Certain symptoms such as weight loss, difficulties swallowing, blood separate or mixed into your bowel motion, new onset indigestion particularly if over the age of 50 lasting for more than 2 weeks, vomiting, and passing black bowel motions should always be reported to your doctor. If you have a family history of bowel cancer particularly in a relative aged <55 you should have a lower threshold for reporting any problems.
Otherwise, new abdominal symptoms lasting for more than 2 or 3 weeks should be reported particularly if they are getting worse or if you are finding them difficult to cope with.
