Weird bowel movements so scared please help :((

Im 18 and female and or the last week I have had an increased frequency in bowel movements (going 2 or 3 times a day instead of 1 or less) and they have been looser and softer. I have also had mild stomach ache both in my upper and lower abdomen. A few times my stool has also been narrower. I'm absolutely terrified this is colon cancer please help what do I do

Im 18 and female and or the last week I have had an increased frequency in bowel movements (going 2 or 3 times a day instead of 1 or less) and they have been looser and softer. I have also had mild stomach ache both in my upper and lower abdomen. A few times my stool has also been narrower. I'm absolutely terrified this is colon cancer please help what do I do

I agree with @Reality Check definitely see a doctor, it’s probably nothing serious, but it’s not anything anyone on TSR will be able to diagnose for you! It could be a stomach bug, it could be anxiety/stress, it could be IBS, or it could be something else. But only a doctor can tell you what it is

Ok I'll book a doctor's appointment tomorrow. I'm a bit worried though that they might brush me off because of my age

Hi, yes I completely understand why your age may be of concern for you, I have had trouble in the past with GPs brushing me off because of my age. Just be honest with them, and tell them how much of an impact its having on your everyday life

Ok I'll do that. I'm just so terrified and ik my parents are going to brush off my symptoms too because I have such bad health anxiety but I just want people to take me seriously :/

Again, I completely know how you feel, but just remember that how you are feeling is valid, and you deserve to be listened to. Just keep pushing with the doctors, make them listen to you

my mum has now insisted that she must come in with me so she can make sure I can talk about my anxiety as well as my symptoms. I'm now worried they will just say it is anxiety

if you genuinely suffer with anxiety already, then it's highly likely it is caused by your anxiety, as there's a strong link between your bowel movements and anxiety. It's very common for anxiety-suffers to experience unpleasant bowel and stomach symptoms.
There is help available for you though, even if these symptoms are caused by anxiety, so I wouldn't worry!

if you genuinely suffer with anxiety already, then it's highly likely it is caused by your anxiety, as there's a strong link between your bowel movements and anxiety. It's very common for anxiety-suffers to experience unpleasant bowel and stomach symptoms.
There is help available for you though, even if these symptoms are caused by anxiety, so I wouldn't worry!

If it were caused by anxiety then OP likely would've experienced these symptoms before the age of 18... particularly when its as drastic and random of a change in bowl movements as OP described. IMO, at least. OP should still get checked out and not write it off as x y z, thats for the doctor to do.

If it were caused by anxiety then OP likely would've experienced these symptoms before the age of 18... particularly when its as drastic and random of a change in bowl movements as OP described. IMO, at least. OP should still get checked out and not write it off as x y z, thats for the doctor to do.

yes, see your GP but please do not stress i bet everyone has experienced at least a temporary change in bowel movements at some point, whether it was due to changes in diet, food poisoning or allergies, stress, hormones/menstruation, pregnancy, medication, travelling. usually the simplest answer is the right one; plus it's only been a week you've experienced this, right?

i was worried myself a while back (different symptoms tho), spoke to GP who arranged for more tests, more than the average person let's just say because my family has a history of colon cancer and Crohn's disease. tests came back perfectly normal. is this something that runs in your family? if not even more reason to axe it off your list.