Blood on stool!

[oscrazymum]

Hi everyone, trying not to panic (as i always do) about blood on stool but going slightly crazy with worry about bowel cancer. I'm 38, and I think i've had piles since my daughter's birth a couple of years ago. It is often uncomfortable (a scratching feeling, not massive pain) and i have to strain to pass stools and I've had a tiny streak of blood on the paper a few times and assumed it was just piles. But then a month or so ago I noticed what looked like bright red blood on the surface of the stool and now it's happened a few more times (i'm now at the point where I stare down the toilet to try to work out if I can see blood anywhere!). I don't think it's 'mixed in' but how would I know since I can't see inside!!? Should I run in panic to the doctor and tell them I think i have bowel cancer, or try something else first? I've read so many stories of young women dying from bowel cancer that I'm terrified that's what I have. I don't have any other 'bowel' symptoms but I have quite bad health anxiety :( Would appreciate any responses!

[popejoan]

Going through the same thing and awaiting for a colonoscopy. The blood I see is very dark, probably mixed in and once I even saw black clots on paper. I think yours is duet to straining, probably piles or hemorrhoid. Go to your Gp anyway and request a blood test. If your hemoglobin, iron and ferritin levels are okay you can stop worrying as it means you're not bleeding inside. However if they're low it doesn't mean you have bowel cancer or anything, a lot of women have iron deficiencies due to pregnancies, heavy periods or not eating red meat, low stomach acid. Don't worry but make an appointment with your Gp. Take care.

[dk74]

That is one of the key differences - if blood is bright red, it's piles. If it's darker/black then it could be something more serious.

[glorialimjyyy]

ey there, i too have the same issue. But i have blood on stool for almost many years when i was about 16 or 17 years old. And now i am turning 20 and 4 months ago i had bleeding when i poop. Bright red color of cause, and also and pile hanging out my anus. So i decided it was time for me to visit a doctor. So she checked my ass, and she said i do have an internal pile that has protruded. I started having it flare up after a very Long time. This time , I notice my blood looks darker on a dark colour poop. And I used a toilet paper, it became fresh pink/red. I don’t really know what’s happening.i feel a little pain when pushing. As my poop looks kinda big and thick. I saw that the blood mixed in the tiped of my poop too. So I am kinda worry now. Issit from my internal pile or what . Little worry. Pls help:(

[budgie1979]

I'm also 38, and I had 2 instances of bright red blood following a bowel movement within the past month. It's almost certainly piles if it's bright red and streaked on the stool, but it's one of those things that you're supposed to get checked out just to be on the safe side. I was already seeing a gastroenterologist for ongoing issues (probably going to end up being IBS, but it's a process getting to that diagnosis) and did end up having a colonoscopy due to the bleeding and family history of polyps. My bleeding was from some small internal hemorrhoids, which the doctor hadn't been able to feel during the in-office rectal exam. See your GP, and it's possible they'll be able to see/feel piles or a fissure right there and you'll have your answer. But don't get freaked out if they send you for a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy--it could still be hemorrhoids, just less obvious ones.

[daisyflower]

I often get this and I have mentioned it to a few doctors and they really aren't concerned. If it hurts, it points to a fissure/pile. It's sooooooo commmon; I've had it off and on since I was a little girl and I'm 31 now. I've had it so bad that it's turned the water red! Blood streaked on the outside of the poo isn't anything to worry about, it's black poo or a pink stool that's concerning.
I went the walk in with a bad pain once and none stop pooing (in the days before my phobia of going for tests) and said about the blood. The dr held up a plastic cup and said, 'would the amount of blood fill up half of this cup, because we don't worry about less than that?'.