Bowel Cancer

The UK's number 3 cancer messes with your shit...

For the 1st time this century, more people were diagnosed with bowel cancer (41,596) than lung cancer (39,635). 

The UK's most embarrassing cancer

5 year survival rates by bowel cancer stage

Don't be embarrassed to live longer... 

 

Millions of Brits are at increased risk because they are too shy to say, "I have blood in my poo". So, let's try make this simpler by using words that skirt around those embarrassing initial conversations. Trust me, your GP will understand and will probe without increasing the embarrassment level.

Try saying something like:  

  • "I found blood where I wasn't expecting to find it"
    [don't mention your bum, or your poo].

  • "I've been having really bad tummy cramps recently".

  • "I have never had problems eating a hot curry, but lately..."

  • "Can I get something stronger that paracetamol please, it's not taking away my tummy pains".

Bowel cancer has one of the lowest survival rates in the country because people are reluctant to talk to a GP about bum / poo issues - which results in delayed diagnosis.

Poo on a stick test...

Hopefully, you will get over your embarrassment and you will ask your GP to give you an at-home poo test. This test has an official big-word name called a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) and it tests for blood in your poo. 

All your life you have been doing number 2s down the pan, wiping and flushing. For the test, you will need to catch your poo so you can  take swab. One method (that won't block the pan), it to put just enough loo roll down there to avoid the poo getting wet, then taking a swab, followed by several flushes. 

A bag for life...

Living with a stoma has complications.  It's not so much that you will have a reduced quality of life, it's just that you need to consider some things that previously you would have taken for granted.  For example:

Foods

Food items such as sweetcorn, peas, mushrooms and onions are not easily digested and you may find your bag contains these items in almost the same conditions as on the way in.

Swimming

You will have to take into account a whole new set of issues for getting into a swimming pool with a bag hanging from your tummy.  This issues will not only include how you will cope, but also how other swimmers will look at you!

A good sleep

If you have a bag, over time, you will need to work out what to eat and when so that you minimise how many times you need to wake up overnight to avoid stoma bag mishaps. 

Long car journey

Long car journeys need to take into account where the best disabled toilets can be found. The Radar Key will give you access to over 9,000 disabled toilets in the UK. Check here for locations and details.

Flying

Cabin air pressure may play havoc with your stoma, so you may need to reduce you food intake before you fly. Your stoma-bag doesn't stop filling up because the 'return to your seat and fasten your seat belt' sign is switched on! 

Quality disabled loos

When you eat out - how stoma bag friendly are the disabled toilets? Do you have enough space to change your bag if need be? Sorry to say, but many pub-toilets are not a great place to do 'bag maintenance'.

Sneezing and coughing

OUCH... that bloody hurt!

When your surgeon slices you open from your chest to just below your belly button and then stiches you up... post op sneezing / coughing can cause you additional pain / problems. Unless you press down on you stiches when you sneeze (or cough hard), on top of everything you have to endure, you may end up with a hernia. A tip to help avoid getting a hernia is to use a folded towel pulled tight across your stiches / surgical scar.

A bag for a man...

British men rarely carry a bag. A lot of women in the UK don't see it as a problem to carry a bag full of their useful stuff. Look at countries like Italy and France, man-bags are big business.

If you are a good and responsible dog owner, then you must carry poo-bags and pick-up after them. Having a stoma means you also need to carry poo bags, and cleaning materials for when you need to go do bag maintenance. One way of carrying 2 sets of poo related clean up stuff is to have a bag as shown. This man-bag has room for a couple of spare ileostomy / colostomy bags, sprays, wipe, etc., as well dog related material. It also has a useful phone section. Bags like this don't cost a fortune and can be found on Amazon [other online stores are available]. 

Dealing with bad-shit...

Not many great websites will share the actual downside of living with bowel cancer! For example, with bowel cancer how do cope when sitting in a restaurant and your bag for life leaks, or (heavens forbid) bursts, and the other diners look over at you with disgust!  

Planning is key. Gather all the stuff you need to clean and change your bag, and keep them  in a shoulder bag (see above). Learn to always have this bag with you at all times. These bags can also be used to hold your glasses, car keys, etc. and over time will become  part of your everyday life. 

Things like hernia belts (don't laugh) can also help keep your bag close to your body and in the summer months will help avoid having a 'lump' bulge out from you T shirt. 

Finally, some bowel cancer positives...

You will save an absolute fortune on toilet paper and bum wipes.

You will never argue about whose skid marks are those. 

Chilli Ring Burn will be a thing of the past. All hot chilli food is great. 

The Radar Key opens over 9,000 of the UK's best disabled loos.

Key Takeaways

A recent survey by the British health care group BUPA, found that 35% of Brits don't get bowel cancer symptoms checked because they’re embarrassed. Make an urgent appointment to see your GP if you have:

  • Changing poo habits (constipation, diarrhoea, straining, etc.).

  • Blood in your poo.

  • Blood smears / streaks / spots down the loo pan.

  • Without wishing to sound gross, but you should also check the loo paper after you wipe because that may reveal blood stains that are not always visible down the pan.

Bleeding from your bum is often assumed to be from haemorrhoids, while a change in stools may be put down to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  

 

Don't make assumptions, don't be embarrassed!

Assumptions can kill, embarrassment can kill!