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Thread: Small amount of red blood and other symptoms :(

  1. #1

    Small amount of red blood and other symptoms :(

    Hello,

    A bit of back story... I think I have ibs, never been diagnosed but I had a colonoscopy in Feb 2016 because of similar issues of which are happening again now. It came back clear and biopsies that were taken (not sure why they were taken, no mention of polyps etc) were negative. So I was sent on my merry way and was happy to think it’s probably ibs that flares up every now and then.

    Every couple of months or so, sometimes it can go a bit longer between, I suffer with feelings of not being able to get rid of everything when I go to the toilet. This usually leads to me having to keep revisiting the toilet! And when I do, it’s usually just some disgusting mucus, sometimes clear, sometimes orange with bits of stool in it, and just some gas. It can take ages for the feeling of “fullness” down there to go away. I sometimes feel like a rumbling sensation in the bottom of my back, I imagine in my rectum area! Similar to when you’re hungry and you can hear and feel your tummy rumble. I don’t normally get a tummy ache, which makes me wonder if it’s ibs. I usually put it down to food I’ve eaten, I don’t seem to do well with certain things (wheat, certain veg etc) but I’ve read the typical presentation of ibs is pain in abdomen that is relieved by using the toilet. If anything, going to the toilet aggravates my issues! So I’m not quite sure.

    Anyway, what I’m really concerned about is mid April sometime, I had to use the toilet in the morning like normal, and was surprised when it was quite loose and diarrhoea like (not completely, but it wasn’t normal) and when I wiped there was a streak of blood on the first wipe. I thought maybe it was a cut on the outside but subsequent wipes showed nothing so I soon worried it had come from the inside! I left it for a few days and all was ok. But then it happened again after a normal toilet trip. A small bit of blood with the first wipe mixed in with stool. I contacted my doctor using an online service where you fill in a questionnaire and explain what’s happening and they get back to you. I wasn’t overly freaking out, I mostly wanted to find out when my colonoscopy had been as I had read that they are “good” for nothing untoward happening for 5 years afterwards (ie, cancer but I’m not sure how reliable this info is.) But the doctor said it was concerning and while it could be piles (haven’t ever been diagnosed with them before) or ibs, the blood is concerning and she made an urgent referral for me, with the intent to repeat a colonoscopy. This obviously isn’t happening for a while because of Covid-19. But I had to have a blood test (which came back normal) and provide a stool sample (which came back negative.) I had a telephone appt with a gastro nurse who asked some questions and she sent a FIT test out which I sent back and haven’t heard anything since then. This is getting on nearly 4 weeks at this point.

    I’ve become quite worried about this since then which I think has upset my tummy for the meantime. Have had a few tummy aches, stopped running as I could “feel” a sensation around my bottom (not sure if it was something or if I imagined it!) But what worries me most is I have had a couple more instances of red blood streaks, admittedly only small, a couple of millimetres at the most, and I’m not sure if they’re in the stool or on the outside of it as it mostly happens when I first wipe. It’s not there after a few wipes... very confusing. I did look down the toilet a couple of times, though I hate to do this as I’m afraid of what I’ll see! I thought I saw a big streak across the stool once but couldn’t be certain as I wasn’t wearing my glasses and it was far down the toilet. I can’t bring myself to go searching in the stool to find out as that is too gross and I’d probably be sick! But the what if…? does get to me.

    Today I went for a normal trip to the toilet, it felt slightly harder than normal but not constipation at all. And I thought it would be ok for the day, but no. I’ve been back about 4 times. Just mucus and gas, and once a “nugget” or what I call a bunny poop which didn’t go down the loo, I had to wipe it away, and which had a very small blob of blood on the end of it. I do get these bunny poops sometimes, I often feel like there is something there so I strain to get rid of it (not a good thing to do I know, but I hate the feeling of something being there - and there obviously is!) But all of this prompted me to make this thread, as I’ve read everyone else’s and I’m just concerned. I was told not to contact the gastro dept. and that they would phone me in due course, but because of everything that’s going on it could be a while.

    Sorry this has gone on a bit, just wanted to get it off my chest because I’m worried. Everyone’s thread I’ve read has some of my concerns but not all of them.

    Any thoughts, advice, helpful words are greatly appreciated.
    Hope everyone is doing well in our new world.

    Letti xx

  2. #2

    Re: Small amount of red blood and other symptoms :(

    Hi

    I’m currently having some of the same issues as you and I’m also waiting for a colonoscopy, though I don’t think the referral has even gone through yet as my doctor said they just keep getting bounced back when he sends them. Back in September I noticed what looked like darkish red blood/possibly blood clots on/in my stool. I went to the doctor and he examined my stomach and checked for piles and did a blood test and all these came back normal. He referred me to a consultant for further testing. However, while waiting for this appointment I noticed that what i actually though was blood was actually red pepper so I just convinced myself I over reacted and canceled the appointment. I also stopped checking my stool because I was becoming obsessive about it. Everything was fine until about a month and half ago when I once again noticed what looked like red blood once again. So I did the online e consult and was given treatment for piles. It happened again and this time I had very loose stools with what looked like black parts in it, though they were hard not tarry. I had an physical appointment this time. Stomach examine was normal and he thought he could maybe feel a pile. But he rearranged for me to have the colonoscopy. I told him I was worried and asked him if he though it could be something ‘sinister’ and he said no and if he did he would of referred me of an urgent two week appointment which are still happening as normal.

    I’m not going to lie I’ve been really freaking out over this, to the point of panic attacks whenever I feel the need to go to the toilet, especially since it could of been happening since September but I’ve been trying to rationalise that there are plenty of causes for these symptoms, such as piles, fissures, diverticular disease, colitis, crohns plus loads more I’ve probably never even heard of. All of these, especially with added ibs could well be the cause of your symptoms and mostly likely are.

    Also according to the NHS website constipation and feeling like you’ve not completely emptied your bowels which sounds like the issue you’re having, mucus and gas are all common symptom of IBS.

    Good luck with your colonoscopy when it finally comes through

  3. #3

    Re: Small amount of red blood and other symptoms :(

    Thank you for replying Sarah8989 🙂 I’m sorry you’re suffering something similar. And that your referral keeps getting bounced back. It’s very frustrating, but with everything else that’s going on in the country and world I think it’s understandable. Doesn’t make it any easier having to wait though does it! Especially if you have a tendency to think the worse (like me!)
    I’m sorry you’re having panic attacks about going to the loo. I’m exactly the same, which I think only makes the issue worse. But it’s hard to calm down. I’m sure you’re trying, as am I. The fact that you’re able to rationalise the situation is great, it certainly helps make coping easier during the wait. And you’re probably right when you say it’s likely to do with the other issues you listed, rather than the dreaded C word (not Covid! &#128527 I can mostly tell myself that too, but then I’ll convince myself that actually, it is going to be bad news and I’ll start looking at my kids, making myself upset and imagining a bleak future... totally unnecessary but that’s where my mind goes.
    As an aside, I lost my dad to lung cancer 6 years ago and I vividly remember him getting upset one day (when he was normally so strong) and he said “what if I don’t get to see the kids grow up?” (meaning my kids.) It’s one of my most upsetting memories and it plays on my mind when I have worrying symptoms of my own because I think the same thing.
    Anyway, I’ve also noticed today that my tailbone or around it (possibly my rectum!) hurts quite a bit. I’ve possibly strained a muscle as I was doing yoga last week to calm my anxious mind but my foot slipped on the mat and it sent a pain up the back of my thigh and around my pelvis and back area, only a split second of pain and it wasn’t too bad. Oh the irony! So now I don’t know whether to think it was the yoga injury or if I have a mass pressing on my rectum, explaining the blood and the constant feeling of pressure and needing to go to the loo! I’ve been several more times today and saw a speck of blood in two places on clear mucus. All I could pass was some gas though. I don’t know what to think anymore really.
    I would consider it being a fissure possibly as I do get a bit of a sting when wiping sometimes but I know that’s on the outside and the blood I’ve seen is streaked on the stool I’ve wiped so it makes me think maybe it’s not and it’s coming from the inside. Weirdly, I get a bit of blood quite often after wiping but generally when everything is clean and I’m all done. From over wiping I think! But it’s only a small dot on the actual toilet paper and I know it’s from the outside whereas this other blood can’t be from that.
    I don’t get a stinging pain when actually defecating though which I’ve heard is common with fissures, it’s only when I’ve thoroughly and possibly too roughly wiped.
    My husband had a burst pile last year, that had a lot of blood!! Weirdly I was calm then because the amount of blood there was and a quick google said it was most likely. I still forced him to go to the doctor for confirmation though.
    I’ll stop waffling for now! It is good to be able to get all my thoughts out instead of sitting with them. It kind of enables me to move on and get some work done! (Homeschooling... what a treat! I jest, I love having my 3 kiddies with me all the time. They’re the best people in the world ❤️)
    Thanks again for replying and apologies for the super long reply!!

  4. #4

    Re: Small amount of red blood and other symptoms :(

    Hi

    I can relate to lots of what you’ve said. I actually slipped myself yesterday which made me sort of slam my foot hard on the ground and it sent an awful pain up my back and now my pelvic area is sore. Although I do have some pain anyway in that area because of an operation I had a couple of years ago, but Ive still convinced myself it’s something more sinister causing the pain!

    I lost my mum 6 years ago (breast cancer) and my older sister had two small children (2&3) and my younger sister was pregnant at the time and it was a very similar awful situation and I always think back to when she was in the hospice whenever I’ve convinced myself I’ve got something wrong with me.

    If it helps I also get bloody mucus (that’s my main symptom) and my doctor is convinced it’s nothing more than internal piles that might need banding (I of course don’t believe this) even though it’s smaller amounts of darker blood that I get. Like you, i actually think I’d feel better if I was getting larger amounts of blood, id find it easier to convince myself it’s just piles if that was the case. Crazy isn’t it! Internal pile can be painless and difficult to diagnose without a colonoscopy so they could be the cause of your problems.

    I always seem to be able to rationalise other people’s symptoms in a way I never can for myself but I hope this makes you feel a little less alone with your problems.

    Sarah

  5. #5

    Re: Small amount of red blood and other symptoms :(

    I can so relate to this. Just last Thur. morning woke up at 3 am with cramps. I sometimes get these if I eat something that doesnt agree with me or if I am nervous. I went back and forth to the bathroom about 4 or 5 times till it was just liquid coming out. Laid back in bed with the heating pad on my stomach and fell asleep. Woke up about 8am felt like I had to go to the bathroom again and this time notices some pinkish red blood on the toilet paper and I looked in the toilet and there was red blood!! Never before have I had this and wasnt having any stomach issues other than acid reflux. So I went to the ER they did blood tests, a fecal occult and the Dr. felt around in my butt for hemorrhoids, nothing. Blood tests and fecal all normal. Still freaking out, so I have an appt. with a gastro dr. this Tues. Had a clean colonoscopy 4 yrs ago. I cannot even begin to tell you how this has upset me. Hysterical crying thinking of course stage 4 cancer!! My health anxiety is through the roof. Already imagining chemo and hospice...My God I don't know how to stop this. I have had health anxiety for at least 25 yrs. I wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy. Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this. People who have never suffered extreme anxiety just dont understand

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