Colon Cancer Worries. Is it IBS? Need advice.

[tsmc223]

To start off, I am a 24 year old male. Always healthy. About two months ago, I had a case of diarrhea one day after a night out drinking. I thought this wasn't unusual. I just had stomach pains and diarrhea. This went on and ever since then, I've had different bowel movements. I haven't been able to pass a solid healthy stool since before then. Ever since then, I've passed pretty lose/soft/mushy stool. Sometimes thin (not super super thin), sometimes mushy, sometimes diarrhea. There were a few times where I had passed a normal stool but for the most part, I have been dealing with this for a few months now. I initially thought it was maybe my drinking habits or not eating enough fiber. I cut down on drinking and still I get stomach cramps sometimes after eating and when I pass stool, it is lose. I have been keeping a food diary to dry to ensure that I eat well and then analyze my stool. However, I recently started taking Metamucil gummies. I saw it work at first, it definitely made my stool more solid and easy to pass and not sticky, but now, it's back to lose and I had stomach cramps. Maybe I've been taking too much.

Anyway, this has been causing me a lot of distress as I haven't had a "good poop" in like two months. It's always mushy. I'm getting worried because I read that a change of bowel movement could mean colon cancer. But I am only 24 with no family history of it! I'm also so nervous to go to a doctor. I have so much going on in my life, I don't wanna have to worry about that! It's really freaking me out. Please, if anyone is going through anything similar, or has before, please give advice below. I hope to know I'm not alone in this. Just wanna know why my bowel movements suddenly changed :(

[tsmc223]

someone please :(

[Aussie11]

It does sound a lot like IBS. I have had very similar thing to you in past and have had colonoscopy every 3-5 years since I was about 30 and no issues identified. I find Metamucil gives me stomach cramps too so switched to a different similar product or I only take half a dose. I went months and months more on the diarrhoea side and then I’ve also had periods of going months the opposite way around. I think it’s always worth running it by the doctor if it continues as they might be able to suggest some strategies, diet, medication or supplements etc which may help you.

[Norseman]

You do not have colon cancer. CC at such young age is EXTREMELY rare. And with no family history you 99,999999% do not have colon cancer.
I would suggest book an appointment to the doc to talk to him to get some reassurance.

Stomach and bowel issues are one of the most common things peoples struggle with. I believe more than 50% of bowel and stomach problems are never diagnosed. It is just unharmful issues that we just have to accept and live with.

I have always had unstable bowels. It varies from loose, to mushy to hard. I can get painful stomach cramps out of nowhere one day, and have complete diarrhea, and then it goes awasy after a day or two. I have no idea why, but that is just something I have had for years. I suspect I have a mild for of IBS, but I have never been diagnosed with it. I recently had a colonoscopy to see if there was any inflammation to rule out Chrons and Ulcertive colotis. It came back 100% fine. I was really scared of CC, and even convinced that I hade dit before I did a colonoscopy. Anxiety is really mean.

[tsmc223]

Coming back to this post.

for that past few months, i’ve been dealing with irregular bowel movements and a change of movements. i’m not sure if it’s lack of fiber, water, bad food habits, etc.
my symptoms include:

• smelly gas that smells like rotten eggs and are warm
  
• diarrhea or lose stool
  
• when it’s solid, it’s usually mushy or takes forever to wipe
  
• stools sticks to toilet and leaves marks after i flush
  
• used to have stomach aches but that stopped
  
• stools not coming out as easily. i feel like i’ve had to push out and don’t really have an “urge” to go.

i’m really not sure if it’s a food intolerance or not. while yes i’ve been dealing with this for a few months, there have been moments where my stool is solid and normal like before and leaves no mess in the toilet. so i’m thinking it has something to do with my diet? although more so now, i get sticky, lose stool accompanied with smelly gas.
so not sure if it’s IBS, food intolerance/diet or something else?
please help :(

[Fishmanpa]

I would suggest trying the FODMAP diet. It's something my wife and I adopted many years ago. The key is to document what you eat and the reaction to it and limit or eliminate that from your diet. It's worked for us

FMP

[tsmc223]

I would suggest trying the FODMAP diet. It's something my wife and I adopted many years ago. The key is to document what you eat and the reaction to it and limit or eliminate that from your diet. It's worked for us

FMP

Definitely going to try this - I've had this suggested quite a bit. Do my symptoms sound like the big c? Of course, my mind always goes to that. I'm just getting frustrated of messy bowel movements and smelly gas.

[Fishmanpa]

I'm not going to get into reassurance here as there's no need to. My bowels have been a mess since my cancer treatment (H&N) 10 years ago. While I still have ups and downs with that, the FODMAP diet has helped. Check out the link and get busy!

FMP