[Padiham Lass]

Even if you don't have a history of bowel cancer in your family, or whatever age you are, if you have any concerns regarding your bowel movements, especially if you have pain or blood in your stool, you should get your GP to check things out.

I suffered from "Irritable Bowel Syndrome" for about 7 years before my GP finally sent me to a specialist. As I was only in my thirties at the time, he reassured me that I was unlikely to have bowel cancer, but was concerned that it was more than IBS. A colonoscopy confirmed that I had ulcerative colitis, and since I have been on the proper medication for my condition, the symptoms have cleared and rarely recur, although I still have problems with chillis and most pain-killers.