#1 ·
Hey there, everyone. I’m reaching out because I’m dealing with a pretty serious health issue right now, and I could really use some advice on how to handle this. Here is what's been going on:
For over a year now, I've been struggling with pain and discomfort in my lower abdomen, specifically on the right side. Some days it's manageable, but other times it gets incredibly intense. It’s always accompanied by these alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea. When I'm constipated, the pain honestly becomes almost unbearable. I frequently have to use warm water enemas just to get any kind of relief, and once that happens, it immediately turns into diarrhea. Almost every single night, I deal with these awful intestinal cramps and desperate attempts to go to the bathroom. It seems like lying down makes the pain worse, while standing up helps settle it a bit, and I end up waking up several times a night like this. Over the last two months, I've also started feeling this constant bloating on my right side that doesn't go away even after I've used the bathroom. Lately, I've been feeling pain in my lower back during bowel movements too. Sometimes, the stool comes out very thin, almost pencil-thin. I am extremely scared, though, because I've read that some of these symptoms can be signs of colon cancer. To make matters worse, I have a genetic predisposition; both my grandfather and my uncle dealt with colon cancer and had to undergo surgery for it. Just to give some context, I'm only 28 years old, I don't smoke, I rarely drink, and I've always been pretty active with sports. I would be so grateful if anyone knows what this might be or what I should do next. My doctors have suggested a colonoscopy, but I am terrified—both of the procedure itself, which I've heard is incredibly painful, and of whatever news they might deliver. Please, if you have any advice or similar experiences, help me out.
For over a year now, I've been struggling with pain and discomfort in my lower abdomen, specifically on the right side. Some days it's manageable, but other times it gets incredibly intense. It’s always accompanied by these alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea. When I'm constipated, the pain honestly becomes almost unbearable. I frequently have to use warm water enemas just to get any kind of relief, and once that happens, it immediately turns into diarrhea. Almost every single night, I deal with these awful intestinal cramps and desperate attempts to go to the bathroom. It seems like lying down makes the pain worse, while standing up helps settle it a bit, and I end up waking up several times a night like this. Over the last two months, I've also started feeling this constant bloating on my right side that doesn't go away even after I've used the bathroom. Lately, I've been feeling pain in my lower back during bowel movements too. Sometimes, the stool comes out very thin, almost pencil-thin. I am extremely scared, though, because I've read that some of these symptoms can be signs of colon cancer. To make matters worse, I have a genetic predisposition; both my grandfather and my uncle dealt with colon cancer and had to undergo surgery for it. Just to give some context, I'm only 28 years old, I don't smoke, I rarely drink, and I've always been pretty active with sports. I would be so grateful if anyone knows what this might be or what I should do next. My doctors have suggested a colonoscopy, but I am terrified—both of the procedure itself, which I've heard is incredibly painful, and of whatever news they might deliver. Please, if you have any advice or similar experiences, help me out.