citrucel works though although I don't feel like I'm 100%. A gastroenterologist suggested I could have a colonoscopy if I wanted to but I decided against it since at the time I was told bleeding, sudden weight loss, being over 50 would be the main causes for concern. I was 25 at the time. 6years later things have improved as I've included vegetables but over the last few years I've gained an average of 5-6 pounds a year so I am almost back to where I was in high school which I must say I always trended on the heavier side. A while ago I read gradual weight gain can be a symtpom of colon cancer. I don't have a distended bowel or a hard abdomed. Should I be concerned? Logic tells me my age, bad digestive history, and the fact that I've had this 2nd round of digestive issues for close to 7 years should indicate i'm probably ok but you all know how anxiety is. Add to this when I started having theae issues I went through a terrible relationship. I still have emotional issues from it, was diagnosed with an embarrasing disease which luckily was cleared, up, issues with school etc and in general I still feel like a loser. Just as I felt I was turning a corner the fear of ALS came in and that rendered me null for several months. Now this colon cancer fear.

Dear All, First and foremost, Happy New Year. I have come here in hopes of being given some positive support as my struggles with health anxiety over the past 1+ weeks has taken its toll on me, and sadly my wife and daughter. This story is lengthy, but hopefully you won't mind reading through it. Back in 2010, my mother was diagnosed with stage IV lung c****r. It was found after she had a seizure, so it was a complete surprise. She passed away a year later and her passing really took its toll on me. I was 25 at the time of her passing. I believe this is what triggered my health anxiety, because from then on I assumed every little thing wrong with me was due to some terminal illness. Later in 2011 I had a painful bowel movement and bloody stool. Of course, I immediately assumed I had stage 4 colorectal c****r. I went to the GI doctor who looked at my anus/rectal region and diagnosed me with an anal fissure and internal hemorrhoids. It was a huge relief. I adjusted my diet and took stool softeners once and awhile. I did not see any blood in my stool for 5 years until June 2016 when I noticed bright red blood dripping into the toilet. I also had a few episodes where I wiped and saw bright red blood. In August 2016 I had a painful bowel movement and had more bright red blood that coated the stool. At the time I figured that this was once again my internal hemorrhoids and/or another anal fissure. However, I did go see a different GI doctor in September 2016 and explained what had happened; however, instead of examining my anus/rectal region he just talked to me and wanted to schedule a colonoscopy without any sort of examination. I was a bit deterred by this as I expected him to at least see if he can see the source of the bleeding. I decided against the colonoscopy and went ahead and started taking a fiber supplement, which really did wonders for my bowel movements and had no issues with bleeding for awhile. Fast forward to December 21st, 2016 I had what I thought was some blood on the toilet paper when I wiped. I could not tell if it was bright red, because it was mixed in with the stool on the toilet paper so it was darker in color. I was also eating a fair amount of carrots at the time, and have thought it maybe could have been this as my stomach does not digest vegetables/fruits very well. This episode put me into a tail spin and I thought for sure this was colorectal c****r. That night I hardly slept and worried myself to the point of triggering diarrhea. I went to Urgent Care Thursday morning, and the doctor essentially told me that its likely just my hemorrhoids acting up. He gave me some stool softeners and sent me on my way. I was relieved, but the thought of still having colorectal c****r was still there. Later that day I developed a fever, but it was quickly broken after some ibuprofen. I assumed this was just a result of little sleep and little food as well as constant worrying. I dropped about 2 pounds from 270.8 to 268.9. I regained some semblance of an appetite on Friday and Saturday, possibly through overeating, and got the scale back up to 271.5 Christmas morning. I was relieved and felt pretty good. My in-laws came into town Sunday afternoon and stayed till Wednesday the 28th. During this time I did not think about having colorectal c****r too much, and tried to eat a good amount. However, Wednesday I weighed myself and I weighed 270.0, and was concerned why I would drop 1.5 pounds even though I am eating more than I normally would. Wednesday and Thursday I purposefully tried to eat a lot and got my weight up to 271.1 by Friday morning. However, my weight dropped back down on Saturday and Sunday, hitting 269.2 on Sunday and then 267.9 this morning. My anxiety has been at a very high level since Saturday night, with sleeping being nearly impossible, feeling hot, pacing back and forth, sweating, and feeling nauseous and having no appetite. I have been eating junk food and overeating the past couple of days to try and get my weight to rise back up, but it doesn't seem to matter. My weight keeps dropping which, when I Googled "bloody stool and unintentional weight loss", yields pretty much only colorectal c****r. I know I should have never Googled it, but I did and now I can't shake this thought. I guess I have a few questions: 1.) Can anxiety cause weight loss even if I'm force feeding myself more than what I would normally eat? 2.) Can anxiety cause sweating, hot flashes, high pulse rates, high blood pressure, bubbling stomach, and nauseousness? 3.) What other conditions could contribute to unintentional weight loss and bloody stools? 4.) Can I experience anxiety, even when I am not actively thinking about it? A little bit about myself, I am a 30 year old male with a beautiful wife and 1 year old daughter. I am 5'8" and obese (as you can tell from my weight). I will be scheduling a trip to the GI doctor tomorrow, but I could really use personal stories and uplifting thoughts in the meantime. I truly believe the only way i will get over this colorectal scare is to go ahead and get the colonoscopy done, but now I fear it may be too late and I missed my chance back in September and now it had spread. I don't want to dwell on the past, and pray that my decision to not get the colonoscopy at that time does not come back and haunt me. I am in a really sad place and I am so appreciative to have a forum like this to express my thoughts and concerns and hear from others who are going through similar issues. God Bless and thank you for taking the time to read this. -Jim

Hi, so I'm new here and I've read some posts talking about some of the same things that I've been experiencing and seeing as i regularly convince myself that I'm dying I figured it might do me some good to reach out. I'm 21 years old and i noticed recently that I've had some changes in my bowel habits ranging from constipation to passing more gas than usual (though i might just be hyper aware of my gas making it seem like more) but these symptoms seem to come and go as for the past couple of days I've been able to pass stool regularly and i haven't passed a significant amount of gas, but it could return, I don't know. Today i noticed little specks of red and black in my stool and it scared the hell out of me, and before i scare myself to much I'm wondering if they weren't caused by something i had eaten because I've recently eaten black beans, and green chili (which contains tomatoes). of course my fear is that i have colon c****r and of course i consulted Dr. Google (stupid idea, i know) considering my diet and the changes in my bowel habits being infrequent am i right in worrying myself? or am i freaking out about nothing? I apologize if talking about bowel habits comes across as a joke post, It's not intended to be, I am very sincere in my fears about my health.