Bowel Cancer fear

Hi, back again after a couple of good months, just looking to see if anyone else has had these symptoms.
I have been having diarrhoea now on and off for two weeks although it’s been every morning for the last four days, normally just the once then no movement all day, it started with a meal out and a sudden urge to go shortly after eating large meal. This in its self caused my anxiety to rocket and when this happens I can’t eat so I have been eating very little just a small evening meal. Prior to this I have had the odd bouts may once a fortnight but put it down to what I was eating.
This last week my stomach has been making so many weird noises especially after eating and before I go. I remember getting these noises add odd diarrhoea shortly after starting propranolol back in November but then didn’t have issues again until recently!
Could it be the propranolol causing this or something worse! I am currently on holiday with my parents and children but I feel I’m ruining it as my anxiety is sky high! I will be ringing the doctors on Monday but any advice would really help

So I went to doctors today as the above is still going on not every day now but most mornings she thinks possibly food poisoning but who knows have to send a sample! She also took my BP why was stupid high same as last time I went to the doctors but was having major anxiety! Totally in a mess now

Sorry to hear you are having a hard time.

It sometimes takes a while for things to settle after a bug or food poisoning.

On BP I empathize as in middle of my own drama there. Mine was VERY high. I can't say the numbers high! Am now on 2 pills but still send it sky high with worry and panic as am having to have it checked lots to see how the meds are going. Negative Nelly that I am I have all the what ifs. It's totally working against me at the moment. Its a v tricky one for us anxious types I think because we tend to want absolutes and BP moves about constantly. It is also so easily affected by how we feel and it can just be a quite unpleasant experience.

Rational me can say what my Dad said to me though. It's very treatable. Yes, you have to take meds but many do. I cannot always believe that at the 'feeling' level, but I know deep down that's true. Am trying to use it as a learning moment and hope one day whacking on a BP cuff will hold no fear for me.

Be kind to yourself. Check in to see if other stressors have taken you into this catastrophizjng space again and see if there is anything you can do to help that maybe?

Thank you for the reply much appreciated, yep my BP was super high funny enough it was the same reading as last time I went, had to home monitor and although it was still high was a lot lower than there and a few times when really relaxed it was in normal range, they want me to retake at home but I’m still super anxious and worked up at my other issue I know it will still be high!

Ps hope your ok and get settled soon

Can anyone help, totally freaking out, had to do my sample and was a mix of water and soft stools, there was little flex of red in it and I’m freaking out, being a HA sufferer I did the normal and started to inspect with cotton buds, the red bits looked like I can only describe as bits or skin, it’s nothin I have eaten as I haven’t eaten much at all in the last few days, no tomatoes or anything, not sure they are even testing stools for blood just bacteria etc! I’m so scared and am convinced it’s bowel cancer especially as I have the runs for over two weeks now! I can’t eat or sleep! And my belly is make horrendous noises

Have you had any antibiotics prior to this? Have you had any mild stomach pain or bloating? C.diff can give you regular stomach upset until it's treated.

Regarding your diet. If you're anxiety is not making you hungry and all you eat is an evening meal then you are essentially fasting and what can happen is when you break the fast, unless you choose your food properly, your meal can literally go out as quick as it went in, it used to happen to me with intermittent fasting. Plus your anxiety will probably be higher around meal times in case you get a dodgy stomach.

One thing to try is to only eat something small and non fatty when breaking a fast then eat more a little later but try and not have high fat food (especially junk food) as you'll be on the loo in minutes!

Try and increase your fibre, you could kick start it with some psyllium husk for several days or so.

Thank you for the reply, no anti biotic and just had a test come back negative for c diff awaiting the other ones still. That makes sense re the eating I am really trying to calm down and eat again and hopefully will see a difference. My mind just always points to the worse! Thank you for your advice really appreciate it

And no pain really maybe a bit of bloating

The noises and gas have got so much worse I admit I’m still not eating but it’s so hard when all this is going on, it’s not like normal hunger rumbles I just know this is something bad

Cause and effect, an empty stomach is going to grumble more.

So after about 5 days of soft but solid movement the diarrhea is back yesterday I had mainly liquid meals like yoghurt drink and soup, does anyone think this could cause the liquid bowels?

Of course, yes. Liquids in, liquids out.

Thanks blueiris think your my new best friend :-) still waiting for results from doctors so in total limbo and anxious, I actually had a really good day yesterday with my anxiety and now ive been set off again.

Happens to all of us, I got panicked over something perfectly innocuous this morning.

Does anyone think this could be ibs, the watery stool is back it’s only in the morning and there is no pain, just a lot of gas noises it’s also not a sudden urge but this did start 4 weeks ago after a meal within an hour it was a sudden urge to got with a belly ache, previous to this that has happened a few times before. Guess my question is does anyone with ibs get dirrehea without pain. Just trying to tell myself it could be something like ibs and not something that is going to kill me.

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Originally Posted by ShortyW84

So after about 5 days of soft but solid movement the diarrhea is back yesterday I had mainly liquid meals like yoghurt drink and soup, does anyone think this could cause the liquid bowels?

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100%:I have had stomach bugs which I have been starving out and have made the diarrhea last longer by not eating. A bit of toast and it's better, so not eating will do it.

My Mum had diarrhea predominant ibs from her 40s (now 88) and long gaps between meals triggered it. I can go through a period of a few weeks of problems esp when stressed. Was awful for a month when I bought my first home.

You've sought advice from the Dr. The odds are very much in your favour.

Thanks Joobug. It’s really bad this morning but again I am whittling about it, I just read ibs pain is awful but I don’t have that atm just the water stools and a lot of gas. Really hoping it is just ibs as I’m so scared. Still waiting to hear back from doctors it’s been 1.5 weeks now but may contact them again tomorrow as it’s getting worse :-(

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Originally Posted by ShortyW84

Thanks Joobug. It’s really bad this morning but again I am whittling about it, I just read ibs pain is awful but I don’t have that atm just the water stools and a lot of gas. Really hoping it is just ibs as I’m so scared. Still waiting to hear back from doctors it’s been 1.5 weeks now but may contact them again tomorrow as it’s getting worse :-(

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I don't think of IBS as being particularly painful. Cramps maybe but that more with constipation type. Am sure this'll all turn out fine.

Thank you, my friend says she never gets pain with ibs diarrhea but does when constipated, I’m going to cling onto this until the doctors work out what’s going on :-)

Well it seems doctors upload results on weekends sample negative for bacteria etc so now I’m petrified it’s something worse

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Originally Posted by ShortyW84

Well it seems doctors upload results on weekends sample negative for bacteria etc so now I’m petrified it’s something worse

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I understand, but still most likely IBS

Hiya

What’s your diet like? I’ve found that if I eat processed crap and drink alcohol mine passings are not solid etc due to lack of fibre.

I have cut the junk out and eating more whole foods, drinking only 0% alcohol free and noticed things are more solid etc.

Keep positive, you’ve done the right thing getting checked out by a doctor

Hi Angler, funny you should mention the zero alcohol as I tried this last novemeber this is the first time I remember getting the horrendous noises followed by water stools. It happened twice so I didn’t drink it again. Then about 6 weeks ago I had the sudden urge to go when out walking and had to rush home, it happened a couple more times in the next few weeks but I found that I could attribute that to either a couple of glasses of wine or spicy food. I have put on a lot of weight since lock down and booked my first abroad holiday with my teenage children for July so decided I would start ww it was going ok for a week and then after a meal out Easter Sunday of just chicken and jacket (no wine) but I did eat a pot of spicy sauce (and half my dads) I had the urgent need to go on the walk home. That then started my anxiety and when my anxiety is high I can’t really eat and mid week that week I woke with morning water stools. Nothing again until the Saturday morning after a chicken shish kebab and wine. Then in continued for nearly a week although I was away that week and had a couple of glasses and not much food. Long story sorry but when I got back I haven’t had any wine and although some days I have had soft stool there was no water ones for about 5 days. Friday it came back as water and has been since. My diet since my anxiety hasn’t been great I just can’t eat so when I do it’s not the best. I am going to try plain rice and chicken for the next couple of days but even the thought of eating is sending me into a mess. Sorry for the long detailed post I just feel like I need to write it down somewhere. Thank you for replying

Just thought I’d give a quick update, spoke to the doctor yesterday he said it sounds like ibs, I said is that possible without the pain and he said yes, I’ve had bloods taken today and got to send some more samples in for more tests so he can rule out all the other serious issues as said can’t give diagnosis without ruling everything else out. So fingers crossed 🤞

Hey :)
I can totally relate , I’ve had some weird bowel symptoms for a year and a half now

Very loose stools, often diharrea, sometimes sense of urgency.. undigested food in stools etc

I got myself into such an anxious rut - finally saw doctors & ended up having a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy then a Colonoscopy

Obviously in the meantime persuaded myself I had something terrible (as us anxious people do)

Absolutely fine - clear colonoscopy, they checked my whole bowel- apart from a harmless polyp which they removed - nothing

Still to this day most days I have the loose stools and diharrea , think it depends on how bad my diet has been and how anxious I’ve been feeling

Anxiety is a CRAZY thing and once you get these symptoms you get more anxious and the cycle continues…

Get checked out for your peace of mind ask for a colonoscopy but I think you know yourself, anxiety is probably the cause! :)

Thank you so much for the reply that has reassured me. I am getting a colonoscopy hopefully in the next two weeks waiting for the hospital to ring me back as one of the stool tests came back with traces of blood which has totally freaked me out! The doctor was very kind and said he still doesn’t think it’s much to worry about, they tested for calprotectin and that came back slightly raised at 57 too. Just want to go to sleep until all this is over :-(

Just thought I would update this thread incase anyone searching comes across it in the future as I know a lot of these posts have helped me out in the last couple of months. I had my colonoscopy yesterday and everything was clear so I am assuming the answer with be IBS as the doctor suspected.