Hi I m 42 weigh about 9 stone . There is a history of bowel cancer in the family and I had a small polyp removed 5 yrs ago. I ve been noticing for ages now that my stools have a very distinct old musky smell and I m a bit concerned what it could be. I have been checked for coeliac as my sister has it and I m clear. I have a pain sometimes on my right side near my appendix not very often but when it comes its severe enough for me to curl up and not move for ages. Please advise
Hello! Thank you for the query. The symptoms you have mentioned does not sound like a cancer. Bad smelly stools can be caused by pancreas disease, IBS or diet. Right lower abdominal pain if is severe can be caused by ovarian cyst or urinary tract inflammation. I suggest you to have some tests: abdominal ultrasound, urinalysis, full blood work with liver and pancreas tests, stool tests and transvaginal ultrasound. And you definitely should have colonoscopy repeated (it is advisable to have colonoscopy repeated after 5 years of small polyp removal). If all tests will be negative, you may suffer from IBS. Therefore, Rifaximine 400 mg 3x1 during 7 days and Mebeverine 200 mg once a day can be helpful (should be prescribed by your doctor). Hope this will help. Regards.