Question about piles & bleeding

[thomas1998]

I found out yesterday (doctor looked up my rear end :scared15:) that I have "a couple hemorrhoids". My question is, since I know these can cause bleeding, if I do have bleeding.. does that warrant another visit? Like, should I pass it off as definitely the hemorrhoids, or ask for something like a colonoscopy to rule out anything serious.

I'm 18/m recently diagnosed with IBS-C but also being tested for coeliac disease, I have gas/bloating/cramps/fatigue etc but most worryingly recently I've had a lot of mucus in my stool (sorry TMI) so if I see blood I might freak out.

[saf138]

Hello
If you notice fresh bright red blood than you can put it down to either your hemmys or even a fissure which is a very small tear that happens mainly when straining to hard. And depending how severe the hemmys are they can last up to 2 weeks.

[thomas1998]

I see, that eases my worrying in the event that it happens, but if it does and persists after 2 weeks I'll get checked. Thank you.

[Mercime]

Thomas, your bowel issues firstly. You have been diagnosed with IBS, which you seem to be putting aside, and jumping to worst case scenario. IBS isn't nothing, it causes loads of really unpleasant symptoms, including some bleeding and mucus is one of the most common problems - in fact pooing can be mostly mucus at times. You need to listen to your doc, and get your IBS treated properly - anxiety makes it all ten times worse. Which brings me nicely to...

Your health anxiety. I've just seen your post about armpit and neck lumps, and you questioning your doctors diagnosis of nothing serious, because she can't feel anything worrying, and you can. Can you see that this thinking is skewed? She has had years of training, has felt possibly more lumps and bumps than you've had hot dinners - but you doubt what she says because of what you can feel. You're not trained to know how to diagnose sinister things, your doc is. They are trained, you're not. Instead of seeing her about lumps and bumps, see her about your health anxiety.

You're 18, and this is no way to live - there are people on this board who are in their twenties, thirties and more - and they are still terrified by health issues. They often refuse to accept that it could be anxiety, don't tackle it, or try a couple times and give up, and they are stuck on this hellish merry go round for years.

Time to address the elephant in the room x

[Steviewoodman]

To be fair, although I do agree that anxiety needs to be addressed, I often see anxiety being blamed for everything which is not reassuring and it's often what frustrates people about the doctors.

Anxiety and IBS do not cause bleeding. Bleeding is 99% because of piles or fissures and 1% something sinister, depending on age and history. It is perfectly reasonable to visit the doctor if you have unexpected or consistent bleeding.

Where anxiety comes in is if the doctor examines you and tells you his opinion, you must trust it. You hear stories of where doctors are wrong so it's natural to worry but these stories are rare, and anyway, you can't avoid that. All you can do is trust the doctor, and do what they say. Ignoring them is more likely to create problems than the rare case of them missing stuff.

[pulisa]

I agree that blood in poo isn't a sign of IBS. Much more likely to be piles or fissures especially if the blood is fresh ie bright red and this needs to be checked out by a GP initially.

[Mercime]

Then I apologise for wrong information, I was going by the experience of a friend who had blood streaked mucus and was told it was IBS. I certainly don't blame everything on anxiety and I'm aware of the medical doing just that. But I look at what the poster writes, what the doctor has said and any previous posts before I offer advice. I've got personal experience of a "sinister" diagnosis and the usual protocol, and also give advice based on that.
I don't claim to know everything, and am not dismissive, but there does come a point when doctors need to be trusted - unfortunately.