View Full Version : Anxiety with bowel cancer
Hi all,
My first posting on this site and hope it will help me get a grip of my self.
I am Married and have 2 young children, and am self employed, we were also house hunting till 3 weeks ago which all can be quite stressfull.
I was having probloms with rectal bleeding after i used the toilet, bright red blood on toilet paper, now in stead of going to my GP i thought i would gave a look on the web, most stupid thing i have ever done.
Convicing my self i had cancer and totally freaked out, i was sick, shacking, sweating kept needing the toilet which made bleeding worse. (mum died of cancer when i was 11, now 30)
few days later i went to GP and he said he thinks i just had piles and i was fine for 6 months untill last 3 weeks.
Was away with family house hunting but after being away for 2 night i had problems with rectal bleeding which had been on and off over the last 6 months anyway, this seemed to set me off agian and i had another big panic attack, (sick, Shaking, hot and cold flushes, needing toilet all the time etc)
When i got home i went to see GP again who told me it was only piles agian but this time i am still have anxiety problems, having the odd panic attack, hot and cold flushes, IBS, racing heart, loss of appetite, i have been able to control them more now with deep breathing and am going to a Counselling clinic on June 13th which seems a life time away.
I have stopped the rectal bleeding caused by piles with the creams but every time i go toilet i am always checking for blood which does not help me and then i need to go toilet more which iritates things and makes me panic, a vicious circle.
Any advice and help would be great, Driving me mad feeling like this all the time, hard to take my mind off the problem.
David
Did your doctor give you a rectal examination?
Hi Dj33
I'd ask your doctor if he can refer you to a specialist at your local hospital.
If you just say to your doctor that you would like that done, they usually agree just to settle the matter. What happens is you will probably get a rectal examination and a barium enema. It takes about ten years for a cancer in the lower bowel to develop, so having a checkup would settle your mind.
Tom
Did your doctor give you a rectal examination?
I had a internal examination about 6 months ago with some kind of plastic tube camara thing at doctors surgery
I had a internal examination about 6 months ago with some kind of plastic tube camara thing at doctors surgery
It sounds like a sigmoidoscopy so he must have seen the haemorrhoids then? They can be right little devils a lot of women get them during pregnancy.
i have been trying to treating the haemorrhoids, have been able to stop the bleeding but they still there slightly which is really annoying.
i have been trying to treating the haemorrhoids, have been able to stop the bleeding but they still there slightly which is really annoying.
Why don't you have a word with your GP and ask him if he actually saw haemorrhoids there? If so, could he recommend some ointment for them or further treatment. Sometimes just wiping them roughly with loo roll can set them off bleeding, but it would be nice if this didn't happen so I would visit him again and ask for his advice on how to prevent it.
He may well then refer you on to someone else. :flowers:
Thanks for your replys, just by looking around the forums has made me feel a little less Anxious and not totally alone.
I have had terrible anxiety in this area and it was the fear of bowel cancer that first brought me to the docs attention 2 years ago. I did have the whole barium enema thingy and it was negative of anything other than small tears in the bum! I have realxed on this now thankfully.
Happyone
xx
Hello David ,
Sorry to hear about your experience with the patch of anxiety and piles. I know anxiety can be quite the beast . Nevertheless , in regards to the plies , you may wish to wet / dampen your tissue slightly with warm water when wiping to avoid irritation and abrasiveness ; be gentle ;) Or purchase , wet wipes for this purpose .
Secondly , B6 tablet , daily supplementation , I understand this has been deemed successful at addressing and correcting this issue . Check link below .
Hemorrhoid Treatment Tips - B6 tablet testimonials
http://www.hemmoroids.org/hemmorroids.html
Thirdly , diet plays a significant role . Accordingly one should drink lots of water , consume lots of green vegetables and fruits and add herbal teas and berries which contain flavonoids to strengthen blood vessels . Check link below . Moreover , ease off alcohol & caffeine , it depletes
the body of vitamins and especially water ... which can add to irritating your anxiety and hemorrhoids .
Alternaive Hemorrhoid Treatment - diet info
http://www.hemroids.us/external-hemroids.htm
Finally , David , avoid sitting long peroids of time , get up and walk around when possible . In closing , diet , exercise and distraction seem to be one's greatest tools in countering and correcting Anxiety insofar as all the literature I have reviewed and researched . Drugs / medication is a good buffer ..... aka .. takes the edge off the symptoms ; but unfortunately never cures anxiety .
Hope the info is of assistance to you and my apologies for my verbosity .
Regards ,
Thank you iMysterio for the helpfull information, i have to be honest i don't think i do drink enough water, i have started taking Vitamin B Complex, but generally i do have a good diet, wife see to that.
I could handle the piles, but with the bleeding i suffered, and reading things on the internet have cause me fears that i find hard to think rationally about, i do tell myself i'm fine but a little voices in the back of my mind tells me other wise and causes the Anxiety i think, even though Doctors said i should not worry.
At the moment i just have this dull ache around my back/bum which causes me worry, but i think it is just tension around that area from being anxious.
Thanks happyone, maybe i should go for same test.
Hey David ,
I recently had an external anal fissure , and I too have a dull ache / tension around my low back / rump area as you do . So I can relate . The Anxiety Symptom Spectrum is wide and long . My butt cheeks / muscles are even sore sometimes , so I alternate by walking about or lying down when viewing television . I guess distraction is key here . I think I will go rob the bank just to break the monotany . How about you ? :) :)
Regards ,
lol, think you have the right idea Mysterio, i need somthing that will keep really ocupied so i don't have time to think about it
Thank you iMysterio for the helpfull information, i have to be honest i don't think i do drink enough water, i have started taking Vitamin B Complex, but generally i do have a good diet, wife see to that.
I could handle the piles, but with the bleeding i suffered, and reading things on the internet have cause me fears that i find hard to think rationally about, i do tell myself i'm fine but a little voices in the back of my mind tells me other wise and causes the Anxiety i think, even though Doctors said i should not worry.
At the moment i just have this dull ache around my back/bum which causes me worry, but i think it is just tension around that area from being anxious.
"At the moment i just have this dull ache around my back/bum "
Snap! I get that and I have some tiny weeny haemorrhoids from when I had my son.:blush:
Thanks Trixie, i know it's all in my mind, can't wait to start the CBT on 13th june to help me stop thinking about negative thoughts.
Will go to the doctors and see if they have any better treatments to clear them up.
Thanks Trixie, i know it's all in my mind, can't wait to start the CBT on 13th june to help me stop thinking about negative thoughts.
Will go to the doctors and see if they have any better treatments to clear them up.
Yes they are not very nice things to have and can be extremely painful and that pain in the cheeks of the bottom can be eye watering at times:ohmy:
worriedGrace
26-05-08, 16:22
I sympathise with your bowel cancer fear as I have had it sor several years. It started with constantly going to the toilet and my doctor sent me for a barium enema which showed'nothing serious or sinister'. The symptons continued for a couple of years and then I was taken to A&E with severe pain and rectal bleeding. The surgeon reckoned it was diverticulitis and let me go home. My own GP was all for leaving it and seeing what happened but I insisted on a sigmoidoscopy which I am having on 6th June. Imust admit to having some dreadfull days whist waiting but I am determined to get it sorted out.
I have found this forum a great comfort and I hope you will get the same help from talking on it as I have.
I sympathise with your bowel cancer fear as I have had it sor several years. It started with constantly going to the toilet and my doctor sent me for a barium enema which showed'nothing serious or sinister'. The symptons continued for a couple of years and then I was taken to A&E with severe pain and rectal bleeding. The surgeon reckoned it was diverticulitis and let me go home. My own GP was all for leaving it and seeing what happened but I insisted on a sigmoidoscopy which I am having on 6th June. Imust admit to having some dreadfull days whist waiting but I am determined to get it sorted out.
I have found this forum a great comfort and I hope you will get the same help from talking on it as I have.
When you get a flare up do you have severe pain in your left side and a temp?
worriedGrace
27-05-08, 16:02
When I was sent to hospital the pain was in the bottom right hand side of my abdomen. Don't think I had a temperature but they said my blood pressure was high,not surprising seeing I was terrified!
I get diverticulitis quite often (about 6 or 7 flare ups a year) I have to keep Metroniazole on standby. I have been admitted into hospital as an emergency with it and nil by mouth and on an IVI for a week.
The pain is in my left iliac fossa, I have a high temp due to the infection and the most terrible abdominal cramps. I hate getting them as I never know if I am going to end up in hospital.:mad:
I had bleeding from my bottom just the once but it was enough to FREAK ME OUT went to the docs and couldnt find any hemmeroids and said i should go for a camera up my bum thingy,well that was it for me i had bowel cancer spent the next to weeks googleing and worrying and depressed everytime i went to the loo i had panic attacks could never see anything i was even tempted on pulling it apart to see YUK i know but i never did
The day came the nurse flushed me out im not ashamed but i was in a state of tears the nurse was great i pulled myself togeather and the doctor was very gentle lol,it was all clear and that 2 years ago,now i have a new problem i had a very slightly abnormal blood test come back on my kidneys so i think i have some form of cancer kidney,bladder,prostate you name it ive googled it,back to square one cant take it no more ive been back to the docs a number of times and has put me down for CBT i need it cos i cant keep thinking and living like this,i am DEEEEEPREEEEESED!!!!!!!
Hi David_1,
That google can be our own worse enemy, i keep thinking if i had never looked up my problems i would not be were i am now, i hate having to go toilet as i am always checking for blood, and there normally is none.
The thing that is worrying me at the moment is i keep getting a funny feeling around my tummy, like butterflys which comes and goes, even though i do not think i am feeling anxious.
hiya my hubby suffers with piles on and off and they bleed alot so please dont panic they come and go and u can have a fair bit of blood but they are harmless please dont worry xxxx
Thanks Donna,
I am Trying and getting better at not worrying too much about it,
Hope the CBT will help the other half of me to not worry,
hiya i have cbt and its brilliant ive had 5 sessions and already i feel much more confident, dont care wot people think of me and i am worrying alot less in general, im sure it will work for u too, just be very honest and tell them everything as u only get out of it wot u put in i feel. it was hard for me to be brutally honesy but it feels good now hugs xxxx
I feel the same DJ33 though i feel calm i still have symptoms it just dont add up to me i feel tired dizzy nausea its horrible like a vicous circle im up for a kidney scan friday so finger's crossed again then hopefully the CBT will sought myself out,im sorry if i cant give any good advice at the moment this health anixety comes across as a selfish problem i can only talk of my experiences.
I feel the same DJ33 though i feel calm i still have symptoms it just dont add up to me i feel tired dizzy nausea its horrible like a vicous circle im up for a kidney scan friday so finger's crossed again then hopefully the CBT will sought myself out,im sorry if i cant give any good advice at the moment this health anixety comes across as a selfish problem i can only talk of my experiences.
Hi David_1
Will have my fingers crossed for you too, even though i'm sure all will be fine. I am going to see the doctor again to ask for a proper check up to hopefuly put my mind at ease aswell.
David
Hi all,
Thought all was going well to last few days, had another small panic attack, keep getting the small pains in my tummy that come and go, also have had a few nights of keeping wanting to go toilet. but scared to go just incase i se some more blood.
Driving me mad,
also CBT has been delayed till the 19th june.
Are these pains normal
Hi all,
I really seen to dread coming home and the evening time, just becaust this is when my Anxiety is worse, the problem is i guess, is more i think about it happening the higher chance of it happening, god i hate the human mind sometimes,
About to make my self some dinner but even this fills me with dread because of the effects it has on me, always wanting to go toilet.
I am trying hard not to think about it but when i know i'm trying it makes me think about the anxiety more, stupid really.
with the tummy pains that come and go, normally worse in the evenings are driving me mad.
Off to see the doctors again monday to see if i can have a proper checks so i can rule anything else out (cancer) and hope this will be a big help to me.
Roll on my CBT appointment.
Hi DJ33
Firstly, blood on the toilet paper after wiping is very common with hemorroids. The skin around that area is very sensitive and can tear easily, especially with over wiping. This may sound strange but adopting a squatting position can totally alleviate piles and the need for over wiping. Check out the links below. I have started using the Loo like this recently and all similar problems have cleared up. It might mean setting up some kind of platform but it's the natural way to go. Ask yourself what position you would adopt if you had to go outdoors. It also means less straining which can cause tears and bleeding.
http://www.relfe.com/toilet_seat_constipation.html
http://lillipad.co.nz/squatting%20birth.html
http://www.mypage.tsn.cc/self-helpconcepts/
http://www.naturesplatform.com/
Hi Grover,
Have tried treating the piles which have helped alot and been very carefull when wiping, i still have some piles which i can feel when wiping so i have to push them back in which sounds discusting but the truth but this stops me hurting them, just can not get rid of them.
Please try what I suggested in my last post. I have rigged up two plastic stools that come up to the level of the toilet seat. This allows me to squat above the loo instead of sitting, I definately do not have to push at all this way and dont need to wipe half as much as did before. People need to talk about these things more, we all go to the loo but sitting is so unnatural. It may feel weird at first as culturally we dont do it this way in the U.K but millions of people still do it this way the world over. Also good hydration is essential to easy bowel movements. Have you checked the links out?
Yes looked at your links, can only give it a go and see if it helps.
Thanks
Hi all,
Thought all was going well to last few days, had another small panic attack, keep getting the small pains in my tummy that come and go, also have had a few nights of keeping wanting to go toilet. but scared to go just incase i se some more blood.
Driving me mad,
also CBT has been delayed till the 19th june.
Are these pains normal
Are they abdominal cramp pains they come in waves and a gripping feeling?
Hi again DJ33
Good luck with it all. Check out the post by jojo2316 on the latest health forum post about the same subject, it may help alay your fears. Take care!
: )
Are they abdominal cramp pains they come in waves and a gripping feeling?
They do come and go, i think they have a slight gripping feeling hard to explain, and at night i do not seem to suffer with them, only when i am awake, so am sure they are only somthing to do with Anxiety.
Hi again DJ33
Good luck with it all. Check out the post by jojo2316 on the latest health forum post about the same subject, it may help alay your fears. Take care!
: )
Thanks Grover for your help.
nomorepanic
05-06-08, 23:24
DJ33 - if it was something serious it would not let up at night it would be 24x7
They do come and go, i think they have a slight gripping feeling hard to explain, and at night i do not seem to suffer with them, only when i am awake, so am sure they are only somthing to do with Anxiety.
Were you ever naughty in school and had to see the headmaster? Remember the tense feeling you got in your stomach and you felt as if you wanted to go to the loo?
It sounds like that sort of thing especially if you don't get it when you are asleep and out of it.
Hi EveryOne,
Thought i would say how i've been and ask a bout a few concerns i got.
I have been up and down, still having some panic attacks but not as strong as they first were,
Had a blood test done regarding my fears of having cancer and they come back all clear, phew.
But i am still having attacks and it might be more down to stress.
Have started seeing a councillor about CBT, but only had 2 sessions so hard to say if it's helping.
I have just started taking CITALOPRAM 10mg for 2 days now(14 july). I did have a bit of a attack when i first took the tablet, guess worried what it will do.
But i also am getting probloms with diarrhoea, but this only seems to happen in the evening, but i do take my tablet at 6pm, so not sure if caused by tablet of just anxiety, wondering if any one else who has used these drugs and have any advise,
Thanks Dave
Hi Dave, I have been on citalopram several times, and for a week or so it did make my symptoms slightly worse before I started to feel better. Give it a while to settle down. It took me a little while to get the right dosage but it completely turned my life around, i thought there was no way out and it gave me hope and my life back.
Thanks Mev, i'll give it a week and see if the problom settles down, only seems to happen in the evening after i have taken the tablet.
Also can i drink alcohol when on these tablets, i don't mean excessive drinking just a couple of can's in the evening?
Thanks Dave
anxiety nightmare
06-04-14, 16:05
actually,significant obvious bleeding from the anus is rarely a sign of cancer,the type that splashes in the toilet pan,or streaks the top of your stools,and soaks your toilet paper......, this is more often than not due to piles/fisurre/or a tear in the anus ....bowel cancer is more likely,when you have alternating movements from constipation to diarreah,that lasts for longer than 2 weeks ..also what many sites dont explain about bleeding,is what type of bleeding ,.,,cancer is normally occult,[very small you cant see it]thats why they have screening programmes at 50 in scotland and 60 in the rest of the uk, ,,one exception would be black stools or red stools,[blood mixed in with stool]they need to be checked as a matter of urgency..one source[click on video]
http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/conditions/bowel-cancer/
also,narrow stools has pretty much been discredited by modern medical field as being a definitive symptom of bowel cancer,shape and size is determined by stool consistency and how relaxed your anal splinter is,and is highly unlikely to be due to a tumour blockage higher in in your bowel
source
http://www.haveigotbowelcancer.com/Information.aspx?id=108
one last point.bowel cancer is rare under 50,,2000 ppl a year get it under 50 in the uk each year,which is 2000 to many,however your chances off getting it before 50 are 25,000 to one,after 50,,its 1,000 to one,so increases significantly after 50
source
http://www.hje.org.uk/index.php/B/bowel-cancer-screening.html
one last thing,after knowing this,i still have my health anxiety fear of bowel cancer :O)
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