Small lump on anus with blood on toilet paper after bowel movement

[Strikeman]

Sorry if this post goes in TMI but its one of those issues that to talk about it, instantly means TMI!! I have been going round the houses with worry thinking the worst and jumping from conclusion to conclusion

About 6 weeks ago I noticed fresh bright red blood spotting on the toilet paper on wiping after a BM. I thought nothing of it really as I tend to overwipe and dig quite deep to ensure I am as clean as I can be. I thought I might have just had a small tear on my sphincter from doing this. However this blood has persisted and has been gradually getting heavier and heavier over the last few weeks and now its starting to worry me more. The blood increased after a night out where I was using the toilet a lot more the next day (damn Guiness), which then kickstarted everything off much worse. It was after this point I developed a yellowy/clear/pinkish discharge from my anus which needed me to constantly visit the toilet to clean up as best I could with wipes (more soothing!!) :scared10:

So to summarise, my symptoms are:

1) Fresh bright red blood on toilet paper
2) Bright red blood at the end of each pinched stool in the toilet
3) Mucus generally pre-bowel movement ranging from clear water like to thicker yellow/pinkish
4) Discomfort on sitting, coughing, sneezing, laughing, walking
5) Itching which comes and goes and is intense when it does happen
6) A small hard nodule at the anterior that is very sensitive to touch and wipe, which sort of sits within the sphincter opening (sometimes its a little further out, sometimes its further in - itching occurs more when its out)
7) A tightness feeling in my anus, and sometimes feeling as though I need to have a bowel movement more than I really do

I have been to my GP (27th Dec) and he performed a digital rectal exam and said "everything seemed fine" inside, but did focus a little on the nodule at the opening and agreed there was something there. I had hoped he would say its a hemorrhoid and send me packing with some pharma grade cream to resolve it...but no, he never mentioned hemmorhoids at all

He asked me about healthcare and I told him I have private care through my work so he asked me to book an apointment with a colorectal consultant and he would arrange the refferal paper

I have since done this and am booked in on 5th Jan

I am freaking out somewhat about this and have been wishing the days away over the Christmas break to get to the consultants office in the new year

As you can imagine Dr Google hasnt been very helpful and has caused me more anxiety :(

---------- Post added at 21:10 ---------- Previous post was at 21:08 ----------

Further info:

Male
33
Overweight by about 3st

[PanickyGuy]

Yeah but in the meantime you should get some hemorrhoid cream and apply it to the hemorrhoid anyway, while you're waiting to see the next doctor, because it will actually help with the itching and swelling in the meantime. I don't see how you can stand that itching? I've had one of those before and they about drove me nuts. Lol.

[Strikeman]

That seems like the obvious thing to do, but my concern is the doctor didnt actually state it was a hemorrhoid so I havent been using any cream to treat it

[PanickyGuy]

Well sometimes they act like that and send you to someone else who knows more about it as a precautionary measure. He/she just might not know enough about it as much as you or me, even though he/she is a doctor, but would rather someone else with more experience look at it, just to be on the safe side. Because not all doctors are experienced enough with every specific type of ailment that comes up. So keep that in mind and try not to worry about it

Also, all I can say is that I myself had all those symptoms that you described (especially the fresh bright red blood on toilet paper -scary I know) and it was a hemorrhoid in my case caused by too much straining and constipation; and I've had mine for years.

So think positive and don't google anymore. Lol. You could have a slight blemish (like a birthmark) on your skin that's been there for years and Dr. Google would frigin' tell you that you're already dead.

P.S. You see my avi of Fry? That's what I've looked like in the past, after reading what Dr. Google has to say.

[GlassPinata]

hemmorhoid.

[GadGirl]

Defo a haemorrhoid I have that caused by constipation during early pregnancy.

[Strikeman]

I'll keep you posted how my consultant visit goes on 5th Jan! Fingers crossed it is just a roid!!

[Strikeman]

Just got back from the consultant, he asked lots of questions and I regurgitated all the info above, he then had a good rummage around and confirmed it's an.....ANAL FISTULA!

From what I understand, an anal fistula is a small channel that opens up between the inside of the anal canal and the outside of the anus. It acts like a drainage tube to drain away an infected gland from within the anal tract which is why I've been experiencing blood/mucus and pus

I'm happy to have a diagnosis but am now a little concerned about the anesthetic (falling asleep and not waking up) and the potential repercussions from having surgery on my sphincter muscles. Apparently there's a chance I will have reduced muscle strength and potentially wind/bm incontience however I've just got to go for it and hope for the best

I can book the operation as early as next week but I think I'm going to book it for the week after to prep myself better in my head

[PanickyGuy]

Ah a hemorrhoids cousin. :D Well at least you know now and it wasn't the worse thing that you may have probably thought.

Usually they test you first to see if your allergic to any kind of anesthetic don't they? If they don't maybe you can request that, before the day of the actually procedure, as a precaution, to give your self peace of mind?

[Capercrohnj]

A fistula isn't related to hemmorhoids at all. They are oh so fun. I have 3 but I also have fistulizing crohn's disease and 40% of people with crohn's get them. Most of my daily discharge is not blood or pus though ;)

[PanickyGuy]

Oh no, not physically of course, but the symptoms are about the same. You can look it up and see. Because it's hard to tell difference based on those symptoms, until us non-medical experts have a specialist (that run tests) look at it. :winks:

I mean I had most of the same symptoms he did and in my case it was hemorrhoid.

[Strikeman]

A fistula isn't related to hemmorhoids at all. They are oh so fun. I have 3 but I also have fistulizing crohn's disease and 40% of people with crohn's get them. Most of my daily discharge is not blood or pus though ;)

Whats your view on getting the surgery done in your case for the fistulae?? I havent really researched it yet in my case, and Im sure I'll read horror stories of people having incontinence or reoccurence, but the alternative is this ongoing problem that I cant live with

Even at the best of times its not a good sign if you've got your fingers crossed for a hemmrhoid :blush::roflmao: Wish this wasnt happening!!!