My father passed away on 9/30 of colon cancer, we were really close and I am depressed but getting out of it. I am on Lorazepam for the anxiety. Since his death I have had a little discomfort almost right on the bottom part of the left rib. If I stand or lay down absolutely no discomfort, when I sit for about 4 hours over a desk the discomfort arrives, not a bad pain, just there. If I stand or lay down the discomfort goes away. Of coarse I am paranoid I am getting colon cancer and I am scheduled for a colonoscopy in January. I had an “occult” test done and it was negative. I am am embarrassed to say I am scared silly of getting the colonoscopy and I know I have to go. But I was hoping here for a reasurrance that chance of that discomfort are not from colon cancer. It hasn’t gotton worse in 3 months, just there. When I rub the bottom of my left rib I can feel like little glands(are they supposed to be there), I rubbed my right rib and they are there also, just not as pronounced, it is as though they are inflamed on the left side. I asked my doctor about it and he first thought a pulled diaphragm and then when that didn’t go away in a month, he thought diverticultis.
I am 41 and my father was 66 when he passed.
Thanks in advance for you help.

Doctor Sinuhe Answers:

Thanks for your question. I’m sorry for your father.

I’m pleased to tell you that it is very unlikely that you have a colon cancer.

If a patient comes to my medical practice and presents the symptoms you have and if in the physical examination the only “finding” were the irregularities in the low ribs, on both sides, just more irritated on the other side, I wouldn’t be too worried and probably wouldn’t conduct any further examinations at this point. Symptoms somewhat similar to yours are quite common and usually are muscle/bone-related, self-limiting and treated by anti-inflammatory analgesics. If the symptom would persist, I’d probably make an ultrasound and an X-ray. In any case, I wouldn’t expect to find a colon cancer behind these symptoms - especially not in a young (41 years) person who has been tested negative for occult blood in feces.

You and your doctor have decided to perform an colonoscopy. I hope that after that you can put your fears behind you and look forward. Please use that opportunity (meeting your doctor, a gastrointestinal expert) to ask about your fears.

Dr Sinuhe

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