So scared that blood is in my stool

[Miela]

Hi all

Newbie here. Have a history of health anxiety. I then ended up diagnosed with T1 diabetes a year ago which has only fuelled my anxiety about any minor little thing. I now almost AWLAYS make a GP appointment in fear of something else over things that never seem small at the time but always end up being irrelevant.

In any case, i do believe there might be something sinister going on with my bowels - bowel complaints have been an ongoing issue for me since childhood. I'm approaching 30 now.

I've always had either diarrhea or constipiation. In the mornings i tend to have a rush to go toilet and make a bowel movement (classic IBS apparently)

I've changed my diet to include more fibre and have been going daily but i can never tell whether i will have loose stools or not. It fluctuates. Certain foods tend to trigger me off - wheat, cereals and even milk. I've gone lacto-free to see if it helps with my gassy symptoms but i'm almost always afflicted with bloating and painful gas. Every time I finish a bowel movement, I never feel like i've completed going but nothing else will 'come out.' I'll also get clear mucus when i'm constipated.

I've never been a 'stool checker' but given the increase in my gas symptoms, i have recently begun to look down at the toilet bowl - to my dismay i saw a string of mucus that was tinged in pink/red. Looking at my stools each time i can see that my bowels almost ALWAYS contain small specks of red. When I investigate further it comes across like bright jelly with orange and red peel. Like the skin of something. I do eat a lot of tomato based foods but even when i don't, it still appears there. I rushed to a private GI and told him that I was sure i had BC. He asked for family history and all the usual stuff - nothing to indicate BC genetically but of course in my opinion there is nothing to say that young people cannot be diagnosed with BC in isolation of other factors.

I had a fecal occult which came out negative and some bloods to test for any 'tumor' markers - also negative. A rectal examination by the GI said there was no inflammation suggesting anything like Crohn's etc - just mucus and stool. Im having a follow up with the GI tomorrow but again today I saw the specks of red jelly which opens up to a skin like remnant. I'm petrified and think I should simply go ahead with a colonoscopy to put me out of my misery. My problem is that i've had so many scopes this year - endoscopy/hysteroscopy - i feel like i'm a laughing stock cos being scoped so often is a sure sign of health anxiety. But anything red in stools in my opinion cant be dismissed.

Anyone here with any thoughts? :(

[Angelai]

First of all, you do have classic ibs symptoms (I was diagnosed about 15-20 years ago and am very similar to you).

It's always terrifying to see blood, but I just want to reassure you that if that's what it is, and it's red, it will more than likely be coming from very near the, erm, 'exit' area and could be from piles or irritation from being constipated sometimes. Blood from higher up (more of a cause for concern) will be dark/black/tarry and 'in' your stool, if you know what I mean?

It is always worth telling your doctor about things like this, even it's just to put your mind at rest. You will not be a laughing stock, this is a real worry for you and you are right to want to be sure.

I have seen other posts on here describing the same thing - red/orange stuff, have a good look around it may help a little. Oh, and to the site! x

[PinkRoxy]

Hello

There have been a couple of times that I have thought I had blood in my stools as I have noticed red patches too and had a blood occult test twice now in three lots and all cam back fine. it is quite common for the red bits to be food related and it doesnt neccessarily have to be tomatoes either it can be alsorts.

I get that feeling that I still need to go when I dont as my bowels are empty and sometimes the straining when you push because you think you need to go can cause the rectum to bleed and the bottom of the inside of the bowels. I had a mucuosy pinkish colour too when I went through an episode of the bowel pain and urgency feeling even when my bowel was empty.

I understand how you feel I went through anxiety myself but I had a good talk to my doctor and she explained all of this to me.

I believe its important to have faith in the doctors and listen to what they say and trust the tests that are given to you. They are there to help. I think if the tests dont show anything serious then hun you probably dont have anything serious. It sounds as though you could have IBS though which is not serious but hard to show up in tests.

Try to relax aye as worrying isnt any good I truly believe by what you have written you are fine and there is nothing serious to worry about. (((hug)))

---------- Post added at 22:25 ---------- Previous post was at 22:10 ----------

I do agree with Angelai though it is important to keep your GP informed about these things no matter how silly they sound its letting them know what is going on and giving you peace of mind too. Dont feel ashamed doing it in my opinion its very wise and it means you care about your health and look after yourself.

[Miela]

omg guys thanks so much for responding. its so nice to feel welcomed

I actually had another bowel movement with similar red specks recently. As horrendous as it was i managed to dig out the piece and physically show it to my gastro doc - he said it was just tomato skin. what a melodrama. i told him i get this even WITHOUT eating red food and he said food can take days to exit the colon - it isn't as straightforward as one day of food coming in out in the following bowel movement. he said our colons hold on to food for a while. wish i had known that little fact ages ago. would have saved me the terminal diagnosis i had just given myself. my gastro says he felt no need for a colonoscopy - although i always want to go the full hog to remove any doubt from my mind. so i guess for now i have to assume IBS. and stop looking in the toilet bowl.

[PinkRoxy]

That could totally explain the red bits I find in mine at times too. Ive been through sample tests for blood so many times because I always tell the doctor.

Its true what they say about food staying in the colon for a few days i have noticed food in my stools that I havent eaten for at least three days ago.

Well Im glad that you feel more relaxed now and you have found out that it wasnt anything serious.

[glorialimjyyy]

Hello everybody, I do have this red jelly like substance when I poop * just now* sorry for being gross. But I have internal hemorrhoids pile diagnose by my GP. And I jus saw it with some tomato skins which I am so unsure if it's just undigested food or whatever. Because I ate like chunks of red stuff ytd? But I really dk, even if it's blood* I Guess its from my hemorrhoids. I don't bleed all over like last time anymore, just surface blood I don't really know but I feel this time I might have cancer? But I am still fat and overweight my appetite did not change. Mayb Ibs sometimes make my poop informed. I really need an answer as I have this very bad health anxiety that makes me feel so unwell and depressed. I am only 19

---------- Post added at 14:54 ---------- Previous post was at 14:53 ----------

Small red jelly substance. Not a lot of chunks. Small one. But my poop is brown