Worrying too much I hope...

[dothackzero]

Do I have colon cancer?
I'm going to a doctor about this, so don't even tell me that. I just want to know what YOU think, hopefully it'll ease my nerves untill I get to the doctors on the dec 11th.

Over the past two months, I've had a range of different bowel movements. Some have been fat and roundish; others have been thin and flat. Would I be seeing that range if you had colon cancer.

So is it a problem if I went from not being able to **** for a day, to have something like but not really direria?

I normally **** at once a day...

Abdominal distension: Nope
Abdominal pain: Nope
Unexplained, persistent nausea or vomiting: Nope
Unexplained weight loss: Nope
Change in frequency or character of stool (bowel movements): nope
Small-caliber (narrow) or ribbon-like stools: I dont' think so?
Sensation of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement: Nope
Rectal pain: Nope
Age. About 90 percent of people diagnosed with colon cancer are older than 50: I'm 20.
A personal history of colorectal cancer or polyps: Not that I know of.
Inflammatory intestinal conditions: Nope
Inherited disorders that affect the colon: I might have hemmorides, thouh it usually doesn't cause a problem for me. Basiclly it's not active most of the time.
Family history of colon cancer and colon polyps: Only my grandma, nobody else even polyps. My parents who are over 50 both got colonoscapes, neither one of them had any polyps.
Diet. Colon cancer and rectal cancer may be associated with a diet low in fiber and high in fat and calories: Probably
A sedentary lifestyle: Yeah, but do try to get at least a little bit of exercise each day.
Diabetes: Nope
Obesity: I'm only 135 pounds
Smoking. I don't smoke
Alcohol: I don't drink
Growth hormone disorder: I don't think so.
Radiation therapy for cancer: I've never had cancer or anyone in my family except for my granda who was a smoker.

Is this true?

It seems that, for me, the biggest predictor of shape is the consistency of the poop. Really soft poops (which seem to be the norm for me) HAVE to be flatter. It comes down to simple physics -- the anal sphincter is not round, it's an oval. If you pass something soft and squishy through an oval, it will take the shape of the hole through which it is passing. Thus, soft poops will be oval/flattened. Now, I've also had a flatter harder poo as well -- but they've been smaller and I've sort of put them in the same category as the little pebble-like poo we all sometimes pass.

[greenlydia]

Jeeze.........OK, I "won't even tell you to see a doctor."
Do I have your permission to say I think it's a good thing that you are?

You say that over the past two months, you've had a range of different bowel movements, but in your Google inventory of colon cancer symptoms, you checked "no" in the box that asks if your stools have changed.....we'll just assume that in YOUR opinion, they haven't. Have some/most of these been "normal" for you? Diet, medications, stress.....all of these can play a part in how our stools change. None of us has exactly the same kind of stool every time we have a bowel movement. I personally have had some really fascinating ones and if it wasn't stool, one could almost call it "art!"

Colon cancer normally presents as dark, tar-like stools, which is caused by blood in the stool. Have you had any stools that look like that? And it wouldn't just be one, it would be virtually every bowel movement. Have you passed fairly large amounts of blood with your bowel movements? If you are passing "frank" blood, which means FRESH blood, and trust me, you'd know it if you were, then those two symptoms might indicate colon cancer. Roids WILL often cause bleeding, but it is usually very slight, you may or may not notice a small amount of blood ON the BM in the bowl and a small amount on the toilet paper. This is very common and nothing to worry about. While hemorrhoids CAN develope at almost any age, 20 is usually on the young side. If you know you have them, do not strain while having a bowel movement. That is not a good thing to do.

Since all of your other "markers" were negative, I would say your chances of having colon cancer are virtually nil. Again, your age in very much in your favor.

And to your question about not having a bowel movement for a day and then having a bout of something like, "but not quite," diarrhea, that's normal as well and more than likely related to diet. Many of us skip a day or even two, and that also is nothing to worry about.

Your doctor will probably have you do an at home blood occult test which is where you get to dig around in your poo and send off a sample to a lab for them to check for any hidden blood. This is called "early dectection" and if one were to have colon cancer, it's the best chance to catch it early and cure it. But, I don't think you have colon cancer. You probably will be told to watch your diet, as in lay off the fast food and junk, and add more fiber.
Do let us know how you are.
Peace
Greenlydia    

[dothackzero]

bump

[denistd]

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[tropicalsoul]

Two other things can cause your bowel movements to change as well.  Celiac Disease and Intestinal Candida Overgrowth.  Take a look at those.  Hope this helps.

[Rachel_W]

Bowel movements change from the things you eat, vitamins you take, and how hydrated you are...  Blood in the stool is the biggy, (my nan passed away from it many years ago and I remember my Mum told me that is how she knew the second time she was diagnosed with it.  I am not even sure if people at 20 even really get it.  It stems from polyps that take 10 years to become cancerous.  

Try to eat healthy, lots of fiber (may be bran or oat meal with flaxseed for breakfast?).  I am sure that you are fine.  Let us know how it goes!!!