Left sided pain for months, straining during BM, blood when wiping

[AnxiousRN]

Hello Im 37 y/o female. Ive had left abdominal pain since Feb. Sometimes lower left, sometimes upper and flank. Mostly it is 1-2 inches left if my belly button. My GI doc gave me Dexilant, then IBgard and then Augmentin for UTI. Nothing seems to work. The last 3 days I have hard big stool. I strained a lot and there's pinkish looked like blood on the last part of my bm and theres light pink stain on the toilet paper when i wiped but it went away so fast. I have hx of external hemorrhoids and I also have an anal tag from I guess an anal fissure before? I am so scared of doing CT scan or colonoscopy. Afraid they might find I have colon cancer. Ive had urinalysis, uts of pelvis, transvaginal uts, complete abdominal uts and kidney uts all negative just gallbladder stones which had no relation to my pain. Ive tried a low fodmap diet. Didnt work. Im just tired of worrying! Any advice? Coping mechanism?

[TattooArtist]

There are so many causes for something like this, including stress. I think if your doctor recommends it you need to do the colonoscopy or scan to see if there is a polyp or whatever. I wouldn't be worried about the blood, that's really common with hemorrhoids or fissures.

[Dave_Lister]

I'm in the same boat as your RN.

I have been having blood drip into the toilet, and even a clot looking thing.

I am 42 male, and I am scared because my doctor says it isn't cancer but he wants to get a scope to see in there.

He is telling me to wait until I get blood in the stool and then use it for the fecal culture so that blood will show up on the test and then I will get in in a couple of weeks instead of waiting for them to get me in.

My mind is telling me that he must think its cancer because he told me to do this.

It's stupid, but scary too.

p.s. I have also been having stomach issues for the last few months too.

[AnxiousRN]

Hi Dave. Im sorry that you are also having some health issues. After that day when I strained during a bowel movement and had blood on the tissue, I changed my diet and added more fiber. And whoalah, next BM was formed but not hard and it was easy to pass. I did not have another episode. So far I am trying to control my anxiety too about my left abdominal pain. The pain has become minimal. But this wont stop me going to the doctor. I have a follow up with my GI next week and would probably do a CT scan with contrast. I am sure your doctor means well about having you do the fecal occult blood test, because it is the only way to get you scheduled for a colonoscopy faster. Stay positive. I am trying to live at the moment. I decided not to worry about the future. It is sucking the happiness away from me.