One thing after another!

[Gee]

I thought I was kind of getting over this bowel cancer fear ! But this morning, a new symptom!

I’ve had:
Bloating
Back pain coming and going (deep ache)
1 instance of blood about 2 months ago but it was massively painful like a cut pain
Constipation (still going but hard and a bit)

Then today, stool were softer and a bit flat on one side - I’ve been reading this flat stools thing for ages and going ah well I’ve never had that! Then low and behold! Now I’m unbelievably stressed, I have an app on Monday but this weekend will be unbearable waiting :(

I don’t think I have IBS or at least haven’t had symptoms until now that could resemble it

Anyone had similar?

[megan91]

I've had a lot of what you are going through. Bloating, on and off back pain, and although my poop isn't hard, it's like my bowels are emptying quick enough.

[Gee]

You spoken to a doctor ? Any non cancer diagnosis??

[Gee]

Anyone else?

[MrLurcher]

The flat stool thing has been proven to have no relation to bowel cancer. Water diarrhea or bad constipation are symptoms of bowel cancer, stool shape is of no significance. If you follow my thread 'bowel cancer worries', I had all sorts of weird bowel issues; terrible bloating, recurring pain, feeling of something stuck in my bum, lots of bad diarrhea, one episode of small blood stuff, pains after eating, pains in my coccyx and lower back.....I had so many symptoms which changed weekly. I even had three days of stools the thickness of a pencil, and even like ribbon shaped stools at one point. I had changing symptoms constantly for 4 months and after blood and stools tests failed to reassure me, one doc finally sent me to have a flexible sigmoidoscopy - even though I spoke to 3 docs who said I dont need one. Well, nothing was found. I still get boughts of diarrhea, but 80% of the symptoms have gone away. So I can only assume looking back, that my anxiety and constant worries about my bowels caused the majority of my symptoms.

So yeah, dont worry about stool shapes!

[Many321]

Hi, Gee

I'm going through almost the same set of symptoms as you're and what MrLurcher has gone through. In my case, my specialist suspects its either due to my Anxiety induced IBS screwing up my G.I. track or I having Cold Turkey my antidepressant after taking it almost three years and not tapering off...for her it can cause some wicked side effects. She sent me for a colonoscopy in a month just to make sure I'm fine. If it everything checks out, then I have no choice to get back on my antidepressant to restablize my gut since most of the serotonin that controls our mood lies in the gut. I thought it was some bs my psychiatrist told me, though the G.I. specialist confirmed this.

She did rectal blood exam and came back negative which was a plus.

Here are my symptoms.

Abdominal aches that shifts from right to left side or the areas were MrLurcher has described in his thread.
Back pain that shifts.
Bloating
Electric like sensation around my abdomen (just like my head symptoms were when I began withdrawals)
Constipation (flat stools/mushy stool/normal) or Diarrhea
Some blood though when it occurred I felt a burning and deep gash up my bum.

Though, trust me. I'm with you. I have that bowel cancer scare. Though, the specialist told me its rare that it crops up on young people, though due to my age (34) and no family history, its highly unlikely that its bowel cancer.

[Gee]

Thanks guys, I’m 34 too, I have some family history but I’m not sure how relevant it is, my grandad on one side passed away of it and my aunt on the other side had it and is fine now, both were over 60 though and tbh you wonder where family history is relevant or where it’s just a case of cancer is common especially the older you get, another aunt has had breast cancer as has my grandma - both are still fine I guess if 1 in 2 people get cancer and those are a few of the most common if it’s something that has happened in older age I’m not sure if it has to be taken with a pinch on salt! I have a doc app Monday - I’ve flitted from breast cancer and bowel cancer for a while now since I had my son but I thought I was over reacting with the bowel cancer until my stools started changing and then I panicked to death, I really want to be able to get the all clear and try and relax, I have my wedding to look forward to, my kid to enjoy and the possibility of another baby soon, it’s so miserable how HA makes you feel!
I’m not sure how to stop worrying, I’ve done CBT in the past and that didn’t help me much, I’ve taken medication which was ok but it kind of made me a bit anxious taking pills and also I felt like I should be able to train my brain!

I just want to be healthy and carefree and I have no idea how to be!

[Many321]

Thanks guys, I’m 34 too, I have some family history but I’m not sure how relevant it is, my grandad on one side passed away of it and my aunt on the other side had it and is fine now, both were over 60 though and tbh you wonder where family history is relevant or where it’s just a case of cancer is common especially the older you get, another aunt has had breast cancer as has my grandma - both are still fine I guess if 1 in 2 people get cancer and those are a few of the most common if it’s something that has happened in older age I’m not sure if it has to be taken with a pinch on salt! I have a doc app Monday - I’ve flitted from breast cancer and bowel cancer for a while now since I had my son but I thought I was over reacting with the bowel cancer until my stools started changing and then I panicked to death, I really want to be able to get the all clear and try and relax, I have my wedding to look forward to, my kid to enjoy and the possibility of another baby soon, it’s so miserable how HA makes you feel!
I’m not sure how to stop worrying, I’ve done CBT in the past and that didn’t help me much, I’ve taken medication which was ok but it kind of made me a bit anxious taking pills and also I felt like I should be able to train my brain!

I just want to be healthy and carefree and I have no idea how to be!

I've flirted with Brain, Testicular, Pancreatic, liver cancer, and Leukemia. Being checked out and nothing. Now this. I'm like you. Want to move on with my life, though these symptoms just haunt me. I hope after the colonoscopy is done I'm able to move on.

[Fishmanpa]

I’ve done CBT in the past and that didn’t help me much, I’ve taken medication which was ok but it kind of made me a bit anxious taking pills and also I felt like I should be able to train my brain!

So you're not getting any real life help at this time?

Positive thoughts

[megan91]

You spoken to a doctor ? Any non cancer diagnosis??

Well I didn't have any tests done, so hopefully not haha but constipation can cause bloating and back pain. I feel like the more I focus on it, the worst the symptoms gets.