Sometime around my birthday (I turned 19 on the 6th), I began noticing some funny things whenever I'd eat. Being a teenaged male, I have a naturally huge appetite, and can usually eat a lot in a sitting. Around then, I began noticing that I was feeling sick every time I'd eat; the smallest little thing would make me feel like I was going to throw up. I chalked that up to being excited about my birthday, though, and it dissipated a little bit after the 6th passed.
The real concern came about on Saturday night. I felt perfectly fine all day, and hadn't experienced anything that I'd consider abnormal health-wise. Right before Hockey Night in Canada started, nature called, and I went to do my business. As soon as the bowel movement was done, though, I felt this searing pain in my lower abdomen and back; I thought I'd somehow thrown my back out while on the toilet (which actually wouldn't be the strangest way I've done that). When I went to wipe myself, though, I noticed that it was all bright-red blood; in addition, my stomach had gone down considerably (I am overweight, and usually can't see my toes when I stand up straight, but I could after this). I was scared, of course, but I didn't go to the doctor, because it might've been a one-time thing. It wasn't, though; with the exception of the pain, it happened again last night.
I can't go and see a doctor until tomorrow, but that's not stopping me from being very scared now. Could this be a sign of the presence of colon cancer, and if not, what could it be?
Dogbert:
Whatever the reason, you NEED to contact a gastroenterologist and schedule a colonoscopy. Bleeding from the rectum is NOT NORMAL IN ANY CASE. Please don't freak out until you have more information and something to freak out about. It's perfectly normal for you to be normal, but you MUST get a colonoscopy, which is NO BIG DEAL. Everyone plays it up to be horrible, because nobody likes to talk about putting anything up your back side. Trust me, the worst part is the prep... the stuff they give you cleans you out so you have a lot of diarrhea and feel like you have a garden hose coming out your butt. The actual procedure is VERY EASY. They give you medication to relax you through an IV and another medication to help you forget much of what happens and just go in and out of sleep. If you experience ANY discomfort, you tell them and they will give you more medication.
Bottom line is you NEED a colonoscopy. Don't let ANYONE tell you that you are too young. I began bleeding at 28, and wish I had a doctor that referred me for a colonoscopy. Had she then, I would have had a 100% rate of cure versus now about a 25% chance.
So, PLEASE do this for yourself. Do NOT wait. Waiting can be the worst thing. Having this procedure might just literally save your life. If you don't get this done, you will continue to worry, and potentially let something abnormal continue to grow. Having a colonoscopy now will allow the gastro to remove whatever might be growing right then and there with no further treatment needed.
Good luck. And please, keep us posted about what happens.
Well, as it turns out, what I actually ended up doing was tearing myself open a bit down there. I discovered the cut in the shower this morning. Looks like I've overreacted a bit; I apologize for wasting your time with this.
Keep fighting the good fight. I'm pulling for you guys.
