Hi, I've been having pain in my right lower abdomen for some time now and did some tests and all seem clear. Today I went to a surgeon who tested me and said all feels very normal. Since my dad had colon cancer at 56 he suggested I do a colonoscopy just to make sure there is nothing. I need to wait till the 20th April and I'm already freaking out. Will they tell me immediately after the colonoscopy if something is wrong? I'm 39 with 2 kids and always assume the worst that I have cancer. Please give me any advice you can as to whether I should be panicking so much
Hi ella, try ringing the clinic and asking them if you can be put up the list,
explain that you are getting really stressed about it. you could also ask if there is a cancellation you would come at short notice .
don't worry too much if you were "(in need "
the wait would not be so long
We are all here if you want to talk xx
Tks for your quick reply! I did ask them to call me if there is any cancellation as I explained that I go crazy with worry. Do you know if they give results immediately? That is something that's worrying me that I will have a long wait after the actual exam.
So if they thought there was something worrying they would have fit me in faster?
No prob ,early evening is mail time, so you can usually get me.
and YES, they come and tell you whilst you are having a cup of tea
and, if there was anything to worry about ,you would have been done by now
Are you going to stop worrying now ???????????????????????????????????????
xx
Arghh I wish I could!! I wish my mind would stop thinking there is cancer in my body!! Hopefully they won't find anything then I can relax 😄 I keep telling myself many people do it and it's clear but somehow my brain just insists on telling me the opposite. To make matters worse a friend had one a few months ago and they found a cancerous growth and is now doing chemo 😭
Hi 
I totally get the panic you're feeling. I'm 38 with two littlies and recently had two pre-cancerous polyps removed from my ascending colon. Fortunately results were benign but the week of waiting for histology was the worst week of my life. Everything changes when you have kids. The idea of cancer seems just too heavy to bear. I'll need colonoscopies for the rest of my life now because the type if polyps I had can and generally do turn into cancer but, in a way, I'm in a better position than a lot of the general public as I'll be monitored regularly. In terms of your pain, it could be a hundred different things. I very much doubt it'll be something sinister, perhaps colitis or diverticulosis with your dad's history? They'll tell you right away if they can see a reason for your pain. They'll probably biopsy a few areas just because of your family history so waiting for that is never fun but they will definitely give you a good idea of what's going on in your tum right then and there. It's such a good thing you're getting this colonoscopy - sadly, colon cancer is one of the most aggressive cancers, BUT also one of the most *preventable* through polyp removal and, if needed, surgery. Good on you for investigating - please keep us updated? I have a feeling you'll be just fine xx
P.s: Try to resist Googling...I did it non-stop for the entire week, looking for hope, and it drove me slightly bonkers... It's good to be informed, but limit the time spent 'researching'. ;-)
Thanks Bea, wow great they monitoring you and true u r lucky that you caught while still pre cancerous. Hopefully il have some good news too and can finally relax. I'm under loads of stress at work which doesn't help too. My gp told me I had ibs about 2 years ago so now I'm even worrying that he misdiagnosed And things have advanced. Why can't my brain ever think anything positive when it comes to health? Grrrr I get so angry at myself. And u r definitely right about googling as all that comes up is colon cancer this or colon cancer that! That's why I opted for here as I know people here are ready to help and see the positive not just negative. My Gynae still insists the pain is from adhesions after appendicitis. Let's just hope I manage to relax for the next couple of weeks.
Please don't think that just because someone close has had cancer that you will get it, I had a colonoscopy recently as i lost my youger sister of 59 last April, but I had no problems at all, Don't worry yourself over nothihng, you are doing the right thing, Good luck,
Thanks Jane, so sorry to hear about your sister. it seems wherever I go I keep hearing of young people finding out about their cancer and I lost a good friend to cancer 2 years ago. Just hope I'm worrying for nothing. I guess I was hoping the surgeon would say I wouldn't need anything but I guess you are right I am doing the right thing by checking it out even though I don't know how I'm going to survive the wait till April.
it's only a few weeks, try to take your mind off it by keeping busy with something that interests you.I do understand as I got very anxious too, but afterwards I wondered what all the worry was about and had peace of mind when everything was ok..
I get the brain thing - why is there no off switch!?! Just so you know, im a medical typist and I type for both the gastroenterology and gynaecology services. (And oncology, ugh, which is why my brain automatically flies to the worst...). What I've witnessed, time and time again, is that patients are often referred to, say, gastro for full investigation for pain in the abdomen, and it turns out being a gynaecological issue, and vice versa. All of our organs down there are sharing such close quarters, it's easy to assume it's one source of pain, when it's actually another. Let's hope it's just your lady parts bothering you. Xx
Hi. It's quite normal to feel anxious. My surgery was 27 months ago and even though all the follow up tests have been ok, I still worry every time one is due. (They are 6 monthly now, so a bit less worry.) I was so relieved when the nurse told me my CT scan results, that I hugged her and that is not what I do usually! She is rather nice though. Yes, you should be told the colonoscopy result just after having it. In fact, I was told when I was getting off the table. It seems as if yours is just a precaution as everything was normal. But as someone wrote, you might be able to have it earlier. Best wishes!
As long as it's nothing serious with the lady parts haha my Gynae said all is ok from Gynae part. I just want this to be all over!
I don't blame you for worrying with your job, I think I wouldn't b able to handle it, don't know how you do it 😳
Hope I will be able to say the same as you! Tks so much for your encouragement
Tks John hope I get good news like you! Maybe il have some nice guy nurse to hug too 😝 Can't wait for it to be over and wish my mind was abit more positive with health issues
You are right to have the test given your family history. As a symptom, it sounds like IBS. Be careful you don't do what I used to do and press your hand on fingers because I used to bruise it internally which became a vicious circle. By itself abdominal ache doesn't sound particularly like a cancer symptom which is much more usually heralded by symptoms associated with stools including altered vowel habit, excessive diarrhoea and bleeding (and even both of these symptoms are more often than not something else). I had appalling pains in my abdomen for over twenty years from childhood. In the end I controlled it by avoiding too much wheat and too many cashew nuts and completely avoiding broad and baked beans (which really set it off) and using a bowel relaxant when I had an attack. I now only have very infrequent trouble and that is when i overdo some of those foods. As to what they tell you, it varies. The consultant may have a chat afterwards about what he found but some prefer to write to your doctor or see you at another time. I understand the panic feelings. Unfortunately, the gut can be sensitive to tension too. It is no accident that we talk about having "gut feelings" when we are following an instinct. I found my first colonoscopy actually stopped the symptoms for ages. Perhaps it is relief that there is nothing wrong. Maybe we all need a good clear out occasionally. Also remember this, the big thing with abdominal cancer is when you catch it and in the very early or pre-cancerous phase, they can zap it during the colonoscopy itself. But, my gut instinct with your symptoms and your age is that it won't be that, so don't get too worried. Good luck. You are doing the most sensible thing. David.
That should be "or fingers" of course!
Tks David, I try tell myself if it was cancer it wouldn't have taken so many years and I try tell myself it's Ibs. Hopefully if all comes clear I can have my mind at rest for a few years. Since my dad passed away I have this horrible fear that I'm next and with so many new cases in my age group I keep believing why not me? I really hope I manage to calm down abit. Tks so much for finding the time to calm me down
I know. I used to do just the same. I think you have a very good point. If you have had the same symptoms for a long time it is unlikely to be bowel cancer. And, like I said, it's a bit of a vicious circle because once you think you even might have cancer, that makes you tense and that never helps any gut problem. You might also try greatly restricting wheat, legumes, baked beans and nuts for a month and see if it improves. They are all common culprits. Remember too that the strongest likelihood is they will find nothing. Even if they find something, the strong likelihood is that it would not be cancer anyway. Your age is on your side, the location (rt hand side) is on your side, the fact that you do not have any of the conventional stool symptoms that go with bowel cancer is heavily on your side. I'm really sorry your dad had it, but he may have been a different age from you and there are a lot of lifestyle triggers with bowel cancer. If you haven't got it, as I strongly believe, then if you have the test every five years, it is really, really unlikely that it will ever be what gets you. So, even though I never listened (lol) don't worry too much. You are doing the best thing having everything checked and then you can get on with your life. And don't press on the area except very, very gently. I used to do it all the time until my doctor got really mad with me...