terrified of bowel cancer

[rainbow]

i've been suffering from severe anxiety for the last ten weeks and since then have been having bowel problems. Diahoreah/loose stools/increased frequency.

I've had ibs for over 20 years now and my gp and cbt therapist say anxiety related ibs.

Things seemed to be settling down over the last 2 weeks but this morning i've been twice' the first time was fine but the second time was a lot softer and lots of it.

I'm 45 so bc is becoming more likely.

I'm so scared, can anyone help?

[nomorepanic]

You can get the docs to do a stool sample test at our age and check for any problems from there.

I have been 3 times this morning already if that is any consolation.

[nikita]

I have suffered with the same symptoms as you for about 20years and it is just Ibs. I have worried about bowel cancer too but you just have a flare up..... it will pass.... till the next time!

[rainbow]

hi nicola, i should go for the stool test but i'm quite phobic about any medical tests. I'm hoping my cbt can help me overcome this. is it the chrons that makes you go frequently.

Hi nikita, do you normally have long flare ups of your ibs and have you had any testing to support the ibs diagnosis?

[nomorepanic]

I think it is more the IBS than the Crohn's that makes me go more and I do have to follow a low fibre diet and not eat much fruit and veg.

Exercise is apparently great for bowel problems - not sure why but I have been told that many times.

Alcohol aggrevates mine as well.

[nomorepanic]

Also are you scared of doing the test or the results?

[rainbow]

its the results that terrify me, the last time when i was waiting for my smear test results i was barely able to function for 2 weeks. My anxiety is so much worse now than it was then. My therapist thinks that going for testing will make my anxiety worse.

I'm also 11 days late with my period, pretty much sure its the anxiety, i'm just such a mess just now. Feel like i'm failing my kids and have been signed off my work for 6 weeks.

[nikita]

Rainbow yes last year I had severe ibs for about 3 months. I was completely convinced I had bowel cancer or ovarian cancer (which I now think I have due to other symptoms which are on my post). I had diarrhea, or constipation, constant wind, I actually had to leave an exam early due to the loud noises from my stomach, i had swollen abdomen, pain, it was awful. Then it disappeared as suddenly has it came on. Its flared up again now and then since but not to the same extent. At the time I had exams and moved house so put it down to anxiety. I found aloe vera helped a lot.

[nomorepanic]

I guess you are stuck in Catch 22. You need tests to prove that nothing is wrong but that stresses you out more and makes the symptoms worse so you start fearing you have something seriously wrong.

Perhaps you could try some relaxation CD's as well.

[rainbow]

hi nikita, thanks for your reply,

Did you go to your gp when you had it bad last year? Did you have any tests done?

[nikita]

Hi. I didn't have any major tests done. Just a blood test and that was fine. The doc just felt round my tummy and listened to symptoms. He didnt think any further tests necessary as I had no symptoms of concern, i.e. bleeding, weight loss, loss of appetite.

[rainbow]

just been to the toilet for the 4th time! Really scared now. Not sure if i really needed to go or if i forced myself, that sounds crazy! My anxiety is sky high right now and i'm no good to anyone.

Could my fear of needing to go be making me go more? Don't knoww what to think anymore, feel like giving up

[rainbow]

hi, do you mind me asking how old you are?

About 2 months ago i had an abdominal examination and a rectal examination both of which were fine. I just can't stop obsessing over cancer.

A few years ago i had the same symptoms that you have just now, i also convinced myself that it was ovarion cancer. This carried on for about 3 weeks and then eventually just resolved itself. I'm also peeing a lot today and i know this can happen with an ibs flare up too.

I hope you start to feel better soon.

[nomorepanic]

You will be making it worse by stressing out over it.

I went to see my Crohn's consultant recently and told him I was going to the loo about 8 times a day and he said that stress, anxiety etc will definitely make it worse.

I am on the loo every 30 minutes at the moment which is not good as I have to go to work soon!

If you had cancer you would have many other symptoms I think but a simple blood test could help reassure you.

[nomorepanic]

Oh and I forgot to mention that he said it would be a good idea to take something like Immodium on days like today to slow things down. Pity I don't have any though lol

[rainbow]

i've tried immodium before but i worry about it constipating me.

Do you feel more stressed when you have a bad day and why do you yhink its the ibs rather than the crohns thats causing it?

I hope things settle down for you soon and you manage to get to work ok.

[nomorepanic]

You don't want to take it long term but for today's like today it would be fine.

With the Crohn's I tend to get really bad pains in the bowels whereas today I have no pains but can't keep off the loo! To be honest it could be either though but I would reckon it was the IBS.

I am just off to work so hope things calm down now

[rainbow]

just wondering if anyone else has prolonged ibs flare ups.

This anxiety is destroying my life.

[Davinci817]

Having actually had a real cancer scare, I can say that the worries/anxiety I have put myself through over "what if I have cancer" were far worse than an actual diagnosis. Turns out the Doctor was wrong thank goodness!

The test would probably in the end make you feel better since you already know you have IBS and what you are going through is a big part of that.

[nomorepanic]

Have you read the sticky IBS post that someone did for us - it is very useful