Scared husband has bowel cancer!

[glowworm]

Hi - I posted a couple of months ago, as I was worried about my husband's abdo pains. We just had a 3-week holiday and he continued to have the pains for the first week, then they went away for the other two weeks, but returned when we got back.

He went to the doctor last week and he gave his abdomen a good prod, then gave him 3 pots for stool samples over 3 consecutive days, to check for occult blood. That's good, but I don't understand why he wasn't sent for a blood test as well. Also, the doctor told him to come back in a month, when he'd probably order a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy to check his bowel. Why do we have to wait that long? (It'll probably be two months from now before they actually do it.) I won't be able to relax till he's been properly checked out!

I'm just so terrified he's got cancer and I'm already starting to feel what it'd be like to lose him. It's intolerable! All I need is some kind of reassurance to help me get through the next few weeks. Should I be reassured by the fact that the doctor didn't order a scope straight away? By the way, he's 41, which I know isn't very old, but he does have bowel cancer in the family. I wish I could just think it's likely to be IBS, but his symptoms don't seem to match the usual pattern (his pains, sometimes accompanied by nausea, tend to come on after a bowel movement, rather than being relieved by one). The pains don't necessarily happen every day. He has had this on and off for a few years, but it does seem to have got worse lately.

If anyone has any experience of this sort of problem, please please let me know!

Thanks in advance ...

[JaneC]

Hi Glowworm, I can understand why you're worried but If your husband had bowel cancer I think he'd have more symptoms than those you mention.

It's interesting that the pains went away while on hols - is he under stress at work or anything? I know you'll worry until you know exactly what's going on but hopefully it isn't anything serious x

[westofengland]

You can't tell - you can't second guess medical professionals. Listen, it's good he's being tested at all, your GP sounds on the ball. My mum only got diagnosed with it after 18 months of complaining about symptoms! The GP never realised she hadn't actually had the stool test. It's utterly rubbish and we are complaining about it.

And even with her, it doesn't appear to have spread.

You say he's had it in his family, which is a factor, but it depends how old his relatives were when they had it. If they were, say, over 60, he's probably got no more risk than the rest of us. If they were under 40. he's more at risk and he needs to be screened and tested - which he is being. And that's good. Better to know.

However awful the waiting is, it's far better he's tested. They can only see so much from stool tests and blood tests, so sooner or later, he'll need the old 'scope

Chances are it'll be fine

Good luck and don't obsess, there is nothing you can do now

[Mogwog]

Hi

I'm sorry you're feeling like this. Just thought i'd offer some reaasurance based on my own experiences.

I have IBS (for about 14 years) and i get terrible pain and always feel sick and sometimes its not relieved by having a bowel movement either, like your husband.

I'm sur everything is just fine.

Laura.xxxxxxxx

[Horse]

I too suffer from abdo pain which most of the time gets worse after a bowel movement. I know most people get relief soon after, but not everyone.

I have had blood tests, stool samples, ultasound scans, normal scans, endoscopy and finally about 2 months ago a colonoscopy (including biopsy).

So far.......nothing. Therefore the diagnosis is presumed IBS.

It is inconceivable to think that so much pain and/or discomfort can be felt when there is nothing there. I get the nausea most nights and cant eat dinner, therefore my stomach gets empty which makes it worse.

Trapped gas is another problem regardless if I eat or not. Another symptom is stomach sounding like a cement mixer upon wakin in the morning.

I thought I was the only one with discomfort after a bowel movement but this appears to be more common than thought.

[glowworm]

Thanks everyone. Stool samples given in yesterday - not sure how long before the results will come back. I know I have to try and be patient while the tests are done, but it's hard! He's only had a couple of twinges in the last few days, so this definitely comes and goes. Not sure if that's reassuring or not!

It makes a change for me not to be obsessively worrying about my own health!