Blood on toilet paper

[smogie]

So this is a new one for me had some stomach ache yesterday afternoon had a loose bowel movement then last night before bed had another bit was quite a lot of bright red blood on the paper now I’m spiralling googling and fearing the worst any advice would be gratefully received

[smogie]

Please could someone give some advice/reassurance I’m struggling

[BlueIris]

Bright red blood is generally nothing; wouldn't hurt to check in with your GP but it's probably piles.

[smogie]

That’s part of my problems I avoid the gp like the plague can’t cope unless they give me absolute certainty there’s nothing wrong and even if it’s nothing serious it’s my inability to cope that scares me I’m 58 years old and can remember a time when I could cope with life starting to think be better off not here as I’m not living a life so sad

[BlueIris]

I'm also a serial GP avoider, so here's my advice from one to another.

You have two options:
1) Accept that it's probably nothing and wait it out.
2) Go to the GP and accept that they may want to investigate further.

Given that you're over 50, if they can't find haemorrhoids they may well put you on the 2-week pathway just to rule things out.

In your position, I'd give things a couple of weeks to settle down, then if they don't (they probably will) I'd see a GP because colorectal cancer is one of these things that's much easier to deal with in the very early stages.

[smogie]

See I’m my own worst enemy because the only part of you reply I can see is two week pathway over 50 cancer so I will just sit and worry myself away Thankyou though I think my health anxiety is untreatable

[BlueIris]

Nobody's is untreatable.

My husband was on the 2-week pathway for colorectal cancer a couple of months back and I was worried half out of my mind. I still had to go to work and function, though, so I got an increase in my antidepressants while he had his appointments. He had a colonoscopy, they removed some polyps and he's completely fine now. If he'd ignored his screening test or the result, though, there's a chance it could have turned into something much nastier.

Take some deep breaths, work on your mental health and then proceed in the way you think a normal person would.

[smogie]

Thankyou I’m trying to practice the things I’ve learned in therapy but honestly with each new thing that crops up it gets harder and harder I’ve had numerous meds multiple cbt private therapy and still I find myself in the same situation I feel like I have come to the end of my tether

[Lencoboy]

I had something similar just over a week ago which I think was piles. Preceded by loose/irritable bowel movements the day before, having burning sensations in my bum overnight, then taking a dump the following morning with traces of blood on the toilet paper after wiping.

All water under the bridge and forgotten about by the following day and I'm still OK now, even though I still remained vigilant and kept a close check on it at the time just in case.

[smogie]

Think my bridge has collapsed nothing goes under it ������

[Lencoboy]

Think my bridge has collapsed nothing goes under it ������

Just try to hang on in there and give it a couple of days, and you might end up being OK.

Your current symptoms don't automatically imply anything cancerous or whatever, though of course by all means be vigilant.

[smogie]

I’ve had two further bowel movements no sign of any blood which is great but my anxiety about it is still sky high and I can’t stop thinking about it and when it’s going to happen again

[BlueIris]

Every time you notice the thoughts, gently acknowledge and dismiss them. At first you may have to do it multiple times every minute, but if you persist it will get easier.

[smogie]

Thankyou I’m sitting wallowing need to get busy it’s hard because the anxiety is so overwhelming

[BlueIris]

Acknowledge and move on. It's tough, but I have faith in you.

[smogie]

Aww thankyou so much

[ServerError]

Seeing blood on the toilet paper is very common. I get it from time to time, especially if I've been a bit too... vigorous. That's more than anybody wanted to know about me, but there we go. If you see bright red blood on the toilet paper, it's usually a sign of superficial injury to the skin in the area. This usually means you've wiped too hard, had a more difficult bowel movement, got dry skin or perhaps have some piles. None of this is serious, but the sight of blood on the paper can be quite confronting and alarming at first. Usually, more serious conditions don't show themselves this way.