Is this colon cancer?

TannerML
TannerML Member Posts: 19
in Colorectal Cancer #1

In late October, I seemed to be developing some sort of stomach issue, as I would get nausea, and my stools got lighter, and sunk. The nausea soon went away. A month later, I developed insomnia. That insomnia was terrible. I literally didn't get any sleep at all some nights. Then, I got a form of it that wakes me up every night between 1-4 AM, sometimes later. I then started getting more symptoms, such as tingling and increased urination that lasted for a few days, as well as joint pain that is quite rare, thus far. Around that time I also developed a strange arm and foot odor that a friend said was similar to alcohol, which is still present, but more mild. Over the last four weeks, my tongue has looked white in the back of it, with barely visible bumps, and I had an occasional bitter taste in my mouth for no known reason two nights. I also have mild constipation or no urge to go at all, as well as my stools getting a little thinner. A mild dip in appetite and energy has also occurred lately. This strange illness makes me worried. I am 23, by the way. None of my doctors take me seriously and think I do not even need a blood test.

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Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    Young person

    You are young to have CRC, but not too young. I have a friend how got CRC at 26, and know of at least five others undre 30. (CRC - Colorectal Cancer)

    Not to scare you or anything, just know that its not always an old folks disease. 

    Some of the symptoms I have not heard about being related to CRC, but certainly a white tongue is supposed to be an indication of some kind of digestive problem. Also thin stools are a sign as well. 

    Of course, these symptoms could very well be a sign of something totally unrelated to Cancer, but it certainly seem like your body is trying to tell you something is wrong. It may be something quite simple, that can be fixed with a healthy diet and exercise (always a good plan). 

    If you are not completely happy with your Doctor, you may want to invest in a second opinion. Keep a record of what your body is doing and when, go armed with as much information as you can. 

    Good luck!  I certainly hope that it is nothing serious. Don't sit on it though. If it were Cancer, then the earlier its caught the better. 

    Trubrit

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #3
    Trubrit said:

    Young person

    You are young to have CRC, but not too young. I have a friend how got CRC at 26, and know of at least five others undre 30. (CRC - Colorectal Cancer)

    Not to scare you or anything, just know that its not always an old folks disease. 

    Some of the symptoms I have not heard about being related to CRC, but certainly a white tongue is supposed to be an indication of some kind of digestive problem. Also thin stools are a sign as well. 

    Of course, these symptoms could very well be a sign of something totally unrelated to Cancer, but it certainly seem like your body is trying to tell you something is wrong. It may be something quite simple, that can be fixed with a healthy diet and exercise (always a good plan). 

    If you are not completely happy with your Doctor, you may want to invest in a second opinion. Keep a record of what your body is doing and when, go armed with as much information as you can. 

    Good luck!  I certainly hope that it is nothing serious. Don't sit on it though. If it were Cancer, then the earlier its caught the better. 

    Trubrit

    My diet for years was a diet

    My diet for years was a diet that can possibly cause colon cancer. And at least we know it's not exclusive to older people. My doctors think it's a conclusive fact that I am too young to get colon cancer. And I have spoken to a woman who was diagnosed at 26 online, too. She's on the NeverTooYoung site. What worries me the most is how these doctors have brushed me off since mid November. Cancer can progress a lot in that time.

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #4
    Have they checked your blood

    Have they checked your blood sugar?  Some of those symptoms were similar to what my son had when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.   If they haven't checked that it's a very simple test that can at least rule that out.  Good luck to you.

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #5
    jen2012 said:

    Have they checked your blood

    Have they checked your blood sugar?  Some of those symptoms were similar to what my son had when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.   If they haven't checked that it's a very simple test that can at least rule that out.  Good luck to you.

    Not yet. My doctors won't

    Not yet. My doctors won't even okay blood test. What symptoms did he have?

  • jen2012
    jen2012 Member Posts: 1,607 Member
    #6
    TannerML said:

    Not yet. My doctors won't

    Not yet. My doctors won't even okay blood test. What symptoms did he have?

    Increased thirst and

    Increased thirst and urination.  Blurry vision, loss of appetite, Nausea.  He did have a smell which is really what tipped me off, but I think it was more of a breath smell and like syrupy smell.  Some numbness and tingling.

    Can you go to another doctors.  Maybe your parents have a doctor that would be more willing to listen, or a walk in clinic?

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #7
    jen2012 said:

    Increased thirst and

    Increased thirst and urination.  Blurry vision, loss of appetite, Nausea.  He did have a smell which is really what tipped me off, but I think it was more of a breath smell and like syrupy smell.  Some numbness and tingling.

    Can you go to another doctors.  Maybe your parents have a doctor that would be more willing to listen, or a walk in clinic?

    Quite a few of those symptoms

    Quite a few of those symptoms match mine. And I am not sure yet. Did he also have a change in bowel habits? The smell my sweat emits is sort of a sweetish, yet nasty odor.

  • skeets1961
    skeets1961 Member Posts: 56
    #8
    My husband also had terrible

    My husband also had terrible night sweats.  I wonder if anyone has had them from CRC?  

    I agree about getting a 2nd opinion, they need to listen to us and not brush us off.

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #9
    skeets1961 said:

    My husband also had terrible

    My husband also had terrible night sweats.  I wonder if anyone has had them from CRC?  

    I agree about getting a 2nd opinion, they need to listen to us and not brush us off.

    What was their reason for

    What was their reason for brushing you off? They think I am too young. Tell that to these people, these people here had to fight for their lives because of that. 

    http://ccalliance.org/nevertooyoung/stories.html

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #10
    I could have avoided cancr if

    I could have avoided cancr if I had listenws to my body and not my idiot doctor at 28. Go to a  gastroenterlogist. It's worth the visit. It could be so many other things and the way to find out ia through blood work and a visit to a gastroenterolgist. My son was having some of the problems on your list at 17 and it totally shocked the doctor that he had several ulcers. You should treat whatevwr it ia right away so you can feel better.

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #11
    Helen321 said:

    I could have avoided cancr if

    I could have avoided cancr if I had listenws to my body and not my idiot doctor at 28. Go to a  gastroenterlogist. It's worth the visit. It could be so many other things and the way to find out ia through blood work and a visit to a gastroenterolgist. My son was having some of the problems on your list at 17 and it totally shocked the doctor that he had several ulcers. You should treat whatevwr it ia right away so you can feel better.

    What stage was your cancer

    What stage was your cancer when you found it? How long did your symptoms persist?

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #12
    Sounds Like You Need To Find A Doctor

    If doctors are not even to draw blood based on everything you said, find another doctor.  Somethihng is wrong here, meaning that I do not know of one doctor who would not even draw bloods based on what you described, if I am following it all correctly and the story is being relayed correctly to the doctors when you visit.  (Meaning make sure they are listening.)  What do the doctor's say about all of this that you described to them?

    Maybe jot everything down in order with dates and times and whether things are continuing, how severe (scale of 1- 10) etc.

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    #13
    You

    should see a GI and get scoped. You're going to keep worrying about it until you feel you know for sure. 

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #14
    NewHere said:

    Sounds Like You Need To Find A Doctor

    If doctors are not even to draw blood based on everything you said, find another doctor.  Somethihng is wrong here, meaning that I do not know of one doctor who would not even draw bloods based on what you described, if I am following it all correctly and the story is being relayed correctly to the doctors when you visit.  (Meaning make sure they are listening.)  What do the doctor's say about all of this that you described to them?

    Maybe jot everything down in order with dates and times and whether things are continuing, how severe (scale of 1- 10) etc.

    They think it's caused by

    They think it's caused by things as simple as diet, also, they might not even care much. The last doctor I saw thinks I am perfectly fine because of something as trival as weighing a few lbs. more than I did back in September when I went in for strep throat. It's almost insulting how they act.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #15
    TannerML said:

    They think it's caused by

    They think it's caused by things as simple as diet, also, they might not even care much. The last doctor I saw thinks I am perfectly fine because of something as trival as weighing a few lbs. more than I did back in September when I went in for strep throat. It's almost insulting how they act.

    Do You Self A Favor

    Find a doctor if you think something is wrong.  No matter what the doctors, or anyone here says, ultimately you will know what you body is telling you and you need to sleep at night.  There is a difference between being a hypercondriac and having an issue, but it sounds like you may be being "blown off"   What does simple as diet mean?  Did they explain it to you?  An allergy to a food type?  Certain foods difficult to digest?  Do you or your family have a history of food or digestion issues?  Did they explain how the diet caused the symptoms and tie it altogether for you? Are you or your family in at risk categories for colon cancer?  

    No one can say for sure what is going on just by discussing on a message board, but if you are 23 and unhappy with the answers and think something is wrong, get answers that make sense to you.  If the explaination you receive is not good enough, or you are not understanding it all, ask to have them explain it better or find someone who wlll.  Good doctors will take time to listen and explain properly.  It may take time to get a chance to speak with them when they are "clear"  (my GP will usually call me after 7:00PM when he time to speak for instance)

    You really need to put your arguments and concerns in a straight forward bullet point laid out list to present it clearly.  There are many great doctors, and health care professionals in general, in this world.  There could be the occasional bad egg in the bunch or perhaps they are just having an off day and miss something.  Bottom line is you are ultimately the only one who is responsible for yourself and who will care the most about the answers.  Get them.

     

    And see what Flip said about the scope....

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #16
    NewHere said:

    Do You Self A Favor

    Find a doctor if you think something is wrong.  No matter what the doctors, or anyone here says, ultimately you will know what you body is telling you and you need to sleep at night.  There is a difference between being a hypercondriac and having an issue, but it sounds like you may be being "blown off"   What does simple as diet mean?  Did they explain it to you?  An allergy to a food type?  Certain foods difficult to digest?  Do you or your family have a history of food or digestion issues?  Did they explain how the diet caused the symptoms and tie it altogether for you? Are you or your family in at risk categories for colon cancer?  

    No one can say for sure what is going on just by discussing on a message board, but if you are 23 and unhappy with the answers and think something is wrong, get answers that make sense to you.  If the explaination you receive is not good enough, or you are not understanding it all, ask to have them explain it better or find someone who wlll.  Good doctors will take time to listen and explain properly.  It may take time to get a chance to speak with them when they are "clear"  (my GP will usually call me after 7:00PM when he time to speak for instance)

    You really need to put your arguments and concerns in a straight forward bullet point laid out list to present it clearly.  There are many great doctors, and health care professionals in general, in this world.  There could be the occasional bad egg in the bunch or perhaps they are just having an off day and miss something.  Bottom line is you are ultimately the only one who is responsible for yourself and who will care the most about the answers.  Get them.

     

    And see what Flip said about the scope....

    They think the change in

    They think the change in bowel habits is because of insufficent fiber, they didn't even bother to find a reason for the thinning stool or yellow color I get from time at times. My mom's side of the family has a history of bowel problems, as for my dad's side, that is a mystery as I know nothing about him at all. The no urge to urinate symtom is fairly recent, and the last doctor I seen thinks I am not drinking enough liquid, which is not the case. I consume as much liquid as ever before, yet my urge to urinate is gone. I just seem to go out of instinct after so much time now, as opposed to my body telling me. It's even worse with bowel movements.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #17
    TannerML said:

    They think the change in

    They think the change in bowel habits is because of insufficent fiber, they didn't even bother to find a reason for the thinning stool or yellow color I get from time at times. My mom's side of the family has a history of bowel problems, as for my dad's side, that is a mystery as I know nothing about him at all. The no urge to urinate symtom is fairly recent, and the last doctor I seen thinks I am not drinking enough liquid, which is not the case. I consume as much liquid as ever before, yet my urge to urinate is gone. I just seem to go out of instinct after so much time now, as opposed to my body telling me. It's even worse with bowel movements.

    Something Is Not Adding Up

    In all this and how the doctor's seem to be ingoring you.  Going to a doctor and telling them you are not urinating, then basically being told to drink more liquids, sounds rather bizarre.  You need to make a list of all your symptoms and issues, in chronological order, the severity and whether they have abated, then go find a doctor who will pay attention.   Thnning stills, yellow color, lack of urination and being given the "bums rush" it sounds like - well something is not adding up it sounds like.  Are they running any tests whatsoever?  Drawing bloods?

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #18
    NewHere said:

    Something Is Not Adding Up

    In all this and how the doctor's seem to be ingoring you.  Going to a doctor and telling them you are not urinating, then basically being told to drink more liquids, sounds rather bizarre.  You need to make a list of all your symptoms and issues, in chronological order, the severity and whether they have abated, then go find a doctor who will pay attention.   Thnning stills, yellow color, lack of urination and being given the "bums rush" it sounds like - well something is not adding up it sounds like.  Are they running any tests whatsoever?  Drawing bloods?

    They haven't yet. I am

    They haven't yet. I am planning to make a new appointment today. As I implied before, I am hoping this one will lead to better results. For this appointment I will bring a small index card with the list of symptoms, their severity and duration. And I never specifically mentioned thinning stools to the first doctor, I called it change in bowel habits and lighter stools, that doctor not taking heed was probably my own fault for not mentioning the symptoms in enough detail.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,428 Member
    #19
    TannerML said:

    They haven't yet. I am

    They haven't yet. I am planning to make a new appointment today. As I implied before, I am hoping this one will lead to better results. For this appointment I will bring a small index card with the list of symptoms, their severity and duration. And I never specifically mentioned thinning stools to the first doctor, I called it change in bowel habits and lighter stools, that doctor not taking heed was probably my own fault for not mentioning the symptoms in enough detail.

    Cool

    Good to hear.  Laying it out on the index card or otherwise should help to make sure you cover all the ground.  All of us would have a tendency to forget details.  I cannot tell you how often I walk away from an appointment and go "Doh, forgot to mention or did not make clear."

    As to taking heed, that was something I was going to mention. Make sure they are listening and responding.  They usually will, but you want to make sure you are getting responses that make sense to you or continue asking until it makes sense or you know what the next step is.  

    Good luck with this and hopefully this gets you some answers and things to get you feeling better. 

  • TannerML
    TannerML Member Posts: 19
    #20
    NewHere said:

    Cool

    Good to hear.  Laying it out on the index card or otherwise should help to make sure you cover all the ground.  All of us would have a tendency to forget details.  I cannot tell you how often I walk away from an appointment and go "Doh, forgot to mention or did not make clear."

    As to taking heed, that was something I was going to mention. Make sure they are listening and responding.  They usually will, but you want to make sure you are getting responses that make sense to you or continue asking until it makes sense or you know what the next step is.  

    Good luck with this and hopefully this gets you some answers and things to get you feeling better. 

    I had another worrying

    I had another worrying symptom this morning that I will have to write down. One of my stools had a bright red spot and there was a little blood when I wiped.

  • Yolllmbs
    Yolllmbs Member Posts: 360 Member
    #21
    Easyflip said:

    You

    should see a GI and get scoped. You're going to keep worrying about it until you feel you know for sure. 

    I agree

    you need a doctor that listens. You need to get peace of mind by knowing if there is anything wrong. I had no symptoms. I wS diagnosed by a colonoscopy.  Keep pushing untl you get a doctor that hears you 

    Yolanda

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