Colonoscopy Scheduled but nervous and looking for advice/talking off the ledge

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Becksbolero2
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Colonoscopy Scheduled but nervous and looking for advice/talking off the ledge

Postby Becksbolero2 » Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:04 pm

So I know this kind of post on here is probably annoying but I've had some nagging symptoms
and just want to see if anyone else reading this has dealt with something similar and can give some
words of hope/advice. I have a colonoscopy scheduled this coming august (soonest appointment available)

Obviously my concern here is some kind of colorectal cancer. I am 39 and have no known family history which I know puts me at low risk. My GP says that with my symptoms the likely hood is that its IBS or something along those lines, but being a hypochondriac thats not a very satisfying answer.

before I mention my symptoms i would start out by saying that I have had a terrible stomach as long as I can remember. cramping and diarrhea since I was 10.

Symptoms



1. For the past 6 months or so my stool has been very thin. not round and narrow like a pencil but thin and oblong like a football thats deflated 75% of the way. usually in small ragged pieces not one long piece. no blood at all.

2. for the last month ive had a dull ache/ bruise feeling in my backside. I sit all day at the office. So usually I get to my chair in the morning and then 1.5-2 hours into the day I can start to feel the ache. I can't tell if it's in my rectum or its my tailbone due to my ignorance of the human anatomy. no sharp pains just a dull ache after sitting for a while and then it starts all over the next day.

3. just in the last week started seeing a bit of yellowish mucous in stool not always. maybe 3 times in the last week. ( i poop 2-3 times per day which is normal for me) I think it may have been due to Metamucil i was taking for a short time

4. i've started developing heartburn recently along with bloating ( feeling like i cant eat anymore till i have a huge burp) doctor says this is pretty common with IBS so it may or may not be related to other symptoms.

5. Just as of yesterday I started developing a pain on the bottom left side of my abdomen that comes in waves every 2 minutes or so i'll get a small sharp pain (certainly wouldn't call it sever) happened last night for a few hours and happened again tonight other than that i have very minor cramps around my stomach here and there but they are pretty unnoticeable

other than that I feel fine. No noticeable weight loss. no energy loss, no blood

I know there are people on this forum with real problems and mine are so far just symptoms but any advice or conversation would be helpful. my wife just rolls her eyes and calls me (rightfully so) a hypochondriac.



Thanks so much

erins
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun May 27, 2018 12:41 pm

Re: Colonoscopy Scheduled but nervous and looking for advice/talking off the ledge

Postby erins » Wed Jun 19, 2019 2:39 am

Everyone’s symptoms are different, unfortunately—the big thing is that they’re affecting your quality of life, so it’s only natural to get it checked.

Butt seriously, good on you for getting checked (and to your doctor for taking it seriously). Colonoscopies can be really helpful in figuring out what’s going on, whether it’s IBS, chrons, cancer, or just generalized weirdness—it’ll give your doctor a whole lot of information that’ll help get you feeling better. Even if it is cancer, you’ve already found a great group for ranting/discussion/research.

You’re doing everything right, so the best thing to do is to give yourself a pat on the back, do some fun stuff to keep yourself occupied and, above all, avoid Dr Google.

Someone here said ‘Dr Google is an excellent coroner, but a terrible physician’ which is absolutely true.

So, just do your best to relax, keep busy and let us know how it goes. We’ll all be rooting for a clear scope!
38 yr old female
Rectal bleeding for 1 month—>
5/4/18 colonoscopy found mass in sigmoid colon
5/21/18 LAR
stage 2a, 0/17 lymph, clean margins
T3N0M0 G1
LVI neg, PNI neg, MSS
9/21/18 CEA 0.8
11/16/18 CEA 0.8 & CT clear
12/7/18 iron infusion
2/1/18 iron improved, CEA stable.

KimT
Posts: 695
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:53 pm

Re: Colonoscopy Scheduled but nervous and looking for advice/talking off the ledge

Postby KimT » Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:24 am

Only a colonoscopy will tell for sure what is going on. You’ve got one scheduled which is a good thing.

We are not doctors and speculating on what might be your problem would be irresponsible.

Good luck.
2/10 dx colon cancer
right hemicolectomy 3/19/10
Stage 2a 0/43 nodes
Lynch syndrome
3/14/10 colon resection/ removal of metal clips
Nov 11 dx ovarian cancer

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Maggie Nell
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Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 1:57 am
Location: Central Highlands, Victoria, Oz

Re: Colonoscopy Scheduled but nervous and looking for advice/talking off the ledge

Postby Maggie Nell » Wed Jun 19, 2019 10:14 pm

Becksbolero2 wrote:
5. Just as of yesterday I started developing a pain on the bottom left side of my abdomen that comes in waves every 2 minutes or so i'll get a small sharp pain (certainly wouldn't call it sever) happened last night for a few hours and happened again tonight other than that i have very minor cramps around my stomach here and there but they are pretty unnoticeable


Get back to your GP, tell him about that new symptom - that pulsing pain that comes in waves - and get it investigated sooner rather than later.
Hopefully a CT scan can be performed within the week. August seems a long wait for a colonoscopy.

I know there are people on this forum with real problems and mine are so far just symptoms but any advice or conversation would be helpful. my wife
just rolls her eyes and calls me (rightfully so) a hypochondriac.

Thanks so much


The next time your wife complains of period pains and cramps, roll your eyes and call her a hypochondriac! That's equality....... :evil:
DX April 2015, @ 54
35mm poorly diff. tumour, incidental finding following emergency R. hemicolectomy
for ileo-colic intussusception.
Lymph nodes: 0/22
T3 N0 MX
Stage II CRC, no adjuvant chemo required.

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Green Tea
Posts: 451
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2016 10:48 am

Re: Colonoscopy Scheduled but nervous and looking for advice/talking off the ledge

Postby Green Tea » Thu Jun 20, 2019 6:26 am

While you are waiting around for your August appointment, there are a couple of learning tasks that could occupy your time ...



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