Terrified I have bowel cancer

Good Luck Shinamae ?

We get rung back by the triage team if we say it has some urgency. The "triage team" is the poor practice nurse trying to hold back the tide. It is all very sad.

When we ring our doctors we can be on hold for an hour, but generally the dr would call back sometime same day to speak to you! I know it’s frustrating to be on hold for long time shinamae but worth it to get to speak to dr , good luck !

Finally answered and the same day team will give me a ring in the next few hours

That’s a very long while to wait till 20th, I would be telling the receptionist that I would like to be speaking to a dr today! That’s what I do if I’m concerned !

I have reached the front of the queue and the phone is ringing but it’s been over two minutes and it’s not been answered ☹️

I have severe Diverticulitis, I was told this by the Doctor who done my colonoscopy.
I have the same symptoms you have, and I do feel tired, but this can cause this.
As other posters have said see your GP. I wish you well.

Shinamae - I hope you get to see your Doctor soon and he will be able to reassure you. Your symptoms could be due to the haemorrhoids and diverticula disease. Keep yourself busy and distract yourself - don’t overthink. It’s easy for me to say. I am exactly like you. Hope all goes well . Keep in touch and let us know how you get on x

I did phone a couple of times earlier but it was such a long queue that I’ve booked this appointment online, I am now 18th in the queue but will wait…?

TillyTrotter

Please don’t let your Surgery receptionist think you are ok with waiting until the 20th Shinamae.
You could say you want to speak to a doctor “Today as you have some new symptoms that are worrying you”.
Sometimes you have to lay it on the line and I think this is one of them.

Good advice I will do this. ??

Well put Monica, I hope you can be seen quicker Shinamae but I suppose many people are now laying it on the line. You have made a start which is good.

Please don’t let your Surgery receptionist think you are ok with waiting until the 20th Shinamae.
You could say you want to speak to a doctor “Today as you have some new symptoms that are worrying you”.
Sometimes you have to lay it on the line and I think this is one of them.

"Got an appointment on 20th" - and a telephone one - this just makes me completely despair for the NHS, although "service" in the title is becoming a joke.

I am sorry you have these worries and symptoms and hope that it can be resolved soon.

I have the phone number of our local out-of-hours GP service - could you look for this and try them in your area? Not the best use of that service, but what can we do?

I spent 12 hours on a trolley in A&E last week with no sight of a doctor - there were 2 doctors on for the entire hospital. What a state it is all in.

No! You shouldn't have to wait that long! Is your surgery part of the Push Doctor Group? This is a private service which my surgery will pay for when they're overloaded. I got an appointment within 10 minutes of registering, but not every surgery has signed up.

You can find out if your surgery is using Push Doctor by logging on the PD website and typing in the surgery's postcode.

Have phoned the surgery and have a telephone appointment on the 20th of this month…

MerylStreep

Dickens
I worked that out myself some years ago through really ruthless elimination. Tomatoes are the worst.
I’m probably tempting fate by saying this but I haven’t had a bad attack since eliminating tomato pips.

... yes, my consultant said tomatoes were an absolute no-no.

Clever of you to have worked it out for yourself - I hadn't got a clue at the time.

Thank you all so much, it really does help ?????

Good luck ? ? ?

Could not pass this thread by without agreeing with many of the supportive people who have written.
I hope your GP fast tracks the checks needed Shinamae and takes away some of your anxiety.
The diagnosis could be something far less serious than cancer.
My sister had bowel cancer aged 58 (she did not go to her doctor for months as she was scared), and she made a full recovery and has just celebrated her 80th Birthday.

Dickens
I worked that out myself some years ago through really ruthless elimination. Tomatoes are the worst.
I’m probably tempting fate by saying this but I haven’t had a bad attack since eliminating tomato pips.

Blossomiong: thanks for telling us your success story with facts we can understand. If people can understand how the disease is treated then they will be less fearful to go for check ups.

... we're all rooting for you - let us know how you get on with your GP... and be insistent (if necessary). Don't let him / her make assumptions because you have piles and diverticulitis.

BTW, have you been eating much in the way of fruit / veg with skins and pips recently? I ask because my consultant told me that these lodge in the little 'out pockets' in the colon and cause a flare-up of the diverticular disease, where they ferment and then give off gasses?

I can see how a traumatic past family history impacts the survivors

What M0nica and VS said

GP told my husband three times he had piles - it wasn’t! Please press your gp as they aren’t always correct.

Shinamae you sound like you may be sufferring with depression and anxiety. Poor mental health itself can cause bowel issues and if you have slowed down your movement that could slow down your bowel too.

Keep getting your physical check ups but maybe you should add a mental health check up too just incase