I started having pretty bad constipation the day before thanksgiving of this past year ( so about 6 months). i also get a lot of ibs symptoms: bloating and gas after eating, thin soft stools (sometimes, other times hard, dry and regular width) and distended tummy (like right now my stomach is soooo pregnant looking and i can't suck in even if i tried). i am an 18 yr old girl, exercise every day (cardio and weight lifting), and eat a high fiber diet (i am a nutrition major in college, so no prob w/ the diet). i haven't had any bleeding from the rectum or anything, but one thing is SEVERELY freaking me out. i went to use a supposatory the other day and when (sorry this is really gross and embarrassing for me to type) i stuck my finger up there i felt a hard kind of long, hard large mass/lump (almost feels bone-like) on the wall of the rectum....is this an inflamed hemorrhoid, some kind of benign growth or could this be cancer?? i am extremely terrified and i know i need to go to a doc, but my insur. doesn't kick in till may 1 and i am literally making myself sick thinking about this and it's making my symptoms (gas and bloating) worse due to stress piled upon more stress from college. please if anyone knows anything about this please please please respond! i have always been really healthy, never sick and i'm only 18!! it just doesn't seem like i would get colon/rectal cancer this young since they say over 50 are the ppl most at risk. i really watch my health and i didn't think something like this would happen to me. thanks again

you poor thing. please try to relax. you are right when you say that your stress is causing more problems. i am afraid i do not know an answer to your question, but i would say it is most likely a hemorrhoid. you are far to young to assume it is cancer ok? seriously you have to take it easy. if i were you i would go to an ER because they have to treat you and get checked out. there is no reason for you to live with this discomfort and fear because you are worried about money. take care of yourself.

I started having pretty bad constipation the day before thanksgiving of this past year ( so about 6 months). i also get a lot of ibs symptoms: bloating and gas after eating, thin soft stools (sometimes, other times hard, dry and regular width) and distended tummy (like right now my stomach is soooo pregnant looking and i can't suck in even if i tried). i am an 18 yr old girl, exercise every day (cardio and weight lifting), and eat a high fiber diet (i am a nutrition major in college, so no prob w/ the diet). i haven't had any bleeding from the rectum or anything, but one thing is SEVERELY freaking me out. i went to use a supposatory the other day and when (sorry this is really gross and embarrassing for me to type) i stuck my finger up there i felt a hard kind of long, hard large mass/lump (almost feels bone-like) on the wall of the rectum....is this an inflamed hemorrhoid, some kind of benign growth or could this be cancer?? i am extremely terrified and i know i need to go to a doc, but my insur. doesn't kick in till may 1 and i am literally making myself sick thinking about this and it's making my symptoms (gas and bloating) worse due to stress piled upon more stress from college. please if anyone knows anything about this please please please respond! i have always been really healthy, never sick and i'm only 18!! it just doesn't seem like i would get colon/rectal cancer this young since they say over 50 are the ppl most at risk. i really watch my health and i didn't think something like this would happen to me. thanks again

You've already listed most of possible causes. My first thougt was adenoma (benign growth). Proctoscopy (endoscopic wiev of rectum) with optional biopsy (resection of very little part of tissue for the exact detemination of the growth) will most likely be done by proctologist. It's harmless investigation. There is really no need to rush but go to the doctor after 1st may.

You say you have a high fiber diet - could it be too much? Your other symtoms point to that - too much gas and constipation. If you've been constipated for so long, it's possible that its a hardened feces stuck to the intestinal wall (I know, gross). Before you go to the doctor, check to make sure it's still there. I would think if it were a hemorrhoid, it would hurt when you felt it?