Hemorrhoids and constipation - when to worry?

[Sparky16]

Sort of TMI for bathroom issues...

I have had IBS since I was a teenager, and constipation is basically my default setting, other than getting stress related cramps and diarrhea. I've also had problems where when I'm really constipated, even more so than usual, after a bowel movement I'll sometimes get a little mucus by itself later on in the day. About every other year, I'd see a tiny bit of blood in this mucus.

I had fecal occult blood tests a couple of times, and when they did not turn up anything, my doctor was not concerned. Not quite two years ago when I had this happen again, my doctor decided to refer me to a gastroenterologist because I had an elderly relative who had been diagnosed with colon cancer. (Well, that and I refused to take another one of those damnable take-home occult blood tests.) The gastro thought it sounded like hemorrhoids. He did a colonoscopy, which confirmed that I did have internal hemorrhoids.

So yay, problem identified, right? I still have the occasional mucus after constipation, of course, and still have the even more occasional tiny bit of blood in the mucus. The past year this has been happening now about every six months. I suppose it's not surprising that it's become more frequent - I now take a blood pressure medication that has what I can only describe as turbo-constipation as a side effect. You know those little pellets that rabbits poop? I've been there. :scared15:

Anyway, I asked my regular doctor about it six months ago, and he wasn't concerned as we know I have internal hemorrhoids, and said no further followup was needed, just to take some miralax and don't let myself get so stopped up! Nevertheless, it's worries me each time it happens, as it did again this weekend (hey, it's been six months, I'm due for another episode). Especially as my colonoscopy is now almost two years old. What if there is something new going on now?

I guess I'm looking for a sanity check. Would you guys be concerned under these circumstances?

I have a doctor's appointment coming up next week for a check on my blood pressure, so I'll talk to my doctor about this again. In the meantime, I've bought a fresh batch of prune juice, which takes care of the constipation.

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your issue.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

Please also read this post:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=213239

[Sparky16]

Sorry for the wrong forum, Nicola. I didn't know if this was directly enough related to IBS to fit in here.

[nomorepanic]

That is ok

[Sparky16]

I wanted to followup on this, as I know it's annoying when people pose questions and don't come back with the conclusion. I had my checkup with the doctor this week (routine for blood pressure medication) and asked about this issue again. As you might imagine, he said that being constipated irritates the hemorrhoids, which causes these symptoms. He is not comcerned. The answer is more prune juice.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I've ben having spells of flare ups with mine for over 15+ years now after they initially started in my early twenties and bothered me a fair bit for years. Strangely, they have only had the occasional flare up in the years since my anxiety started in my early thirties.

So, bits of blood and mucus have been my symptoms too and I've never been back to my GP as it was diagnosed as roids (not being a HAer helps with not needing the doctor too :biggrin:). I did have a sigmoidoscopy after a couple of years which was explained as purely to rule out and confirm what my GP had always diagnosed. There were no issues flagged and so I've always just dismissed anything as roids.

It can feel difficult to know when to ask for advice from your GP when we have national anti cancer campaigns that say "it may only be a bit of blood but let your GP decide". For those of us who have had roids for years we would be down there frequently for no reason at all. But the adverts always show people with constant runs and lots of blood, not like our typical symptoms. Such campaigns must be a double edged sword for doctors as they must see many more people for nothing.

I think the fact you have 6 month gaps and the symptoms are nothing unusual for you, as well as you doctor not having issues which is the most important part, it shows it's a reoccurring issue rather than an advancing one, the latter being your fear. It's not advancing into bad symptoms.

[LunarCoffee]

Waaaiit... so you have internal roids with no symptoms (or mucus/blood) for 6 months at a time?

[Sparky16]

Waaaiit... so you have internal roids with no symptoms (or mucus/blood) for 6 months at a time?

Yeah, they seem to flare up only when I have really bad constipation. I think they are fairly mild hemorrhoids, as the gastroenterologist said they didn't warrant any treatment back when I was first diagnosed.

[LunarCoffee]

Yeah, they seem to flare up only when I have really bad constipation. I think they are fairly mild hemorrhoids, as the gastroenterologist said they didn't warrant any treatment back when I was first diagnosed.Woah. If you don't mind answering, do they usually bleed with small hard stool? Because I probably have hemorrhoids but I'm obviously worrying it's cancer because... health anxiety. :redface:

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[MyNameIsTerry]

Woah. If you don't mind answering, do they usually bleed with small hard stool? Because I probably have hemorrhoids but I'm obviously worrying it's cancer because... health anxiety. :redface:

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Mine are always there, they won't go without some greater treatment. But I don't have constant symptoms. I've been years without much of anything.

They get past a point where the creams reduce them a bit but to completely remove them I would probably need banding and have done for many years.