Trying to be rational about blood in stool

[Charchar88]

Hey everyone.

Long story short - I've been having digestive issues for as long as I can remember, at least since early teenage years. Diagnosed as IBS, all good. Symptoms were mainly constipation and pain.

About a year and a half or two years ago, started shifting to diarrhea instead. Doctor wasn't worried.

Early this year I had slight blood in my stool and started getting more mucus, which went to doctor about. They did some stool tests and a few blood tests, nothing came back with any issues, so doctor said there was nothing to worry about, and blood was probably piles (which I do have). He told me to come back if it got worse or if I started losing weight.

Issues haven't got worse in the meantime, with diarrhea coming and going, sometimes lots of mucus, sometimes not. Sometimes just pass mucus (usually brown in colour). Piles have got worse. Not much pain, sometimes slight cramps.

In the past few days I've been getting bloody mucus, and yesterday there was a decent amount of blood (turned the water pink). I freaked out, called 111, and ended up speaking to my doctor. He is getting me in for blood tests, a calprotectin test (which wasn't done last time apparently). He said he wants to rule out IBD, but mentioned absolutely nothing about cancer. He also said it's probably a good idea for me to be referred for a colonoscopy (which I'm not excited about). I'm 32 by the way, and healthy weight/non-smoker, and feel absolutely fine really apart from the bloody mucus, slight cramping sometimes, piles, and regular diarrhea. No other symptoms. No blood mixed in with the stool (as far as I can tell).

I'm trying to be reasonable, and think that if he thought I had cancer then he'd be more worried. And if it was cancer then after a year of mucus and occasional blood then it probably would have got worse before now? And a lump would be noticeable in my tummy? Surely cancer gets progressively worse? Rather than symptoms staying mainly the same for a year, and then all of a sudden getting worse?

Obviously I would rather it wasn't IBD either, but much preferable to cancer.

If anyone has some words of reassurance I would love to hear them. Or been through something similar?

Thank you!

[Aleman200]

Hey, sorry to hear you're going through this. I had this issue when I was 26 (I'm now 29) I was getting horrible abdominal ache and blood was often found in my stool too, my doctor sent me for the exact same tests. I had a colonoscopy and calprotectin tests and routine blood tests of course. They all came back clear, and within a month or so the blood disappeared and everything returned to normal. It can be anything from an anal fissure to piles. If he even remotely suspected cancer and at 32 I highly doubt he does, he would have had you in very urgently for tests. My mum has bowel cancer and my dad has Crohns disease and trust me, the dr's don't mess around if they suspect the worst.

Cancer doesn't just come and go, once it starts it gets worse and worse. Also a colonoscopy is easy don't worry, you'll probably be sedated like I was!

[Anxiety121]

Hey Charchar it’s an awful position to be in right. When you say mucas and blood do you mean bloody mucas? Blood that is mucasy ?

[Charchar88]

Hey Charchar it’s an awful position to be in right. When you say mucas and blood do you mean bloody mucas? Blood that is mucasy ?

Its mucus that's red in colour, rather than mucus and blood separately. I get mucus all the time (on and off) but it's not usually red!

[Charchar88]

Hey, sorry to hear you're going through this. I had this issue when I was 26 (I'm now 29) I was getting horrible abdominal ache and blood was often found in my stool too, my doctor sent me for the exact same tests. I had a colonoscopy and calprotectin tests and routine blood tests of course. They all came back clear, and within a month or so the blood disappeared and everything returned to normal. It can be anything from an anal fissure to piles. If he even remotely suspected cancer and at 32 I highly doubt he does, he would have had you in very urgently for tests. My mum has bowel cancer and my dad has Crohns disease and trust me, the dr's don't mess around if they suspect the worst.

Cancer doesn't just come and go, once it starts it gets worse and worse. Also a colonoscopy is easy don't worry, you'll probably be sedated like I was!

That's really reassuring, thank you! I've got my blood and calprotectin tests next week, so hopefully they'll come back normal, and that will put my mind at rest. It does help a lot to know that you were fine, so thank you for taking the time to reply.

[Oirgano90]

Hey man, did you end up being ok?

[Fishmanpa]

Hey man, did you end up being ok?

The OP hasn't been on since this post. I would safely assume all is well.

Positive thoughts