Doing the FOBT test and dreading it....

Doing the FOBT test and dreading it....

Hi all

I was told by several doctors that I suffer from IBS. Since August of last year I have been having changes in my bowel movement, frequent gas, and overall discomfort. The condition has been in remission from March to June of this year but resurfaced after a food poison, probably becoming a PI-IBS. I never saw any visible blood in my stool but only saw transparent mucus in my underpants once after passing wind. I am going to do an FOBT test in the coming three days and I am really afraid of finding occult blood. Doctors did several blood tests on me and they all came positive - at least until two weeks ago everything resulted OK including pancreas. Due to elimination of some fatty foods and dairy products from my diet, and also due to exercising I lost nearly 9KGs in 7 months. I never did colonoscopy/endoscopy because I am afraid of the invasive testing.

I am only 31, male, and have no family history of Colon Cancer but I am really afraid...

What do you think...? is this just IBS and I have to learn to live with it? is lower back pain when standing up related to IBS?

Unless you do the tests that your doctor is suggesting, you won't get a diagnosis. To be diagnosed with IBS, one has to have all the tests, including a colonoscopy, to rule out all other possible causes of the intestinal problems. Colonscopies are not difficult. It is the prep that you do in the privacy of your own home that can be quite tiring from spending all the time on the toilet. For the colonoscopy, you are given conscious sedation so you have no memory of the procedure. I have had 5 colonoscopies and have never been afraid.

Please reconsider your decision not to have the scope. Otherwise you may never find the cause of your issues.

It is my understanding that the doctor or lab reads the specimen and determines if positive or negative. I do not open images linked on these forums and I have had some unpleasant surprises. Please confer with your doctor about this.