CC fears won't go away

[Redsoles]

So I've been having stomach/acid type issues since March. Had a severe attack of intense pain about a month ago. Had upper abdo ultrasound which was clear. I've had full bloods done in April and last week, again all clear. I've had three Calprotectin tests in April and May which showed levels of 98, 72 and 43 (normal level is 50).

Been to GP numerous times for left mid abdo discomfort which she doesn't seem at all concerned about and I'm feeling she's getting fed up with me now. I'm awaiting a breath test to check for H Pylori although symptoms have got better since I stopped taking the PPIs.

But I can't shake the feeling that I have colon cancer. I know it's unlikely at my age of 43 but it's all I can think about. Why do I think I have it? The main two reasons are the pain that comes and goes always in the same spot, just above my navel on the left side. And the other reason is that my reflexologist always comments that my descending colon is inflamed. Even I can feel the crunchy spot when I touch the spot on my feet. So this has convinced me that I have it. I can't sleep, I keep getting waves of adrenalin rush over me all the time. My bowel movements haven't really changed that I've noticed and I've not seen any bleeding.

Last week when I mentioned my cc concern to my GP she almost laughed and said that the Calprotectin would have spotted it. And she said she wanted to concentrate on treating my anxiety now.

I can't shake myself out of this. I literally think of this 99% of my day. I've found this test online and I'm thinking of ordering it:

http://www.oxfordscreening.co.uk/BowelScreening3Choices.php

It looks for an enzyme produced by polyps, bleeding and non-bleeding tumours.

Can anyone empathise with me or has had the same symptoms? I feel that I will end up in a psychiatric situation if I don't get a grip on this.

[Beckybecks]

Most of us with IBS have similar fears.

Your symptoms sound like IBS. Has your doctor mentioned it?

Your anxiety is feeding your condition. I know because I've been there many times and in fact I'm in a similar state to you at the moment. But I've had it so many times before and seen so many doctors that I'm not going to bother again.

Once the anxiety calms down, the stomach issues clear up.
Don't do anymore research on cc, it'll just make you more anxious and in turn your stomach will react to that.

You've had tests and your doctor's not concerned so you should feel reassured.

If your reflexologist is picking up a problem with your colon she's probably correct. With IBS the colon goes into spasms which cause pain.

Look to changing your diet and do somehing to help to ease your anxiety.

[Redsoles]

Yes, my doc seems to think it's 'just' ibs but I thought this was rare to get for the first time in your 40s?

Also, the severe pain I had last month which was like the type of pain you get with food poisoning was the worst I've ever felt. It went on for five hours and was worse than labour. Like someone had my insides in a vice. At one point I was doubled over and panting to get through the pain. Can ibs really be that intense?

---------- Post added at 18:58 ---------- Previous post was at 18:55 ----------

I should also mention that all these problems seemed to coincide with starting Slimming World last year. I've lost 60lbs in a year (intentionally). Last week I went to urgent care because I thought I'd had a heart attack. I had hot sweats, pain in left arm, burning between shoulder blades and chest pain.

I've also been getting a kind of ache in my rectum which lasts for a few seconds and comes and goes. Also sharp pains near my hips and ovaries.

I'm so tired of this. All I want is to be sure I don't have cancer and then I can get on with my life.

[Beckybecks]

It's quite possible you had a stomach bug which then triggered the IBS. It happened to me some years ago. The whole family got the bug. They all recovered but I didn't for some reason. Turns out mine developed into IBS, then anxiety because I wasn't getting better, so the anxiety prolonged the symptoms for about six months.
In my experience IBS pain is never that intense but I've heard of people who say theirs is.

[dale12345]

Thats how my IBS started, and then the stress made it worse and IBS started making the stress worse.