Hey All,
Lately I was triggered with worrying about bowel cancer because my sister was sent for a colonoscopy. She was fine, by the way.
I have always been paranoid about bowel cancer, but have in the past decade only had two occasions with a slight amount of blood- one about 3 years ago (I was 29, 32 now) where I passed a hard stool and may have seen a drop of blood in the toilet after (not sure as it dissolved and didn't colour the water, so it could have been a watery part of the hard stool either, it was light in colour and liquid, so definitely not dried blood). I think because I had a bit of pain I thought I might see blood, might have been my mind playing tricks but not sure.
I think also maybe about six years ago I had diarrhoea that was so bad that during a lot of wiping after I got a couple of specks of blood on toilet paper.
At both these times I felt it was rational that I had a simple explanation for each tiny bit of blood, and that I didn't need to worry or even see my GP. Now my anxiety has flared, I feel like I could have missed a serious illness or cancer. If the symptoms were recent, a doctor's examination might help, but because there is no recent problem, I'm wondering if it will help to see a doctor?
I also think my doctor has decided I'm nuts already, as was in over Christmas panicking over a tiny mole. I'm thinking of just waiting and at my next check up later in the year maybe mentioning to her I was concerned, even though I do have rational explanations for the rare bleeding?
I feel like most people could get by without asking a doctor. I have used paid services online to ask questions to verified doctors before, and even for this, the doctor said that unless it recurred I wouldn't need testing, but maybe I would feel better getting face to face reasssurance? Sorry for rambling, and anybody's thoughts would be appreciated.