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Turns out I have bowel cancer, not IBS

Posted By Sickened

"Turns out I have bowel cancer, not IBS"

About: Colchester General Hospital / General surgery Ipswich Hospital / Accident and emergency Ipswich Hospital / Clinical oncology Ipswich Hospital / Colorectal surgery Ipswich Hospital / General surgery

(as the patient),

Aug 2012: I first reported my changed in bowel habit to my Gp who prescribed apperients.

By April 2013 the problem persisted. I was then diagnosed with IBS (irritable bowel). By June my Hb dropped to 8 and still the various GPs said IBS.

I went to A&E in August and "constipation" they said, and sent me home with 2 suppositories. Several emergency paramedic and A&E visits later, 2 hospital stays, ultrasounds, OGD and colonoscopy I was told under heavy sedation that I probably had bowel cancer. That was Oct 2014.

Seven weeks after a right hemicolectomy, I'm still awaiting chemotherapy for Dukes C adenocarcinoma with lymph node involvement.

I had to ask my GP practice to stop permitting my pharmacy to collect the IBS treatment for, as noted, my diagnosis is cancer.

I'm scared, only 49, widowed and a single mom of 1.

I simply wish that all health care professionals remember to think outside the box each time they see a patient. I had no less than 10 GP reviews between Aug and Oct challenging the IBS diagnosis. One GP actually said: "So what do you think is the problem?"

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Responses

Response from Colchester General Hospital 10 years ago
Colchester General Hospital

Submitted on 18/12/2013 at 16:13
Published on nhs.uk on 05/01/2014 at 22:28

I apologise you’ve not had a good patient experience. We try really hard to improve our services based on the comments we receive from our patients, their relatives or carers. We would like the opportunity to discuss your experiences more fully and to apologise in person. If you are willing I would appreciate it if I could ask the matron to contact you. Could you email me, using the reference “Colchester General Hospital at 18/12/2013 05:03:2”, please? Many thanks Paul Searle, Head of Communications Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust info@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Response from Paul Searle, Head of Communications, East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust 10 years ago
Paul Searle
Head of Communications,
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Submitted on 24/12/2013 at 10:37
Published on Care Opinion at 10:54

I apologise you’ve not had a good patient experience.

We try really hard to improve our services based on the comments we receive from our patients, their relatives or carers.

We would like the opportunity to discuss your experiences more fully and to apologise in person. If you are willing I would appreciate it if I could ask the matron to contact you. Could you email me, using the reference “Turns out I have bowel cancer, not IBS | Posted by Sickened | Patient Opinion”, please?

Many thanks

Paul Searle, Head of Communications

Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust

info@colchesterhospital.nhs.uk

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
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