Young with colorectal cancer?

[herculeez342]

Hello, I am kind of new to this and am just pretty scared and confused about everything happening. I have not had a diagnosis yet, but I am set up with an appointment to have an initial check with my primary physician to go over my symptoms. So what has been happening:

I am a male in college and about 3 years ago I started getting small amounts of blood on the toilet paper when I wiped and I just assumed it was a small fissure and let it go. Then, when it lasted for a few months I gave myself a rectal exam (I get really shy about that kind of stuff and going to doctors about it so I just stuck with what I could do myself). When I did this, I felt a small mass and freaked out and did not tell anyone because I was scared of what would happen and was just kind of at a loss of what to do (I was also under 18 at the time and didn't want to confront it with my parents).

Now, I am 21 years old and since then I have had a lot of symptoms that I have been ignoring (I know, it's bad.. would you believe that I want to go to med school?). I also feel like I have to go to the bathroom. I pee every 45 minutes. I never feel like fully "satisfied" after defecating. The amount of blood in my stool is increasing. I have not had a solid poop in months. I have been feeling sluggish and very tired all the time (I sleep about 15 hours a day). One of the lymph nodes in my groin is huge. I no longer have an appetite and after I eat I feel very nauseous and bloated (no matter how much I eat).

I think the point that tipped me off was a few weeks ago when I noticed a significant amount of blood on my toilet paper (a lot more than usual), but the blood is not always there. I can go a few days without seeing blood in my stool at all, so I do not know what to think about that. This morning I gave myself another rectal exam and the mass that I felt (I guess a polyp?) is significantly bigger, and I am thinking that's why I constantly feel like I have to poop.

At this point I am just freaking out and can't stop thinking about how much of an idiot I am to ignore the symptoms a few years ago when I had them. I am terrified about what is going to happen at my next appointment. I am assuming that if the doc does a DRE and finds the same mass that I feel (it is only about an inch and a half up in my rectum) then I will be headed for a colonoscopy. Should I be really worried? Are there other possibilities other than cancer? Am I being irrational?

Sometimes I think that I am being a hypochondriach and am imagining a lot of my symptoms, but should I be genuinely concerned? I am a 21 year old male, doing well in college, on the swimming team. I just do not know if I should be as concerned as I am. And I kind of just do not know what to do until my appointment on Friday. I have been freaking out for a couple weeks and just do not know what to do at this point.

Any advice, pointers, ideas, suggestions.. anything. Would be so so so so very helpful.

[Colon King]

There are many many other things this could be besides the one thing you are probably most worried about. You could probably use some anti-depressant / anti-anxiety medication as well, unless you can get into the meditation world or mindfulness mindset. Many irritable bowel issues don't require dreadful worry, rather just monitoring your diet.

What kinds of foods do you eat? Any supplements?

The doc won't give you a diagnosis - maybe a referral for a colonoscopy. So your anxiety won't go away any time soon.

Talk to yourself, give yourself advice on staying calm and enjoying/living each day in the present. It is the present, after all.

[AppleTree]

When I went to the DR, they gave me a digital exam and then called 2-3 more DRs to feel. Then gave me some sort of short scope with a light on the end. They saw something. Then gave me an enema and I had a slightly longer scope and the DR took a biopsy at that time. Nothing hurt! Do not be embarrassed because this is all these people do and they trained to do it. Everyone was very kind and professional with me. 3 days later I had my colonoscopy, the next day MRI and CT scan. Really, my tumor was/is very low so I guess easily felt and they kept bumping me up to the next test. But - they were looking for it... because I went straight to the ER after an explosive bloody diarrhea episode. 3 months before, I had been to my OBY DR for women issues... and he did a digital exam...and I guess felt nothing! Gave me hormone pills for my heavier than usual periods and severe cramping. I did not know the 1st thing about rectal cancer then! Knowing what I know now...I would say...insist on a colonoscopy...cut to the chase and get your answer...that way you can either stop worrying over nothing or be in the right place to plan your next step/s. All you can do at this point is to move forward. Do not question the past...nothing you can do about it. But make the decision to be pro-active about your health going forward. It could be just a bleeding hemmeroid. Just get all the right tests so you know. Best wishes.

[nicstraw]

Definitely go to the doc, pls don't worry too much. Even if it is what you're worried about, it is really not as awful as you may think. It's more terrifying to put yourself thru all this worry. Tell your folks they'll be able to help xx

[saffa]

Hi,

I was 25 when I was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer that is not genetic. I would really recommend going to get it checked out as soon as possible. I never had any symptoms although my tumour was high up and really small hence I never even had blood in my stool even with my liver being covered in mets.

Chances are it is probably nothing but if it is something the early you catch it the better! I keep saying to my family how it was so unfair I never had any symptoms or warning signs - if I had been as lucky to be in a position that there where the were symptoms I hope I would have done the right thing and run straight to the doctor. You could end up saving yourself as well as not doing chemo and the all the nasty stuff that comes along with it!

Be more scared of leaving it than of the small possibility of a cancer diagnosis!

[herculeez342]

I am definitely a lot more scared of leaving it than the diagnosis at this point. I just want to know what is happening with my body at this point haha.

I am trying to stay positive and just not think about it until my initial appointment this friday, and hopefully I can convince my doc (if he doesn't suggest it) to refer me to a colonoscopy and GI doc.

As far as my diet goes, I am a college athlete, so I my diet is, by necessity, fairly balanced. I eat my fruits and veggies just like mom taught and I eat more white meat than red (red meat is rare for me anyways). I do not take supplements on a regular basis, but I do on and off.

[saffa]

I went to a doc at 19 after my mom had passed from cancer and asked if I should get tested/do anything he said not to worry until I was 25 - my advice don't take no for an answer! Colonoscopys really aren't bad and then you have a good habit to get checked regularly for the rest of your life

I am holding thumbs for you and sending positive vibes. Let us know how it goes and in the mean time go out/shop/party whatever you need to do to make time pass (maybe ask for general blood tests for cancer markers - although they don't confirm or negate cancer it could help ease the nerves and it's quick and pretty much painless).

[herculeez342]

I will definitely be back with updates! I am sure no matter what the results are I will have lots of questions haha.

Good news, I just turned 21 so I will definitely be going out and doing my best to not let this affect me this week. Thanks for the positivity!

[Jacques]

...I am trying to stay positive and just not think about it until my initial appointment this Friday, and hopefully I can convince my doc (if he doesn't suggest it) to refer me to a colonoscopy and GI doc...

Since you have been having GI issues for several years now, you should try to get to the bottom of this and determine the cause.

One thing that might help for your meeting with the doctor on Friday would be to prepare an exhaustive list of all the foods/beverages/medications that you ordinarily consume. In particular, be sure to include all the medications, prescription or otherwise, that you take. This is because many medications are implicated in various bowel issues such as diarrhea and constipation.

Also, try to get a referral to a good GI doctor who would be able to ask you all the right questions, do all the right kinds of tests necessary for homing in on the problem.

In the last analysis, a colonoscopy (along with biopsy) would be the only way to really tell what is causing the problem and exactly where the problem is located.

[herculeez342]

That's another problem that is a little weird for me, I don't take any medications on a normal basis.

Also, if my primary phys. refers me to a GI doc will it be for a colonoscopy on the same day? or will I visit him and he decides if they set up a colonoscopy. I think I definitely want one just to ease a lot of the worries, but I don't really know who to go about asking that to.

[beck1965]

A colonoscopy requires a "prep" the day before.

[DarknessEmbraced]

I agree with everyone one it's best to get a referral for a colonoscopy so you will find out what's going on.*hugs*

[herculeez342]

Well update, they are running some blood work and I should get those results on Monday. From those, he said it is up to me as to whether or not I go to a GI doc (so I'm going to go haha) and then try and get a colonoscopy from there! Finger's Crossed!

[schrades2003]

You definitely need to be your own advocate and get everything checked out. I had all the symptoms that you described when I was diagnosed 22 months ago. I had been to doctors and they had said that it was always something else and I had symptoms for over 9 months before I had the answers I needed. But the doctors I saw weren't used to a 29 year old having colon cancer symptoms especially with no family history. I have now gone through 35 rounds of chemo and still fighting the fight. You can tell them who you want to see and don't stop until you get an answer.

[herculeez342]

I have a quick question about the symptoms... Do they seem to come and go, like maybe a couple days of relief; or is it constant symptoms every day? Some of mine definitely persist day to day, but others give me a couple of days of relief and then come right back.