bowel problems, im worried sick!

[leah22]

i've had piles now for just over a year, i have been doctors a few times who has offered to refer me to the hospital but i was too scared as i hate hospitals, i asked if it was ok if i just left the piles she said they do no harm but after christmas i thought i must be strong and do something about them so i went to docs and asked her to refer me to the hospital since that day 5 weeks ago i have had very loose bowels sometimes diarrhea, i am worried sick that i have bowel cancer :-( i check my stools sometimes they have little black flecks- dots in them. i am even trying to avoid eating certain foods just in case it shows in my stools and that i panick its blood.

my appointment is for thurs at the hosp and im very scared i'm only 27 just want to live a normal life!

[samc100]

I think this could be anxiety - beause you say it started when you asked to be refered to the hospital.

For some people anxiety manifests itself with a whirring tummy that causes loose bowel movements.

Do you have any trusty techniques to help you when anxious? Yoga? Pilates? Relaxing baths etc?
Diet wise - when I have a whirring tummy I find eating brown rice with chicken ( I marinade in a honey and lemon sauce to make it yummy) really helps to settle my tummy.

Hugs - but I really think this bowel is related to you worrying about going to the hospital rather than it being any thing more serious. xxxxxxx

[danj]

Leah,

I've had very very similar symptoms to you. See my posts around Nov/Dev time. My symptoms included piles and diarrhea (on a daily basis) and finding black stuff in my stool.

I was also terrified to go to the hospital. I ended up seeing a surgeon who said it was probably nothing (i.e. just the piles). He wanted me to have a colonscopy to be 100% sure, but I was too terrified and scared it done.

I knew logically that the symptoms were all anxiety related and the chances of it being bowel cancer at my age (32) with no family history were very very low. However, emotionally I was still terrified.

I took a couple of tests at home (you can buy over the counter test for blood in the stool). I was not worried about the bright red bloody for the piles, but more concerned about the black stuff I was finding in my stool. So I used the home test on three different days and it came back negative (note that it will pick up blood from the piles so you need to be pile free at least on that day). This alliviated my panic a little.

I stopped inspecting my stool and focused on what was bothering me in my life (with my therapist). I started feeling better and stopped panicking over my bowels.

I still see stuff in my stool sometimes, but I know logically it is probably nothing and emotionally I am not in such a panic after having addressed some of my other life issues.

Hope some of this helps.

Dan

[valleybear]

hi Leah22
Worry and anxiety could well be the cause of the loose stools, and as these have come about mainly since you started worrying about the hospital referral..it is more than likely. Also, stress can result in a poor digestion of many foods and this is probably what you are seeing. Good luck on Thursday and once you have seen the specialist you will be calmer. If you are still stressed there is a very simple test....but I do not think you have anything to worry about (I know it is easy to say...) but you are young and otherwise healthy and you will have a normal life! Sending hugs XX

[STEPHYUNO]

Hi leah, I have had very similar experience regarding the bowel discomfort and it isn't easy to talk about so good on you for that, because it is more common than you think. I have had symtoms like going to the toilet like 5-7 times a day, which I know isn't normal, bloated stomach etc and though I agree that stress and anxiety don't help, you may also have I.B.S (irritable bowel syndrome) which can be help by a balanced diet, minor medication and regular excercise. I.B.S can vary from person to person in severity and symptoms, have a wee look into it, it may well alleviate your fears about anything more serious, all the best, hugs Stephen x

[leah22]

Thanks every1 for replying i am hoping it's the anxiety thats causing the loose bowels and diarrhea although i have suffered with anxiety for the past 2 years! i am dreding thurs if he says he wants to do a colonospy (spelling???) i think i will pass out :-( i always say if im ill and they catch it early thats good but also im petrified of the tests and think i'd rather not know even though the imaging the worst is ruining my life if that makes sense.

[Alexy]

Hey, just thought id say, the black flecks your talking about, i too had this on occassions, iv been (and still am) terrified of bowel/colon cancer..and im 17..it sucks:( but i thought id just say, i was convinced these black spots were blood, but i had a blood stool thing done at the doctors, which came back as normal, so it may not be:) i was convinced mine was.

[justdontknow]

You know, my Mum has had exactly the same for years. She was diagnosed with IBS.
Although I don't 'know' my mum that well (although we love each other and see each other every week, we don't 'talk').
I suspect that she suffers from HA too. She would probably never admit it to me though.

Nurture or nature?