Almost certain my test results point to bowel cancer

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Hi. This is the most terrified I have ever felt. I have suffered with IBS symptoms for 14 years. 3.5 years ago, I noticed blood in my stool. My GP (eventually) referred me to hospital where they checked for inflammation (calprotectin test). Normal level is <50, a positive result is >200 (in between is borderline) - mine was 2000! So they arranged a colonoscopy. However, they could only do a sigmoid in the end, so only looked at the very bottom part. That was clear. Then they did a PillCam which looked at my small bowel, which was clear. But they did not look at the rest of my bowel (where cancer would be most likely to grow). They repeated the calprotectin test and it had gone down to 60, so they decided it was unnecessary to so any more tests as my symptoms appeared to be a little better. In 2019, I was experiencing tenderness (still am), so they repeated the test. It had gone up to 110 (borderline), they repeated again and it was 112 (still borderline). I saw a gastroenterologist who felt my stomach and told me he was certain that I did not have bowel cancer (even though he didn't do any more tests).

My IBS symptoms continued but were not too bad - the only thing that was worse was bloating. Fast forward to a few months ago and I have noticed that I can't lie on my left, or else I get this feeling of pressure in the middle of my stomach, and I still have that. 2 weeks ago then I noticed a little bit of blood in my stool. I went back to my GP and the result is back over 2000. I have been referred for a colonoscopy again.

I am utterly devastated. The doctor told me that they aren't worried about cancer, but that they're referring me urgently because of how high the inflammation is (which they did last time it was this high). But I am CONVINCED that it is bowel cancer, and that, because I have had it all this time, it is advanced. I can't eat, sleep or make it through a day without breaking down. I'm 33 years old, so the chances (according to the Cancer Research website) are 6.6 per 100,000 each year, which percentage-wise means 0.0066% of people in my age bracket will be diagnosed each year. (151 women each year out of roughly 2,100,000). But I have drank alcohol every day for 10 years (for the anxiety) and had a low-fibre, high-processed meat diet, and had loads of back x-rays - so that's 4 risk factors. And I have (stupidly) read multiple stories on the 'Never Too Young' page and others, and I share many of the same symptoms, and they too were told my doctors that they were too young to have bowel cancer (for years sometimes), but then they did have it.

I'm really losing it. I'm not sure why I'm actually posting here because as I typed that all out I just convinced myself even more. I have a child and they are going to have to grow up without a mum. The though of dying terrifies me. I'm so scared. Can anyone say something supportive, please? Thank you.

[ankietyjoe]

First of all, a couple of things I need to say -

One of the biggest issues here seems to be your own obsessive research and self diagnosis. We all know one of the worst things you can do is research your own condition on the internet. You are connecting the calprotectin readings with bowel cancer, nobody else is. It's also an indicator of severe IBS/Crohns etc, and also....you guessed it.....excessive alcohol consumption. I recall having this conversation with somebody before, maybe you?

Also, you have had several tests from several Doctors, all giving you the all clear.

Now a couple of things I think you need to hear -

Stop drinking. It doesn't make anxiety easier, it's not an excuse. You should be more worried about that if you have kids than a disease you so far haven't been diagnose with.

Stop eating crap. If your number one fear is bowel cancer, stop eating crap.

Start looking after your mind and body in a constructive way, not feeding it rubbish and masking the anxiety with alcohol. It's not possible to recover that way.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Thanks for your reply. I agree about the drinking - it has to stop. But honestly, I don't think that will happen until after I get a diagnosis.

Alcohol use can very slightly raise calprotectin to a borderline level (above 50 but below 200), but it definitely cannot raise it to above 2000, which is what is scary. You're completely correct about the food, but I have eaten a lot better over the last few years, I'm just more concerned about the damage I did as a child/ young adult. I literally stopped eating fruit and veg form the age of about 5, was fed processed foods, and only drank fizzy drinks - and that continued until I was in my mid-late twenties (I've always been really thin though - not sure why). Honestly, I don't know anyone who has eaten less fibre than me. I also don't know anyone (other than both of my parents) who drinks as much as I do, or who has had as many abdominal x-rays. Argh, I'm doing it again. Sorry. I'm really trying to stay positive. Just terrified. I just keep telling myself 'one in 15,000 for someone my age' but that still feels high to me?!

[ankietyjoe]

Thanks for your reply. I agree about the drinking - it has to stop. But honestly, I don't think that will happen until after I get a diagnosis.

Alcohol use can very slightly raise calprotectin to a borderline level (above 50 but below 200), but it definitely cannot raise it to above 2000, which is what is scary. You're completely correct about the food, but I have eaten a lot better over the last few years, I'm just more concerned about the damage I did as a child/ young adult. I literally stopped eating fruit and veg form the age of about 5, was fed processed foods, and only drank fizzy drinks - and that continued until I was in my mid-late twenties (I've always been really thin though - not sure why). Honestly, I don't know anyone who has eaten less fibre than me. I also don't know anyone (other than both of my parents) who drinks as much as I do, or who has had as many abdominal x-rays. Argh, I'm doing it again. Sorry. I'm really trying to stay positive. Just terrified. I just keep telling myself 'one in 15,000 for someone my age' but that still feels high to me?!

Just try and stop telling yourself anything right now. Doesn't matter if you're even trying to convince yourself you don't have it, you're still focusing on 'it'.

Don't put off quitting the booze until after the diagnosis. Once you've had the diagnosis you'll find another excuse to carry one, that's just the nature of the beast.

All you know right now is that you don't have bowel cancer. It's only your own research and imagination that's making it real in your head. Use that mental ferocity and focus it on something you can actually do like improving your diet and stopping drinking, today. If you falter, remind yourself of the child you mentioned. It might sound a bit like emotional blackmail, but I always draw most strength from the fact that I have children and just have to get on with it.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Thank you. Honestly, I would love to give the alcohol up right now, but I actually feel like I'm going insane with this worry, so it's not the right time for me (I'm even taking beta-blockers for the first time just to try to cope). But if the colonoscopy came back clear, I am extremely confident that I would quit. I have had anxiety about various health issues in the past, but this is by far the worst one, because with this one I actually have test results which could indicated the worst. I have been depressed for the last few years due due to circumstances, but that all seems so insignificant now. If it came back clear I know I would appreciate my life so much, and I definitely want to prolong it for as long as possible.

[BlueIris]

Orrr, you could find something else to worry over obsessively. Sorry to be a downer, but that's how my HA always worked when it was out of control.

Besides, if you're admitting that you need the booze to get by, you're admitting to an alcohol problem and you need to nip that in the bud.

[NoraB]

I am utterly devastated.

It very much sounds like you don't have bowel cancer..

Do you take Ibuprofen at all?


I'm really losing it. I'm not sure why I'm actually posting here because as I typed that all out I just convinced myself even more. I have a child and they are going to have to grow up without a mum. The though of dying terrifies me. I'm so scared. Can anyone say something supportive, please? Thank you.

I understand, totally. This was the fear which crippled me with HA. But listen, I really don't think you have BC and one reason is that cancer doesn't take time off without treatment - it just keeps growing! It's highly unlikely that you'd have negative or borderline results in-between high ones if this was cancer, and I imagine there would be a lot more going on in your blood work.

I've recently done the calprotectin test and they're looking for inflammation and there are lots of reasons for this, like a bacterial infection/ overgrowth, and some medications can produce high results - which is why I've asked you about Ibuprofen etc

You're HA mind has done what it will always do which is to take you to the very worst case (and least likely) scenario and it's always terminal. I personally know one person who had bowel cancer and she lived (cancer free) for another 40 years after and died when she was 93! Then again, this was my aunty who was the epitome of 'battle axe'. Bowel cancer kill her off? It wouldn't dare! :roflmao:

Take comfort in the fact that gastro specialists - who see people with bowel cancer - are convinced that you don't have it. That's not to say that there isn't a gastric issue, but even if that's the case - it will be sorted.

Do yourself a massive favour and stop trawling the internet because your HA mind will see what it wants you to see and will ignore the rational stuff. I was 100% convinced I had bowel cancer too, so convinced that I planned my own funeral! But there was no cancer. Nothing life-threatening at all - just my IBS being a pain in the @rse..

The fear of leaving my son (autistic) had to be addressed, so I re-framed it all. I know of a child who lost his mum and people stepped up, as they will always do. This child is happy, supported, and enjoying secondary school - excelling in sports. Children are more resilient than we think. Your child isn't going to lose you - not this time - but this fear needs to be addressed because HA will keep coming back. Time spent dwelling on a future that you cannot predict is quality time with your child wasted. You do have this time. Don't allow HA to steal that from you.

I absolutely agree with what Joe's said re alcohol and anxiety. Drinking to relieve anxiety doesn't work. A few drinky poos of an evening might take the edge off for a few hours but it will be back to bite you on the @rse within a few hours when dehydration kicks in and your liver tries to remove the toxins. Some people's 'anxiety' disappears completely when they stop drinking. What does that tell you?

[ankietyjoe]

Thank you. Honestly, I would love to give the alcohol up right now, but I actually feel like I'm going insane with this worry, so it's not the right time for me

Just keep something in mind.

Of course it's your decision whether you decide to give up or not, but if you decide that now is not the time for you I think it's a good idea to frame the continued drinking with the idea that it is a bigger problem than the HA itself, because it probably is. You are borderline alcoholic, and it's a good idea to admit that to yourself. Don't beat yourself up, don't judge yourself, it's just something you felt you had to do to get by that's turned into a problem in itself. I for example, became a hermit when I first experienced chronic anxiety around a decade ago, and because I didn't realise the consequence of that I then had to deal with even more chronic agoraphobia several months later. I even started finding it difficult to leave a particular room in the house. Just illustrating that sometimes you think you're doing a positive thing to help, when in fact it's causing more problems than it can ever solve.

[anom]

Bowel Cancer was my last *drama* 4 years ago at the age of 30

I've always been suspected of having IBS, probably spend about 90% of my life with some sort of constipation - fairly bad diet, alsorts of rumblings/gurgling/popping/bloated aches and pains. (I still have all this)

I went through a particularly bad patch, I injured my back and started pill popping ibuprofen because I was struggling to walk, several weeks of ibuprofen ended up in super mega constipation (I swear I didn't have a movement in well over a week - usually I'm every 3-4 days)

This lead to some quite persistent pain lower left in my abdomen and some blood when it finally happened.

I don't know how things went after that - I think my pain must have remained for several weeks because I ended up at doctors (I do anything to avoid going to see a doctor - including suffering in silence for months) Both times I went they suspected it was probably just IBS, I had some bloods taken and off I went with some new IBS medication. This did fekk all and when I went back to see my doctor he queried if anyone in my family had ever had bowel cancer. Well my granddad died from it in his 60's "I'm going to refer you for a colonoscopy just incase" - this sent me right over the edge. I spent the next month or so spending all my time googling bowel cancer, symptoms, survival rates, various parts of the bowels..where it might be, where it might have spread to. I went right off my trolley. I'd still not even had my appointment for the colonoscopy after a month, I'd lost a good 2-3 stone (I needed to lose a bit of weight but probably not in the way I did) - I flipped..went private and saw a specialist. I must have been in the room with him for about 5 minutes, he asked me a few questions, poked around a bit and said he didn't really see any problems but if I wanted to wait out the colonoscopy for peace of mind I should probably do that.

I went back home, I continued to google like mad, the pain never went away - I was convinced it was a tumour, 24/7 ache and pain in the same spot - it can't be anything else but a tumour, IBS moves around! - I couldn't wait and I rang the specialist back up and decided to have the colonoscopy privately for the pricely sum of £2000 but I could have it in like..4 days time. So I did, them 4 days was probably one of the worst in my life (I'm not even talking about the prep). I had the procedure, I was sedated or knocked out of something - I was laid on a bed with something being stuck up my nose, being asked my weight and then a second later I'm coming round. The specialist is there, gives me a thumbs up that theres nothing there and letting me know theres a bacon sandwich on the cards while the sedative wears off.

I left the hospital about an hour later - pain had completely gone. I did all the googling you have done, got myself worked up into a right state and once I was given the all clear - the symptoms literally vanished in seconds. It's pretty terrifying how powerful the old mind is! once you convince you have something it does all sorts of tricks. (He says as he's currently struggling with a heart problem - or maybe I don't have a heart problem...but either way I'm awaiting an MRI and some blood tests)

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Hi. First of all, I want to thank everyone who took the time to reply to me. Apologies that I did not respond - the last month has been horrendous and I have hardly functioned. I spoke to a private gastroenterologist who seemed surprised that the previous gastros did look at my whole bowel. I asked if he thinks I have bowel cancer and he said he's thinking more IBD. I said "but you don't know for sure?" and he said "no, I can't say for sure that it's not cancer. The only way to know is by colonoscopy" - this was different to what to gastro I saw last week told me when I asked and he said "you don't have bowel cancer". The wait for a private colonoscopy was 6 weeks, so I was advised to keep my NHS appointment and see what they say. I spoke to the NHS gastro and he agreed that I need a colonoscopy and said the same thing about not being able to say for sure that it's not cancer. He booked me for an urgent colonoscopy, and I received a phone call the next day to say I could be seen within the week! So my colonoscopy is in 2 days. I'm absolutely terrified - why the hell did the previous gastroenterologists decide to stop testing when the two I have spoken to recently don't seem so confident. I'm so upset and angry with both the doctors and myself for not pushing for a colonoscopy years ago. Now, because this has been going on for 3.5 years, I know that if they find cancer, it will be stage 4 and I will most likely die. I'm absolutely terrified. In 2 days time, I will be told that I am going to die. I can't cope with this.

[NancyW]

I would love to give the alcohol up right now, but I actually feel like I'm going insane with this worry, so it's not the right time for me .

With all of your research I'm sure you know alcohol consumption increased the chances of getting bowel cancer, right?

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Yes, obviously I know that. That's what scares me even more. But I'm at a point where I think I'm about to find out I have bowel cancer and I'm going insane with worry, so a few extra days of drinking won't make much difference. If they told me I didn't have it, I would quit. I don't think they will tell me I don't though, I'm pretty sure it's too late.

[BlueIris]

You don't know that for sure. You might think you have a (forgive me) gut feeling, but these count for nothing when you have anxiety. I've been utterly convinced I've had stage 4 cancer a dozen or more times, sometimes with what I thought was genuine evidence. Anxiety is the enemy of rational thought.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

You don't know that for sure. You might think you have a (forgive me) gut feeling, but these count for nothing when you have anxiety. I've been utterly convinced I've had stage 4 cancer a dozen or more times, sometimes with what I thought was genuine evidence. Anxiety is the enemy of rational thought.

Thank you. I know what you mean - I have had worries in the past too. But the fact that the gastroenterologist I spoke to has ordered an urgent colonoscopy is really worrying, even for those who don't have HA. It worries me more because I have had these issues for years, so if it is cancer then it's almost certainly stage 4. I feel so sick with worry right now.

[Fishmanpa]

My brother in law had colon cancer. It was stage IV. He didn't have it for 'years' prior to being diagnosed and it was obvious something was seriously wrong. I had Stage IVa Head and Neck cancer. Again, it was obvious something was seriously wrong.

Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.

The replies are spot on concerning alcohol. You have IBS. Add the stress and anxiety and it's making things worse. You're desperately trying to rationalize the behavior with your replies. Your doctor isn't concerned about cancer but yes, they need to see what's going on. Based on the fact you've had these symptoms for years, have IBS and have admittingly been hurting yourself with your lifestyle along with how cancer manifests itself and affects you physically, I have a feeling I know what the results will be. If I'm wrong, I'll eat my words.

Positive thoughts

[nomorepanic]

You must be on prep day today then?

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

My brother in law had colon cancer. It was stage IV. He didn't have it for 'years' prior to being diagnosed and it was obvious something was seriously wrong. I had Stage IVa Head and Neck cancer. Again, it was obvious something was seriously wrong.

Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.

The replies are spot on concerning alcohol. You have IBS. Add the stress and anxiety and it's making things worse. You're desperately trying to rationalize the behavior with your replies. Your doctor isn't concerned about cancer but yes, they need to see what's going on. Based on the fact you've had these symptoms for years, have IBS and have admittingly been hurting yourself with your lifestyle along with how cancer manifests itself and affects you physically, I have a feeling I know what the results will be. If I'm wrong, I'll eat my words.

Positive thoughts

Thank you. Sorry to hear about how cancer has affected you and your family.

I keep trying to tell myself that if I'd had it for years I'd be a lot more unwell by now (my bloods all came back OK). The gastroenterologist agreed and said he'd be very surprised if I had it. But then I read stories about younger people who were going back and forth to their doctors for years (some say 3-4 years!) and they were also told that they were too young to have it, and it scares me all over again. In my age range though, the annual rate is 6.8 per 100,000, so about 1 in 14,000 - but that still seems scary to me!

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

You must be on prep day today then?

Yes, I'm due to start it this evening.

[Fishmanpa]

In my age range though, the annual rate is 6.8 per 100,000, so about 1 in 14,000 - but that still seems scary to me!

Maybe it would be more reassuring to visualize that stat. There is a post in the Rabies sub-forum on it. Check this out. (https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/11/from-1-to-1000000.html)
Think of that stat and trying to pick out 7 specific dots in 100K. :winks: Ohhh... and STOP GOOGLING HORROR STORIES! (and drinking!)

Positive thoughts

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Maybe it would be more reassuring to visualize that stat. There is a post in the Rabies sub-forum on it. Check this out. (https://waitbutwhy.com/2014/11/from-1-to-1000000.html)
Think of that stat and trying to pick out 7 specific dots in 100K. :winks: Ohhh... and STOP GOOGLING HORROR STORIES! (and drinking!)

Positive thoughts

Thank you. I'll sound insane now, but I actually already did already create a page with 10,000 dots (apparently heavy drinking increases the risk 1.5 fold, so that brings it closer to 1 in 10,000), then coloured in one of the dots. And that made me feel better... for a while. Then I began thinking 'ok, but if you eliminate everyone who doesn't have symptoms... then everyone who doesn't have abnormally high levels of bowel inflammation..." then I worked myself up again! Argh. Anyway, I can't do much else now. This time tomorrow I'll know for sure. Thanks again for your replies - it does help.

[NancyW]

Yes, obviously I know that. That's what scares me even more. But I'm at a point where I think I'm about to find out I have bowel cancer and I'm going insane with worry, so a few extra days of drinking won't make much difference. <<--- Whoa DENIAL !!!) If they told me I didn't have it, I would quit. I don't think they will tell me I don't though, I'm pretty sure it's too late.

Why not do something that will actually lessen your anxiety ? Like taking a walk ? Do some type of physical activity to burn off some of the adrenaline overwhelming your system .. why do something that is hurting you ? Possible causing your thoughts to further skew ?

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Why not do something that will actually lessen your anxiety ? Like taking a walk ? Do some type of physical activity to burn off some of the adrenaline overwhelming your system .. why do something that is hurting you ? Possible causing your thoughts to further skew ?

With all due respect Nancy, it sounds like you don't know too much about addiction. When I became an alcoholic, I wasn't doing anything 'wrong' - I was doing something which was legal and widely promoted (though TV ad, shows, etc.) It just so happened that I became addicted. I was super anxious and it's the only thing that helped to stop that (and yes, I tried therapy, medication, exercise). If you use a drug as a tool to cope with anxiety and other negative emotions, and you do that for over a decade, then when you're the most anxious you have been in your entire life it's not as simple as just "taking a walk" instead.

[NancyW]

it's not as simple as just "taking a walk" instead.

Have you tried today ? I will give you the benefit of the doubt, you're a bright, knowledgeable human being with sense about you. What have you done to help yourself today ? Your above post is filled with excuses ..

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Excuses for what? For becoming an alcoholic? - I'm not sorry about that, I didn't choose it. Or for not quitting alcohol in-between being given some scary test results and having the test which may well tell me I'm going to die? Hardly the best time to try to quit. Not that I need to explain myself, but I have already mentioned that should the test come back clear, I will be working hard to quit. Me saying "a few extra days of drinking won't make much difference" is not "denial" (as you so nicely put it) - it's true. Maybe you're coming from a good place, and if you are then I appreciate that. But your tone sounds very judgemental and I'm really not in a good frame of mind right now, so I cannot deal with it. So please do not message me about my drinking again.

[Fishmanpa]

If they told me I didn't have it, I would quit.


I have already mentioned that should the test come back clear, I will be working hard to quit......So please do not message me about my drinking again.

Big difference.... and yes, they are excuses. You're setting yourself up for failure and building in the excuse not to :lac:

Added: I'm not judging here as I do enjoy a good beer or two now and again. I'm just pointing out the reality. You have a physical issue that is being exasperated by anxiety and alcohol abuse. Both need to be addressed.

FMP

[nomorepanic]

If you choose to drink that is up to you and I am not going to judge you on that.

You won't be able to drink tonight whilst doing the prep so that is a good starting point.

If you want to give up then you will and if you don't then I for one would not judge you at all. We are adults and make our own choices in life - good or bad.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

If you choose to drink that is up to you and I am not going to judge you on that.

You won't be able to drink tonight whilst doing the prep so that is a good starting point.

If you want to give up then you will and if you don't then I for one would not judge you at all. We are adults and make our own choices in life - good or bad.

Thank you - that's much appreciated :)

[NancyW]

You have a physical issue that is being exasperated by anxiety and alcohol abuse. Both need to be addressed.
FMP

Absolutely! Why not at least attempt to control the things you can?

I know you don't want to hear it, but your excusing your alcoholism and making yourself the victim when its totally your doing. If you wanted to begin helping yourself you'd stop buying it and get it out of your house, you clearly don't.. poor me, society and tv commercials made me drink.

After this crisis is over your anxiety will latch onto something else, the drinking will continue.

This horrid cycle will never end until you stop it.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Absolutely! Why not at least attempt to control the things you can?

I know you don't want to hear it, but your excusing your alcoholism and making yourself the victim when its totally your doing. If you wanted to begin helping yourself you'd stop buying it and get it out of your house, you clearly don't.. poor me, society and tv commercials made me drink.

After this crisis is over your anxiety will latch onto something else, the drinking will continue.

This horrid cycle will never end until you stop it.

What the hell is your problem? I nicely asked you to not message me again about my drinking, yet here you are again. I came here because I am terrified about a colonoscopy I am having tomorrow and needed to talk it out. I'm in such a bad space right now and honestly your messages are making me feel even worse. If I want help with my drinking, I'll go to my GP, or AA, or some other help group. I'm not going to listen to the advice of someone who clearly knows nothing about addiction. Now, again, please leave me alone.

[nomorepanic]

My dad was an alcoholic and sadly it killed him in the end so I would never tell someone to "just stop drinking" because that would never happen.

He had to make those choices for himself.

Good luck for tomorrow and I hope the news is good news.

[wilf1]

what was your outcome

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

My dad was an alcoholic and sadly it killed him in the end so I would never tell someone to "just stop drinking" because that would never happen.

He had to make those choices for himself.

Good luck for tomorrow and I hope the news is good news.

I'm really sorry to hear about your dad. That must have been so tough.

I absolutely will be working on giving up drinking if this comes back clear - this has been a huge wake up call. All I want to be now is healthy.

Thank you very much for your kind messages. If it's good news, I'll update my thread (not sure if I'll be up to that if it's not!) x

[Fishmanpa]

If they told me I didn't have it, I would quit.


I have already mentioned that should the test come back clear, I will be working hard to quit......So please do not message me about my drinking again.


I absolutely will be working on giving up drinking if this comes back clear

Just pointing out the pattern. 'What if" it doesn't? Will you just give up and drink until the big C takes you? I can tell you flat out you cannot drink if you accept treatment and fight it.

FMP

[nomorepanic]

I think we need to let the drinking issue go now please.

This member has their own choice of what to do and it is not our position to keep going on about it.

If he/she is an alcoholic then it will take time to stop drinking unless done under proper supervision.

[nomorepanic]

How did it go then and what are the results?

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

How did it go then and what are the results?

Hi, thanks for asking. Unfortunately I had another incomplete colonoscopy. He had to stop at the sigmoid again because the pain was so bad (I had sedation and IV painkillers this time too). I asked him to carry on despite the pain but he said that could be dangerous because he was going round a bend and it could tear my bowel. He said the rectum and sigmoid looked normal, and he took some biopsies.

So I'm pretty sad right now that I have no answers. I'm going to request a CT colonography when I next see the consultant, but who knows how long that will be.

Thank you again for your messages.

[nomorepanic]

Yeah going round the bend is the painful bit.

Sorry you didn't get the answers you hoped for today.

[BlueIris]

Sorry you weren't able to get closure. Was thinking of you yesterday.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

Sorry you weren't able to get closure. Was thinking of you yesterday.

Thank you for thinking about me.

I am upset about it, especially as apparently now I have to wait about 6 weeks to hear back from the gastroenterologist who referred me (even though he referred me urgently). But I have an appointment next week with a private gastro, so hopefully I can get another type of test done privately and sooner.

[anom]

I went private and had a colonoscopy. I was knocked out.

I didn't ask for it, I didn't even know I was going to be knocked out but when I turned up on the day there was another guy there asking me questions about my weight and allergies and I started to put 2 and 2 together!

Also on the bill at the end there was an extra £150 for an anaesthetist!

I don't know if all private do that, I don't know if that particular consultant only does them when your knocked out (If I'd waited 3-4 months I would have seen the same guy on the NHS)

Nor do I know if its a viable option as it wasn't cheap! but I needed it for my own peace of mind.

[HopeI'mWrong:P]

I went private and had a colonoscopy. I was knocked out.

I didn't ask for it, I didn't even know I was going to be knocked out but when I turned up on the day there was another guy there asking me questions about my weight and allergies and I started to put 2 and 2 together!

Also on the bill at the end there was an extra £150 for an anaesthetist!

I don't know if all private do that, I don't know if that particular consultant only does them when your knocked out (If I'd waited 3-4 months I would have seen the same guy on the NHS)

Nor do I know if its a viable option as it wasn't cheap! but I needed it for my own peace of mind.

Thank you - it's good to know that's an option then. But then again, my endoscopist said it was dangerous for him to continue trying to get round the bend when it hurt too much because it could rip my bowel. So I worry that if I was put to sleep, they could do damage without realising? I wonder if they just didn't give me enough sedation, because when he was about to inject it, he said many people fall asleep or don't remember much when given it, but I was wide awake and remember everything clearly (and my BMI is like 18.5, so I thought it was going to affect me more!). I'll speak to the private consultant next week and ask about the possibility of being properly put to sleep next time.

Thanks

[PennyLane85]

Hi, I know this is an old thread but I am curious how it all turned out for you?

Much love xx