Look before you flush!

Bowel Cancer, not a nice topic of conversation but one that we all should be having. It is one of the most common cancers that we have in the UK. Because it’s not a nice topic and quite frankly how do you start a chat with a friend about issue around your bottom, many people are too embarrassed to go to the doctors at the very start of symptoms. I’m lucky that in my family we do talk about these problems to our friends and loved ones and these in term have frog marched members down to the doctor or specialist. 3 people from my family have all suffered from colon cancer but do you know something amazing? All three of them have come out the side! Why? Because they took note of the symptoms and went to see someone.

But what are the symptoms? Well one of the ones that most don’t want to discuss is bleeding. Either from your bottom or finding blood in the stools. Blood in the stools take to look a little like coffee grounds. It can be that you find your bottoms bleeding and it’s something very easy like not enough fluid, but goodness wouldn’t you rather be safe than sorry? So, though its considered slightly “off” and something more likely you’ll find young boys doing (or is this just my house?) Look before you flush!!!!!

Change in bowel habits that last more than a few days. We all have stomach bugs that can cause constipation or diarrhoea but if its lasting more than a few days then again get it checked!

Pain or abdominal cramps. If in doubt – get it checked!

Now we happen to live in a small village where you quite often find yourself at the shop next to your doctor or walking your dog alongside theirs and would rather speak to a stranger about this which is fine and where specialist like The Loc come in. They will carry out a couple initial texts needed to diagnose whether you are have bowel cancer or not. I hope at this point they send you on your merry way but if not they you have immediate access to world class specialists and the state of the art facilities to get the help you need immediately and that is amazing!

One in 20 people over the age of 50 will get bowel cancer over their lifetime but if detected early the majority of cases CAN be successfully treated! So if you have any of the symptoms mentioned, or unexplained weight loss, tiredness for no reason or you just don’t feel right then pick up that phone and make the call! It can make the difference!