Bowel cancer or IBS?

[Yul]

Hi,

I am a long term HA sufferer :) I thought my condition improved but recently I had a major fear regarding bowel cancer!

About 6 weeks ago I had to use voltaren suppositories (prescribed by doctor as I have extremely painful periods). After second use I felt abdominal cramps, severe indigestion and in two hours saw some red clots in my stool (sorry for details!). Next day I saw GP in my surgery and she said it was nothing, probably caused by piles (I do have piles but they never bleed like this). She also told me to return if I see more blood or have some other symptoms.

In couple of weeks I started to have looser and more frequent stools (not every time but several times per week) and it caused panic again :weep:

I never more saw any blood and I even did home test for hidden blood - was negative. However I can't stop panicking and my bm are more often now (normally twice a day but sometimes more). I kind of feel my food passes through much faster. I didn't loose any weight however.

I also have IBS diagnosed some years ago and I know that it can cause similar problems, however this time I am convinced it is BC!! I also changed my diet several months ago so I suppose eating lots of fruits and vegetables can change my bowel movements too?

I feel stressed and anxious all the time and can only think of returning to GP and asking for more test.

Do you think I should get a referral to a specialist? I am very tired of seeing doctors all the time however I can't get C word off my mind :weep:

Overall I am 37 yo woman, I eat healthy and exercise. Never had any serious health problems despite all my anxiety about it :)

All your comments are much appreciated!

[Gary A]

You're having an IBS flare up caused by anxiety, nothing more. Bowel cancer is extremely rare in people under 50, even rarer in people under 50 who have a negative blood spot in a sample, and super duper rare in people under 50 who have a negative blood spot sample and also have a disappearance of visual blood. Your anxiety is causing your IBS to flare up and creating these minor symptoms you're feeling, it's part of having IBS to experience flare ups during high levels of stress or anxiety. You've also changed your diet which is no doubt contributing.

You don't have bowel cancer. See your GP if you're worried, but I genuinely don't feel it's necessary unless your symptoms become worse or don't improve once your anxiety eases off.

[Yul]

Gary A, thank you!
There seem to be so many stories when young healthy people have bc.
Googling doesn't help, I know :(

[Davit]

There is some information linking IBS and anxiety. It is under memory on the internet with the theory and this is just a theory that IBS is possibly caused by the mind giving the pituitary gland the wrong instructions. It then passes these instructions on to the intestinal track and kidneys. If this is so it could be that your kidneys just don't remove enough water from your large intestine because they don't know they are supposed to. In fight or flight the urge to void is strong. In animals when they are scared it is one of the first things they do.

[Yul]

Davit, thank you for your reply. I think lots of IBS sufferers know this brain - stomach connection. Every time I am stressed I have diarrhoea :weep:

Yesterday I felt much better, no symptoms at all. But today I started to develop lower back pains going down to my bottom and also saw some mucous in the toilet. IBS and anxiety again?

I honestly don't know if I should go and ask GP for a referral or Prozac prescription :weep:

[Yul]

On Monday I felt I couldn't deal with my symptoms anymore and went to see a private GP (I was that desperate!) She said it was health anxiety and referred me to anxiety clinic for therapy. I am now waiting to start the sessions and really hope it would help.

But my symptoms are getting worse too: I now wake up feeling stresses straight away and in some 30 minutes I have a bm (very loose or watery). I am having diarrhea every day now and feel extremely tense. Today I woke up and started crying because I just couldn't bear it. I also eat much less because of my fear of bm and already lost some weight. I feel that my anxiety is just ruining my life, nothing is as it used to be be before, I can't even think about my holidays that I have been planning for a long time :(

Tried to exercise more but it doesn't help too much. All I can think of is to go and see a GI and to have more tests !!!