Very scared; could this be Colon Cancer or just IBS?

[anonymousofhull27006]

Hi,
I am a 17-year-old male from the UK. In May last year, I had what I think was an infection. I had severe diorhhea for about 3 days. Since then, my bowel has been acting...oddly, and I'm starting to get worked up about it. It was relatively tolerable until a few weeks ago, when I had to go toilet like, 8 times in a day. I felt horrendously bloated and sick until I got it all out. Since then I have had regular days where I need to go to toilet about 2 to 5 times, and whilst it is usually alright the first time the second/third/fourth time around it is really quite unpleasant. On these occasions, my stool is really sticky (TMI I know) and it sometimes takes me quite a while to expel it all. It isn't normal constipation, because it usually isn't rock hard- just sticky. It's really embarressing and inconvenient, because sometimes I go and have to go again a few minutes later, and leaves me with a huge mess to clean up. I'm scared that I will do some serious damage down there by straining- the anal muscle already feels tense if you know what I mean, and I'm also worried that I might get a rectal prolapse...but by far, the thing I am most scared about is cancer. I don't have any blood in my poop, nor do I get stomach aches (although yesterday I did have a little sensitivity in my abdomen) but I can feel a little lump when I wipe and sometimes if I wipe for a long time there is blood on the toilet paper....sometimes I feel like there is something there internally, too. There is no real family history of bowel cancer (the only person in my family whose had it was my Great-Grandmother, and she was in her 90s) but the thought lingers at the back of mind, and sometimes it keeps me awake at night worrying...I know there is something like a 1% chance of me getting it at this age...but still....can anyone shed any light on my problems?

(P.S I have been proscribed Colofac by the doctor. I don't think it's doing anything, so I am going for a blood test next week)

[Katie82123]

I had the same issue and quit eating gluten and dairy

[Emotionalbeauty]

I'm just going to ask an obvious question. I'm suffering a similar situation. But as you said about the blood/lumps internally and externally have you checked with the doctor about hemeroids? With ibs you have to strain a lot to pass stool and as straining is a big cause of hemeroids it may well be related.
Don't feel to worried about worrying about the serious stuff. I've convinced myself I have bowl or rectum cancer. I'm too scared to get checked tho. It's probably hemeroids. But go get a GP to take a look(: