Hi everyone. It's been years since I last posted here. I was a complete hypochondriac at that time and now I'm starting to become one again. Lately I've been noticing blood either in my stool or on the toilet paper when I wipe. It's been happening since either early this year or late last year. When I had a bowel movement, there would be some blood on the stool. It would happen for a few days and then stop so I didn't really think too much about it. Some months later it would start again and then stop for some time. Just last Monday, I had a BM and while there was no blood on the stool, there was some on the TP. That following Wednesday and Friday, I had a BM and blood was on the stool, but none on the TP. This past Monday I had a BM and there was no blood at all. Then Friday morning I had one, but like last Monday, blood on the TP, but none in the stool. And just this morning I had another one(though it wasn't a big one) and there was a little blood on one of the stools.
I'm not sure if this is either hemorrhoids or an anal fissure and the reason for the blood from today's BM is because the one from yesterday morning hasn't healed yet(that's if this is indeed a fissure). That was one a bit painful and did hurt briefly. Same with last Monday's BM. But after some googling(bad idea I know), I'm very worried this could be you know what. I won't be able to see a gastroenterologist until after the holiday. I don't have any other symptoms associated with it.(IE abdominal pain, narrow stools, fatigue, weight loss, black stool etc). And I don't think I have anemia as I've had blood tests over the last few times I've been to the doctor this year and last year. I don't have any family history of colon cancer and I'm 37. But I learned some time ago that it's not just an "old man's disease". As I keep reading about how nowadays more and more younger adults(even those in their early 20s). This along with actor Chadwick Boseman passing away from colon cancer has me checking my stool pretty much every time I have a BM now.
The stools have been rather hard lately, so I'm not sure if that's due to constipation. I've been drinking more water now and taking stool softeners to see if that'll soften the stools.