Really need some help

[angrry]

Hi everyone...haven't started a thread here in a while...bit of a long story but here goes...I'm male, 52 yrs old, about 3 months ago i started getting some pain in my right side...aching, burning, stabbing pain..bm's looser, mucous,gas...i saw my doctor and he felt it was related to my IBS which I have had for many years, but has always affected my left side. The pain shows up anywhere between my ribs and just above my hip, it also goes into the right abdomen and right back...I should add I no longer have a gallbladder.
Anyway the pain would come and go but never got better. I saw my doctor a couple more times and he wasn't concerned. He prescribed me an anti-spasmodic drug which didn't help.
During this time I completed a FOBT test which was negative, I also learned my B12 was very low..which has since been fixed. I last had a colonoscopy 6 years ago and it was clear. My doctor was of the opinion that 6 years wasn't long enough for cancer to grow large enough in my right colon to cause pain symptoms.
I returned to my doctor last Wednesday for my annual physical. The right sided pain was still there..more often now...I learned my iron was slightly low and I now take an iron pill twice a week. At that appointment my doctor agreed that maybe it was time for another colonoscopy although he did say it was more for my peace of mind. He agreed too that a referral to a therapist was a good idea.
So yesterday I called the doctor's office to see when I might hear when my scope would be, I found out that a request hadn't even been sent out yet, a week after my doctor said he would request one. I am so worried I may have colon cancer and now it feels as if my doctor just doesn't care. I just don't know what to do anymore....my anxiety is through the roof and I'm extremely depressed as well...Sorry this is so long...I'm just at the end of my rope...it feels like no one cares and that no one is taking me seriously...thanks for reading...I know no one can diagnose me and that's not what I'm looking for...guess i'm just scared that by the time i get the scope it will be far too late to fix anything that's found

[angrry]

thx everyone

[KayeS]

Something I just remembered from my colonoscopy a couple of weeks ago that might help to reassure you...

When I went for my follow up appointment a week ago, after assuring me that nothing was found and all is good, he brought up my cancer fear and he said to me that the fact that absolutely nothing was found in the way of polyps etc, that for that reason, I am free of any risk of bowel cancer for at least the next 10 years, as bowel cancer forms from polyps that develop in the bowel, that can then grow and become cancerous, and that process takes at least 10 years to happen. So actually your doctor is right that 6 years is certainly not enough time for A) cancer to develop, and B) for it to even be big enough to be causing pain, as from what I know, most bowel cancer patients don't have pain, and have many other symptoms before pain is any sort of issue.

[angrry]

Hi KayeS..thank you very much for your reply...it is greatly appreciated and reassuring...I really need to get on the doctor again this week and push for the scope and the therapy so i can put this all behind me and get back to a happier normal life...I hope you are feeling better now after your test and doctor's appt.

[angrry]

I'm really trying not to google, and so far I've been able to stay away from those searches...I'm assuming though that the fact I am not passing in blood is a very positive sign...unfortunately I recall from my googling in the past that colon cancers don't always bleed, at least I think I recall that...my HA mind could be creating false memories in order to keep my worrying going...has anyone else heard this before?

[KayeS]

I was told by the gastroenterologist I saw that bleeding is almost always present in bowel/colon cancer and is usually the first sign you get. In fact I can't imagine you would have pain without bleeding if it is cancer. And pain is almost never present with bowel cancer until EXTREMELY advanced stages.

[Iblametheparents]

Have you still got an appendix? Have you had a temperature?

[angrry]

thx again KayeS...sorry u needed to answer again...Iblame I do still have my appendix..no fevers tho..plus it's been going on for 3 months now

[Iblametheparents]

When was your cholecystectomy? Has that ever given you any gyp?
All your tests so far have been reassuring. Try and focus on that.

[angrry]

my gallbladder was removed 6 1/2 years ago..at first there was a bit of pain after but nothing that went on for almost 4 months...the only test i've had so far that was reassuring was the occult blood test in August which was negative. The low iron is a bit concerning though.

[Iblametheparents]

Can you accept though, that it doesn't have to be cancer?

[angrry]

I think i can..my extreme cancerphobia makes it difficult tho..the pain lasting so long, my iron being low, my age...and of course my HA constantly telling me it must be cancer....could it be be something else? IBS, Crohn;s, diverticulitis?....sure it's possible..I think this is why I really need the scope done soon...and I also need to get the therapy referral so I have the tools to nip this in the bud when my HA starts acting up in the future...of course if I'm right that really wont be an issue

[Iblametheparents]

ulcer...coeliac disease...poor diet...a staple that's gone walkabout...:D

I convinced myself i had Coeliac. I bloat and my hair is thinning (age). Glad I haven't my OH bakes!

You said about "nipping this in the bud." That is the elusive dream of all with HA isn't it? We'll never be able to nip everything in the bud. We have to accept the unknown and live with risk. Otherwise there is no life.
The alternative is paying for a whole body scan every year. That would lead to lots of incidental findings that would never go on to cause a problem, over-treatment and a barrel-load of radiation. Not good.

[angrry]

sorry forgot to mention i was tested for celiac about a month ago...negative...ur right..having had HA for years, almost exclusively about cancer..i know it's hard to nip the anxiety in the bud...thats why i think the the therapy is so important it can give me tools to deal with it better

[Greenman50]

I,ve got the same as you mate , constant pain in the right hand side going through to my back just above my ribs , it also burns at times , i have IBS and its not good at the moment so i,m hoping its just that .

Had this pain before in Feb this year and it passed but i,m starting to worry now had it on and off for weeks ...i,m 50 .