Need some re-assurance. Please help!

[sweetmum]

Hello...

I am 28 years old and I had a Barium Enima done last May. My cousin was diagnosed with the Colon Cancer Stage IV and she only last about 6 months and then she died. she was only 38 when she died. I had already spread to her liver and other organs when it was detected. However, my immediate family has no history of cancer to date.

Anyway i was really, really paranoid about 1 year ago when i started seeing blood after a bowel movement. It was fresh red blood. I also knew after I had my son that i got hemmroids. The Barium test came back good and nothing was detected. However about 1 month ago i passed blood again but only 2 times and it was the same red blood. No black stools or anything.

I went to a specialist and he said that he won't recommend Colonoscopy because my barium test came back fine and also i do have hemmroids and he thinks that's where the blood came from. I also did a stool test for occult blood and that also came back negative. i also did a CEA blood test and the results were 1.76

I am very paranoid since my cousin died. I changed my diet completely. I have started to cut back on my meat intake. I only eat seafoods now with my meals. No other meat. I try to drink about 8-9 glasses of water daily. However I seem to pass stool more often now like 3-4 times daily and they are quite soft.. is this normal?

I am really scared. I haven't seen blood in my stool for a while now.. also my stool is normal light green colour. (sorry for being so graphic).

i just need to know if i should do the colonoscopy or if this is nothing.

please please help. I am scared because i read on the internet that the Barium Enima sometimes misses polyps.

Thank you.

[Dr Vinod]

Please do not worry. This will increase anxiety and depression.
Your cousin and you are 2 different individuals and every individual is special.

It is unfortunate what happened with your cousin.

In you case the Barium enema is negative suggests that you do not have any problem.
You do not pass blood continuosly and you do not also have haemmorrhoids.
Your family history is also negative.
You do not have an ulcer and there is nothing suggestive in any of your tests.

You go to a clinician for an yearly checkup and when everything is negative feel rest assured and do not worrry.
Take care!

[sweetmum]

Thanks for the quick reply.... and now i feel much better..:) but i just want to ask one more thing. After reading everything do you think i need to do a colonoscopy? The reason i am asking is because the consistency in my stool has changed. I dont know if this is because my diet has changed. I am no longer eating meat and i am eating more fruits and veggies now the only type of meat i eat is seafood.

My stools are more soft and sometimes smaller... meaning a little thinner... nothing to talk about but then again sometimes they are thick and normal. I drink alot, alot of water like 8-10 glasses.

Please give me some advice.

Thanks again.