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