Driving myself mad over stool colour

[Button1]

Hi everyone,

I've managed to stay off here for a couple of weeks which is a good achievement for me. But inevitably I've had to come back and it's more bowel stuff, sorry.


I've been brave enough to look in the toilet a few times to check my stools and I think they're fine but sometimes I have a wobble and am not sure if they're reddish or not? I have trouble with red and brown, I think because of my fear of blood. What I would say is that there is no actual RED anywhere.


After wiping yesterday (after having a wee) I saw some brownish staining which was clearly from my bottom (because I hadn't wiped properly?) and I became worried it was blood? It wasn't red but it scared me anyway. I ended up forcing myself to have a BM at 5am to check my stool and even reached into the toilet to pick it up.


I'm so tired of this. Is this my anxiety making me feel like this? My bowel habits are normal, no weight or appetite loss or stomach ache.


Opinions needed xxx

---------- Post added at 08:28 ---------- Previous post was at 08:27 ----------

Also I'm on multivitamins with iron x

[hanshan]

Red colouring in stools is most likely due to blood from piles, or something you ate. Always consult your doctor, but stool red colouring is not a cause for major alarm.

This is not qualified medical advice - always consult your doctor.

[Button1]

I don't think it is red though? I'm not sure if I'm seeing things. I often think my baby's stool is red and my husband looks at me like I'm nuts...

[cassy1989]

Hi, I think you would know if the stool was red. I've seen blood in poo; old blood and new blood and you can tell what it is tbh. It wouldn't surprise me if you end up making yourself bleed by forcing yourself to open your bowels though! You need to be careful! Xx

[hanshan]

I'd have to say, the redder it is, the less likely it is to be anything dangerous.

This is not qualified medical advice - always consult your doctor.

[PeterC]

Always seek medical advice for reassurance and they will be able to sample test your stools to see if anything going on. Sometimes though small red spotting of blood can be caused by piles and is common and nothing to panic about, you can always have a private consultation with your local Pharmacist who will have a wealth of knowledge.
Personally the best thing to do is, Don't keep looking!! it will drive you insane!. If you have stomach problems and loads of discomfort then you may have a slight cause of concern. But im sure like most on here would say, you're fine.
Hope you otherwise ok
Regards
Pete
xx

[Tilly Flop]

Straining to go to the toilet can rupture tiny blood vessels and cause blood to appear but that wouldn't cause the whole stool to be red, it sound more likely to be variations from different foods, but obviously none of us know for definite, so Dr would have to confirm.

[Button1]

I've inadvertently had tomato based sauce with everything I've eaten since Tuesday...

I've got no pain or diarreah or constipation.


I don't even know if I'm just going mad : (

[Fishmanpa]

My bowel habits are normal, no weight or appetite loss or stomach ache. Is this my anxiety making me feel like this?


Based on that statement, my opinion would be that it's your anxiety that's acting up. No doubt in my mind ;)

Positive thoughts and prayers.

[Button1]

How could anxiety make me doubt my eyes? Or can you make yourself think you see what you fear?

Does eating alot of red food influence it? When I think of how much tomato sauce and red pepper I've eaten this week...

[Fishmanpa]

Anxiety in some cases, when severe, can indeed influence what you see, hear or smell. Take into account that you already have an intense fear of blood in your stool and you're already influenced to perceive it.

You stated yourself that sometimes you think you see blood in the stool of your child. What's the actual likelihood of that?

If indeed, you have something going on, a test of a stool sample will determine definitively if there's an issue. Eating things dyed red (like pistachios for instance) can definitely cause red stools. Tomatoes and peppers contain a lot of dietary fiber so it wouldn't be unusual to pass some in your stool (think corn here if you know what I mean).

For what it's worth, take it or leave it. You've posted about your poo issues in the past and it's quite obvious you have an obsession with it. Based on your previous posts, I can only assume that what you're experiencing is anxiety related.

So with all due respect, that leaves it up to you. Have some stool tested and flush this fear down the toilet once and for all, or seek professional or self help to help control your anxiety.

Positive thoughts and prayers

[Button1]

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound like I doubted you or didn't appreciate your advice. Far from it. I'm just incredulous at the total influence anxiety can have on your senses.

My anxiety is severe- I'm at the upper end of the scale that the CBT therapists use- I'm currently on the waiting list for more therapy and not on pills because I'm trying for another baby. I'd be better on them I know but I can't risk them being in my system when I conceive (hopefully!) My little boy had a couple of health problems at birth (relatively minor but he needed an op) and I had been on them during the month before I found out I was pregnant so I blame myself for that.


I'm going to stop looking. I don't feel ill and I've had issues with colour for such a long time that if it was blood I'd know by now surely?


Thank you all for your help and for bearing with me x

[cassy1989]

Button, I know eating a lot of beetroot can look like blood in stools so its possible tomato and pepper could have the same effect xx

[Button1]

Thanks everyone. I'm hoping that's it and I'm fine. Apart from the anxiety I definitely feel fine x