Latest fixation.............

[kittykat]

Hi all,
i know sometimes this isn't a great one to talk about [:I] but my latest worry is ............bowel cancer. Been going to the toilet a lot recently first thing in the morning,and its not no1's , dont know if its just down to anxiety as im terrible in the morning cant sleep past 5/6am, stomach starts churning just feel generally panicked.
Anyway i do suffer now and again from the occasional pile(so embarrassed[:I]) so i have had an exam by the doc / gp and she was sayin everything was fine, anyway ive been taking to sticking my head down the loo and having a good look , obsessed or what, i noticed kind of dark bits this morning am convinced its undigested blood and have bowel cancer...............i am so going crazy obviously the meds aren't kicking in yet.
Any advice please, sorry about the subject guys...........just need to get this off my chest , its keeping on going round and round in my head xx

[halfwayhome]

Oh gosh. Is this post perfect for me or what?

Okay. I don't know if you've read any of my recent posts and my overwhelming fear of a brain tumor. However, what started this obsession with health anxiety was a scare of colon/bowel cancer. Not to be gross, but I had blood in my stool a few times. I immediately googled "blood in stool" and - surprise! - there's bowel cancer, right there. It took me days to go to the doctor and when I did he did an examination and said he didn't see anything. He gave me a test to take home but he said it was probably nothing and just related to my period (although my period hadn't started till a couple days later, but anyway.) I never did that test - I was too scared.

But, after reading about bowel cancer, I all of a sudden had - surprise again! - all of the symptoms. I had HORRIBLE abdominal pain every single day. Since I've stopped worrying about bowel cancer, the stomach pain is almost gone - minus the stomach pain that's come on with the anxiety attacks about brain cancer, or whatever else I'm worried about on any given day.

If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? Bowel cancer is quite rare in people under 50. Also - you say you're going to the bathroom every morning - that's actually a good sign. Going once a day is perfect, and especially if you go at a regular time. It only becomes a concern if you're NOT going very often, or if you're going, like, four times every day. Even then, it's unlikely to be cancer.

So, really, don't stress. If your doctor said not to worry, then try not to worry. Abdominal pain is a HUUUUUGE anxiety sign, so that's likely all it is. Once you calm down a bit, your stomach pain won't be as bad, you'll see. :)

Good luck to you!!


“Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.”

xoxox

[kittykat]

Hi Halfway,
Thanks for that, i always seem to be fixating about something, right now bowel cancer, can't help myself.........had a massive argument with the other half this morning telling me to get a grip, he gets really annoyed with me , i wish i could get a grip on all of this, its taken over my life, by the way i'm 35.
I never used to be like this , i think thats why hubby gets annoyed because he remembers how i used to be, i get one symptom , get reassurance from the doctor , it'll be okay for a little while then i'll go back and re-visit it, over and over again........................xx

[halfwayhome]

I understand. I live with my boyfriend of over three years, and he is amazing most of the time, but sometimes, he reaches his limit too. I've basically spent the past 5 weeks OBSESSED with some kind of disease or another.. I went from colon/bowel cancer, to HIV (although I've only ever had sex with said boyfriend.), to appendicitis, to oral cancer and now a brain tumor. It's all I can think about and almost all I can talk about. Even before this though, I tended to obsess with some anxious fication or another. It's tough on him.

“Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.”

xoxox

[miss diagnosis]

my boyfriend is the same. I spent 3 years thinking I was pregnant all the time and using 3 types of contraception. Then it was a brain tumour
now its cervical/ovarian cancer. Do you see signs every where too?
Like if its mentioned on the TV/radio or in a magazine do u think its a sign? and sometimes im like dont stop obsessingover it cos if i do that must mean im in denial of the diseases i have.

[halfwayhome]

OH MY GOSH. Okay, I don't know if you were talking to me or not, but you are, like, my twin or something, I swear.
Absolutely. I saw a brain tumor commercial the other night and I freaked out. My boyfriend was like "yes. That girl on TV has a brain tumor - therefore you must have one too." (he gets very sarcastic sometimes!)
And I don't allow myself to stop being scared either, because I feel like if I do, I'm being ignorant or oblivious to the horrible things that are happening inside my body.

It's amazing for me because I can read this and see logically that I have these anxiety issues.. but it doesn't help. Because I then say to myself "so what? Just because I have anxiety about having a brain tumor, it doesn't mean I DON'T have one." Sigh.

“Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.”

xoxox

[miss diagnosis]

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Im starting to realise now that I must have anxierty issues. My doc tells me often enuff. I know myself if i really think there is something wrong I go to the doctor. Its like when i thought i was pregant (it would have been immaculate conception) I wouldnt do a test.

But like you i think just cos im worry about disnt mean i dont have it

[kittykat]

Oh My God,
We must be triplets or something, I see signs every where, tv , magazines etc. I convince myself that i have it, the symptoms seem to manifest from my anxiety. I recently went on meds and they gave me a really bad headache( i never suffer from headaches) right away BRAIN TUMOUR. Im always fixating on something im just so aware all the time.
I am scared though that one of these times my symptom will be something real so am i not better to worry and catch something early then it can be treated?? xx

[yorkylover]

Hi kittykat,Im pretty sure you dont have bowel cancer.I was going through the same thing a few months ago,I would wake up with tummy ache,and need no 2's,it was anxiety.Your meds can make your stools change[:I].Usually if blood is present the stools are blackish.If its piles,the blood is usually red.I would stop inspecting it pet.[:P]

Ellen XX

[strawberrie]

hi kittykat,

i had a bowel cancer obsession a long time ago - i managed to convince myself i had it and kept pestering my doctor about it. Because i had to wait months to see the specialist at the hospital (i pretty much pestered my doctor into referring me), i wasted all that time worrying that i was dying - what a waste of time.

anyway, when i saw the specialist he told me he sees lots of people every day and he had never once found anything nasty in a young person. at 35 i would guess you're probably in the 'young' age bracket when it comes to these things.

i know its easier said than done, but try not to worry about it, your symptoms are very common for anxiety sufferers.

mag

[reddevil]

Hi,

I suffer from anxiety and I tend to wake up between 5-6am and go streight to the toilet for a number 2 then again before I go work.

I'm sure it's a common thing of anxiety.

Red

[mick]

hi Kitty
snap! i was obbsessed with number 2s for years and used to have a good look as well sometimes there was blood as well mainlly on the paper iwas convinced i had a terrible illness i went to the loo 4 a poo sometimes up to 7 times a day,i went to the doctors he sent me for blood tests which came back negative,he said i had i.b.s caused by g.a.d the blood bit was piles, i went to see a nutritional therapist who really put my mind at rest and helped me with my diet foods i should avoid and food suppements etc and told me she treats loads of people with g.a.d and anxiety related illnesses and that my symptons were soo common,now i go between 1 to 3 times a day mainly in the mornings i still suffer i.b.s abit as well as g.a.d but dont worry about number 2s half as much as i know that much more about the causes of this problem,maybe you would consider seeing a nutritional therapist it would really put your mind at rest,thats what really helped me
good luck Mick

[Dreamer029]

hi there kitty,
im actually a Physician Assistant student and when i read this i felt like i had to reply, i always get health anxiety, i think i have everything.

Colonic bleeding, if it is a large enough amount will turn the stool black. And i mean BLACK. The color change is due to the action of bacteria on the blood. It is usually accompanied by a terrible odor to the stool.

If you have heavy bleeding in the stomach it will result in diarrahea with dark stool, bleeding in the stomach may also cause vomiting and blood in the vomit will look kind of like coffee grounds.

If the bleeding is coming from the anus or rectum it will usually be bright red, and a small amount is normal :-)

hope that helps
Lauren

[ginastockman]

reading this tread has put me at ease... a couple months ago I was put on anti-biotics and it caused me to have awful diarrhea - since then I have be obsessing over my bowel movements —*and i've been noticing white chunks now and again, and some bits that look almost like empty popcorn shells (present after not eating any popcorn) THIS has made me worry about everything from Cron's disease to Tapeworms...

This MORNING, my stool contained a BUNCH of black pieces ...which could very reasonably have to do with the large amounts of wild rice (with mushroom and pork) i have eaten over the weekend, but my anxiety is telling me it is BLOOD and i have cancer! :/

Me being 30, i know it's not likely —*I'm going to try an put this out of my head for now...