please help

[sherrymj]

About a year ago Out of the blue I stopped having bowel movements for a month. I was dehydrated and went to the hospital  I was given go-lyetly and iv but it didn't work,  days later went back to the er and was given an xray and more go -lytley  the xray showed it was backed up causing trouble breathing, anyways I was sent homeafter a week I went to the bathroom and I had to strain, but it was nothing but mucus after that  I would go my stool was filled with mucus so I was sent to an internal med dr. diverticultious was ruled out but I had cysts on my ovaries & they were taken out . I started having dirahea one day and constipation the next. a lil blood  I have to strain to have diareaha and some days I have to clean myself out. My stools have been very flat like a truck ran over it so my ob-gyn refereed me to a GI dr. and ordered a colonospcopy. I have been going here for months now and they will not do a colonoscopy because I am a young female and they said I am to young for anything like cancer one day while cleaning myself out I felt a large mass about 3-4 inches from the opening, I was touched it thinking it was hard stool it didn't hurt. I couldn't get it out but I noticed it was firm but spongey, oh yeah when I have to clean my self out I use a baby wipe.anyways when I pulled the baby wipe out it was covered in bright red blood. My doctor said there's nothing else they can do and I should go back to my ob-gyn,  I asked to for a colonoscopy but they won't. I stay tired, I always feel like I have to a bowel movement, every bowel movements different flat, thin and thick but watery and other days it's hard. The mass I felt feels like the size of a golf ball but it doesn't hurt at all some days my stool is  light tan and others it is very dark...I know you can not diagose my problem but can you tell me what this could be and what else can I do

[sherrymj]

SO IT IS SAFE TO SAY I CAN RULE OUT CANCER?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

I agree a colonoscopy should be considered.  At the very least, a barium enema.

The symptoms can be caused by things like hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome.  However, with the change in bowel habits and possible mass, you need to rule out cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.  

If the colonoscopy is negative, you can send the stool off for culture and analysis.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician, or in conjunction with another opinion.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_