Reassurance Requested!!!! - Digestive Disorders Message Board

hukleberrie · 09-26-2007, 04:12 PM

I am feeling a little nervous & really just want someone to tell me that nothing is wrong & that I am going to be fine. I am the silly 33 yr old woman who has been having some pain in her left back rib/flank area & other issues like palpitations & weight loss (nearly 20% of my body weight in 3 months)who just was shocked when I heard that my hemocult tests came back positive for blood. I don't see any. No diahrea or anything. I have been going every day, the same old firm poo as always. I have notice black spots, but that's it. This is nothing to be too worried about, right? If it was cancer I would know, right? I am sure there would be lots of blood & the runs & change in habits or something. The only thing is I have been going a bit more often.... Just with my brother being diagnosed, I have been a bit nervous. & now there has been more of my relatives diagnosed since my brother. It's horrid. And I am a little scared, to be honest. Just looking for some reassurance that I am not facing that same evil C word like my brother is.

ChristineVA · 09-27-2007, 05:37 AM

My post won't make you feel better.

Most people with colon cancer (which I think you are alluding to) do not get symptoms until it is very advanced. My co-worker was diagnosed when she was 45. No symptoms. They found it when she went to her OB/GYN for her annual checkup. The OB/GYN did a rectal exam and examined part of her stool that they can get during this exam. It had blood in it when the chemical was added. They did another test, and there was still blood. So she immediately had a colonoscopy and there was cancer. She had no clue.

If you ever get to the point of passing visible blood in your stool and having symptoms you are in trouble. Occult blood means "hidden" blood. You can't see it, you won't see it. It occurs higher up in the colon and mixes with your stool and turns color. So, only a test can pick this up.

What kind of cancer does your brother have?

hukleberrie · 09-27-2007, 06:51 AM

This is kinda scary for me. It has to be a 'roid or ulcer or something I am sure. I hope...

It's hard because I don't want any of my family to know how badly I have been feeling/hurting because I don't want them to worry – they are already dealing with my brother (stage IV pancreatic cancer) & my father-in-law (terminal kidney cancer spread to spine) & my aunt (lung cancer) etc..... I just went to the doctor for a kidney infection then pain in my back rib/flank area & thought they would tell me it was a pulled muscle or something & it would be better by now. That was the end of June & now I have been sick & in pain for a while & lost so much weight without trying at all. This waiting to hear from the doctor is killing me & I just wish I would get this all figured out & at least know for sure the cause of my health problems.

ZoeGirl · 09-27-2007, 08:11 AM

Well I can't tell you what is wrong with you, but I can say that I have blood on occasion and I do not have cancer. I have Crohn's disease and when I flare up I will bleed (a lot). I have pain and about everything you described also (I am now 37). It's scary when you don't know what is it, but you will know soon enough and be on your way to better health.

Positive thoughts!

hukleberrie · 09-27-2007, 09:59 AM

Well, I don't think it's cancer. I mean, I posted on another board & someone said if it's red that's when you worry. I don't have anything visable. (I do have some black spots sometimes, but that makes me believe maybe it's just an ulcer.) No runs or anything like that. I can't believe it would crohns or colitis since I don't have the runs or any change in bowel habits.