Bowel concerns

[flatterycat]

Please can someone help me rationalise again. I am 54, a long time health anxiety sufferer with varying degrees of intensity.

I have been having a pain in my upper stomach just below my right rib. It comes and goes and the doctor gave me blood tests and an exam and is not worried at all. The bloods were normal (March). Since then I can go days without noticing it, then it comes back. It lasts a few seconds then goes. I saw my doctor again two weeks ago and she reassured me that it was not worrying her. I left the appointment feeling quite happy.

Then a couple days later I had some cramping low down in my belly and had to rush to the loo This has now happened about 4 times over about a week and a half. My stomach is gurgling and the cramping seems to happen when I eat making me need to loo. Stools very loose on these occasions. I thought it was going yesterday then it happened again.

I am so scared that this is bowel cancer. I have an appointment with my doctor booked, but I can’t eat or sleep with the anxiety about it. I’ve read a load of personal stories about bowel cancer and so many had a change in bowel habits or cramping. I know a change in bowel habits is a key symptom and I cannot see this as being anything else.

I have in the past easily had upset stomachs and bouts of diarrhea after eating but now that I’m 54 I cannot think what else it could be. Has anyone else experienced this? I can’t think straight at all and feel very panicky.

X

[flatterycat]

I’m replying to my own thread but want to get it out. It will be two weeks on Sunday since the bowel stuff started. In that time I’ve had to rush to loo 4 times. In between I have had normal and hard stools. The cramps happen occasionally and are low down in tummy.

Speaking to my doctor later but all I can think about is the fact that this is a change and that’s a symptom of bowel c.

Sorry for going on.

[flatterycat]

Had a telephone appointment with my doctor. She said that it doesn’t sound like symptoms of bowel c but asked me a few questions. She said if it continues when she next speaks to me we can look at getting it checked. I’m trying to see this as positive and not panic that it may not be gone by then.

I know I shouldn’t read all the stories I read but it’s like a drug. I know I am replying (like a complete loon) to my own thread but like I said, it helps to get it off chest.

[.Poppy.]

It does help to get it off your chest, I've been doing that in my own thread. Sometimes we just need to vent and it's hard to do that to people in person that don't quite understand.

I'm glad your doctor was able to be reassuring and that you have a plan forward. The thing with digestive issues is that they can be effected by so many things; our HA wants to immediately jump to "cancer" but it's much more likely to be something else entirely, like IBS, anxiety, having eaten the wrong thing, etc. I hope you get to feeling better.

[flatterycat]

Thanks Poppy. Yeah it’s so easy to jump to the worst, but I think it’s our way irrational way of protecting ourselves.
And the thing is with HA, there’s always that possibility as we are human! I know I need to learn to live with uncertainty. X

[flatterycat]

I have had a few smal tummy cramps but no more d since last week. I have found that I'm a bit constipated or loose though. Over the weekend I started with really sore low back pain and so of course this is adding to my current fears.

[Lemonslemonslemons]

How are you feeling? I’ve had issues with my bowels for years… mostly urgency. Do you have a gallbladder still? I’ve had mine out now but I used to experience right sided upper abdominal pain and bowel issues. While the pain went away, I still have the bowel issues so they are likely unrelated to that (or are due to no longer having a gallbladder). My head immediately jumped to colon cancer when I had the pain as well. It wasn’t but I understand the concern. Hopefully you’re feeling better or have met with your doctor.

[whoisthis]

I understand your fears. It puzzles me that your doctor can tell you over the phone that you do not have CC/BC The only way to find out is a colonoscopy.
At your age this is the logic thing to do.
Chances are you do not have BC but better safe than sorry.

[flatterycat]

I understand your fears. It puzzles me that your doctor can tell you over the phone that you do not have CC/BC The only way to find out is a colonoscopy.
At your age this is the logic thing to do.
Chances are you do not have BC but better safe than sorry.

Thanks for your reply. My doc didn’t say it wasn’t bc, just that my symptoms didn’t sound like it. She had seen me a couple of weeks previously and felt tummy and I had bloods done a few months ago for other worries and they were all fine. She also said she’s call me back in a couple of weeks and if the sumo were still there she’d look at tests. She rang me today but the symptoms have been ok for a couple weeks now.

[flatterycat]

How are you feeling? I’ve had issues with my bowels for years… mostly urgency. Do you have a gallbladder still? I’ve had mine out now but I used to experience right sided upper abdominal pain and bowel issues. While the pain went away, I still have the bowel issues so they are likely unrelated to that (or are due to no longer having a gallbladder). My head immediately jumped to colon cancer when I had the pain as well. It wasn’t but I understand the concern. Hopefully you’re feeling better or have met with your doctor.

Thanks for your message.
The bowel worries and tummy cramps went away and have been fine for a couple of weeks now so I’m hoping that’s a positive sign.