Colonoscopy tomorrow, scared of results!!

[j2]

Hello, I am a long time sufferer of HA. A couple of years ago I started having all kinds of bloating, gurgling noises in my stomach, flat stools, thin stools and occasional diarrhea. About a year ago I started taking fiber every day and this has helped a lot. My stools are much more normal when I am taking fiber and go back to thin or flat if I don't. I still get symptoms but the fiber is wonderful. Anyway, I have been having some pain in my lower right stomach, nausea and a feeling of fullness. My doctor is sending me to a colonoscopy tomorrow. I am terrified that I have had cancer this whole time and that I may have missed any chance of surviving it. I could really use some rational input. Thanks. BTW.. I am a 38 yr old male with no history of colon cancer in my family.

J2

[Gazman]

although i was 21 when i had my colonoscopy (now 23) i was having terrible diarrhea (sp?) and i had all sorts of weird stools, sometimes blood and mostly always loose and different colours, went on for about a year and the from the colonoscopy i found out i had IBS and diarrhea with overflow whatever that means...

As u say colon cancer is not in your family history so your chances are slim and i think doesn't colon cancer mostly affect older people?

Plus with colon cancer you would have dark tarry stools with blood by now, plus you would have severe weight loss and be exhausted all the time.

I think you'll find a clear result or IBS

[mandyclare]

I doubt they are looking for cancer but just checking to make sure you don't have IBS which is very common. Good luck, try not to worry too much. You will be fine.

Mand x

[j2]

They told me that the thin stools is why they are testing me. I get very thin stools if I don't take fiber. With fiber things are pretty much normal most of the time. Does any one know if shape of stools would change dramatically if I had a tumor or does the fact that I have normal shaped stool most of the time mean that there probably isn't a tumor?

[Alisonj]

They could be looking for small polyps that are completely benign to take out, or just to rule out any other conditions. There is alot that can be going on in the colon other than cancer so please try not to worry. I would think your chances are very low. Good Luck

[j2]

So does anyone else have huge changes in the size and shape of their stool? If so, is this common with IBS or other things that aren't cancer?

[Gazman]

Size and shape and colour are all symptoms of IBS yes, try not to worry too much and let us know how you get on!

[amu]

This is common with IBS.
With cancer thin stools would be caused by obstruction in the lower end of your colon or in your rectum (and the tumour/large polyp would "shape" the stool).
This to me means that with cancer stools have to be thin all the time, every day and they would just get thinner. If, on the other hand, you have thin stools one day and normal the next, this can't be caused by a tumour as tumours don't move/get smaller.