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Thread: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

  1. #1

    Exclamation Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    I am 72 and have suffered from IBS for most of my adult life. I have also struggled with health anxiety forever. Over the last few months my IBS symptoms worsened to the point where I finally went to the GP. She ran blood tests, diagnosed inflammation & infection, sent me home with antispasmodics to rest. Things gradually improved, but after a couple of weeks my lower-left abdominal pain and nausea started coming back, so I went back to the GP. She ordered more blood tests and a stool test called a FIT - more sensitive than the standard one. A few days after sending off the test, I got a call from the hospital saying that high levels of blood had been found in my sample, and I needed to come in urgently for a colonoscopy. That was Thursday. It’s now Saturday, and my health anxiety is through the roof. My colonoscopy is on Tuesday, and all I can think about is that I’m sure I have bowel cancer. I am utterly terrified. The nurse who rang me went through a list of symptoms - pain (yes), bloating (yes), nausea/vomiting (no vomiting, but nausea, yes), change in bowel habits (yes), loss of appetite (yes)... She said the levels of blood they found cause concern about cancer, hence the urgency. So i am convinced now that I have advanced colon cancer, and earlier symptoms I’d attributed to IBS were really more serious, so it’s probably incurable now. I don’t know how I’m going to get through the next few days - and then waiting for the results of any biopsies. Any advice, reassurance, words of wisdom would be appreciated.

  2. #2
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    Sep 2019
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    I don’t have any words of wisdom,but will send you a hugand let us know how it goes.

    Quinn xx
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  3. #3
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    Sending positive and hopeful thoughts your way.
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  4. #4
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    Just try and remember it isn't cancer until they say it is.

    Good luck with it.
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    Nicola

    “Don't be afraid of death; be afraid of an unlived life. You don't have to live forever, you just have to live.” - Natalie Babbitt

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  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    Of course you are terrified. But try not to catastrophise too much. The physical symptoms you are getting are consistent with IBS (and not new to you). Blood can be caused by lots of things and usually isn’t cancer.
    Have you ever had a colonoscopy before?

  6. #6

    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    Thanks all. I really appreciate the support. I have had a Colonoscopy before- about 12 or 13 years ago. It was clear. I’m so scared this one won’t be.

  7. #7
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    May 2008
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    It takes a polyp about 10 years to develop into cancer. So it is fairly unlikely that a polyp will have appeared and turned into “advanced” cancer in that time.

  8. #8
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    A quote from a credible source:
    Current theories propose it will take about 10 years for a small adenoma (polyp) to transform into a cancer. That is why the standard interval for screening colonoscopy is 10 years.

  9. #9
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    It is also worth noting that a bacterial infection in the bowel can cause bleeding. But you are getting looked at on Tuesday and then you will know for sure.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
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    Re: Urgent referral for colonoscopy - terrified

    The waiting must be horrible but the colonoscopy will be definitive and you will get a professional and accurate diagnosis. We all fear the worst but there are other causes of bleeding as jojo says although you are anticipating BC..

    I really hope that Tuesday comes soon so that you can get more information and deal with whatever is diagnosed.

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