Colon Cancer fears

[Ms.Moon 18]

I have been doing well for a bit then came the fall.  I had a pain in one of my breasts before my period.  I fell out and had a full blown anxiety attack.  I ran to my gynecologist I had an exam done and she felt something in the other breast ( the one that was not giving me pains).  I panic, panic, panic.  I had to wait until after my period to get my mammogram done.  Of course this made me late and panic, panic, panic. I get the mammogram and there is nothing, thankfully fatty breast tissue I got the all clear at my appointment.  I should be fine and I was until the anxiety started whispering about other cancer, colon cancer.  I don’t know why.  My body addicted to the feeling of anxiety spirals.  I have pains on my left side, I feel like blood is running out of my anus(it is not), I used the bathroom I wiped my butt until it bled ( I just had a few drops of blood on the paper).  I am trying to talk myself out of this anxiety, I reason it was my continuous wiping that caused my bleeding since the last time that happened to me I had anxiety induced diarrhea and by the fourth time I went to the bathroom I had blood when I wiped.  Today when I pooped I had mucus in my poop.  I have it occasionally it’s not consistent but I am feeling like I am being smothered by my anxiety.  I am going to make an appointment to see my G.P.  I am wondering if I should ask for a colonoscopy, I am 38, there is no history of colon cancer in my family but for my peace of mind I am wondering if it will be enough. My other concern is that they find nothing and I jump to another cancer fear.  

[Ms.Moon 18]

6 minutes ago, Total Eclipse said:

If you are a 38 year old female you don't need a colonoscopy! Give it a few days and the fear will go down. Have you had cancer before for this fear to be rational? 

No I have not had cancer.  I upped my water and fiber and have been having more regular bowel movements and for some reason this is also setting off my anxiety.  I have been rationalizing my fears away and it works at times but I am seeing symptoms, the blood when I wiped, the mucus in my poop today and the more regular bowel movements as symptoms of colon cancer and no matter how much I try to change this my anxious brain is not letting go of the cancer fear.

[MARC 390]

You are pretty young to get a diagnosis of colon or rectal cancer. My GI and internal medicine physicians told me that if symptoms persist or get worse, then a visit to a physician would be the right thing to do. I have had rectal bleeding at various times in my life and it has always turned out to be nothing. 

[ZenCube 58]

16 hours ago, Total Eclipse said:

If you are a 38 year old female you don't need a colonoscopy! Give it a few days and the fear will go down. Have you had cancer before for this fear to be rational? 

There's no 'too young' an age for a colonscopy if red flags are risen. Blood in stools should not be brushed off without reporting to a physician. That being said, the presence of blood is most of the time a sign of hemorrhoids or anal fissure and very seldomly of cancer.

[Stephanie 60]

 I think you already have the answer as to why you had blood. You wiped until you bled. Like any other sore or scratch it will take time to heal. Internal hemorrhoids also cause bright red blood. I wouldn’t rush to the GP just yet or ask for a colonoscopy. If you do go the doctor should be the one to make that decision. 

[Bella P 75]

Blips of blood on paper are usually from, as you said wiping too hard, and hemorrhoids. The type of blood in stools that would be from cancer is black and tarry. Unmistakable. Colon cancer is highly unlikely at 38, but I understand your fear. Mucus in stool is also benign 9 times out of 10 and usually due to high stress, a virus, IBS or constipation. Another thing I have learned is pains on the left side are almost always indigestion, which unfortunately anxiety can cause. I do not believe you need a colonoscopy, especially not if colon cancer doesn’t run in your family, but if it would ease your mind I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. It would be unnecessary, but if it would ease your mind you could ask if you wish. It is your body and your health care. I assure you, though, you are okay. Anxiety can wreak havoc on your system. 

[Ms.Moon 18]

Thank you to everyone that responded to me.   I have been going through a difficult time with I think this is my body responding to stress.  The last time I had brightness red drops of blood when wiping my dad was in the hospital.  My great uncle just died and my anxiety has been off the charts.  I had a CT scan of my pelvis last year a stone hunt when I was getting my uterine fibroids diagnosed and when I looked up the 3D colonoscopies it was pretty much what I had.  My bowels were gassy they put gas into the bowels and they scan the bowels which I had done and they saw nothing.

[MARC 390]

I have said this in other posts, but I think it is appropriate to say it again here. When I was 25, I went to the bathroom and when I wiped the entire tissue was drenched in red blood and the toilet bowl was all red with blood. I had an immediate meltdown and had myself dead and buried. It turned out to be large hemorrhoid. 

 

[ZenCube 58]

On 1/17/2020 at 10:33 PM, Bella P said:

Blips of blood on paper are usually from, as you said wiping too hard, and hemorrhoids. The type of blood in stools that would be from cancer is black and tarry. Unmistakable. Colon cancer is highly unlikely at 38, but I understand your fear. Mucus in stool is also benign 9 times out of 10 and usually due to high stress, a virus, IBS or constipation. Another thing I have learned is pains on the left side are almost always indigestion, which unfortunately anxiety can cause. I do not believe you need a colonoscopy, especially not if colon cancer doesn’t run in your family, but if it would ease your mind I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. It would be unnecessary, but if it would ease your mind you could ask if you wish. It is your body and your health care. I assure you, though, you are okay. Anxiety can wreak havoc on your system. 

Black and tar like blood is from upper gastrointestinal tract bleeding (blood that has been digested) and is called melena. Fresh red blood is from anus, rectum or colon. 

As for the poster, I think too that overwiping is the cause of blood appearing on toilet paper. I just wanted to stress that none of us is entitled to diagnose someone over the internet and that every lasting symptom and concern should be met with an IRL physician. 

 

[Lucid 41]

Opinions are like anus's,everyone has one?lol

[MARC 390]

My concierge internal medicine physician has told me that any persistent or worsening symptoms should be investigated by a physician. 

[Ms.Moon 18]

I bought a FIT test to help calm my fears.  I have been trying to get an appointment to see my GP but I am still scared about this so I bought two FIT tests and I hope that they make this easier on me.  I know I have had a drop or two of blood when I wiped on other occasions when I have had diarrhea but I keep going back and forth about my health now I have a bit of constipation which has been a longtime problem but that’s why I upped my fiber and water that has also been making me anxious.  Thank you again I am trying to get through this.

[Mel1981 11]

On 1/17/2020 at 3:22 PM, Total Eclipse said:

She stated she was wiping to the point of making herself raw. Hence the blood. I was giving reinsurance if that is the case that someone that young with no symptoms likely doesn’t have cancer or need a colonoscopy. 

I agree. There's no need to run out and get a colonoscopy. They do come with risks. I have the exact same thing happened to me about a year ago and it turned out to be a hemorrhoid that was easily seen by the doctor in a regular visit. I would go in and discuss it with your doctor but likely that's all it is. I talked about this with my wife many times and she and I both agree that even if I went and got the colonoscopy and it was clear that I would probably just jump to something else right after. I've had two doctors tell me that without symptoms there's usually no need of a colonoscopy unless you're at least 50 because your risk is much higher of something happening due to the colonoscopy then them finding anything bad.

[Ms.Moon 18]

1 hour ago, Mel1981 said:

I agree. There's no need to run out and get a colonoscopy. They do come with risks. I have the exact same thing happened to me about a year ago and it turned out to be a hemorrhoid that was easily seen by the doctor in a regular visit. I would go in and discuss it with your doctor but likely that's all it is. I talked about this with my wife many times and she and I both agree that even if I went and got the colonoscopy and it was clear that I would probably just jump to something else right after. I've had two doctors tell me that without symptoms there's usually no need of a colonoscopy unless you're at least 50 because your risk is much higher of something happening due to the colonoscopy then them finding anything bad.

Thank you.  I think I want to make an appointment to see a gastroenterologist since many of my symptoms suggest IBS.  I do have hemorrhoids and I did have a good CT scan of my bowel area last year during a stone hunt that turned out to be the return of my uterine fibroids.  I should make that appointment anyway because I want to check on my gallbladder since gallstones were seen during the stone hunt.