Blood mixed with stool - Petrified!

[ems1981]

Since my daughter was born 6 months ago I've been getting occasional blood on the toilet paper. Only a few drops here and there but it has come and gone. I sometimes go a month without any and then get it 2 days in a row. I haven't been too worried about this thinking it could be a fissure/internal hemorrhoid from the long labour but it has persisted and today I looked closer at my stool and had some bright red blood on it/connected. I've not thought of anything else all day and all I can do is look at my daughter and cry - I'm so scared its bowel cancer!

I have a colonoscopy next Friday but this week is going to be torture!

Please can anyone relate? I'm going out of my mind here!

[Annaboodle]

Hi Ems. A friend of mine said recently that "no one told me I'd still be shitting blood 2 years later" after the birth of her second child. She had a natural birth with a long labour too. It's one of the things that I guess understandably they don't tell you about before the birth as no one wants to put you off, along with things like pooing yourself during labour, teeth maybe falling out during pregnancy and your hair shedding massively after 3 months. Birth may be natural, but a lot of the after effects ain't beautiful.

The colonoscopy will give you peace of mind, but honestly this is so normal after childbirth. I actually think it's more abnormal not to have these problems. Most of us poo blood and also (yes gentlemen readers!) we often wee ourselves too. It's a huge trauma for our bodies. I had hemmies after both my children that flare up from time to time even now (my eldest is 13).

[ems1981]

Hi Ems. A friend of mine said recently that "no one told me I'd still be shitting blood 2 years later" after the birth of her second child. She had a natural birth with a long labour too. It's one of the things that I guess understandably they don't tell you about before the birth as no one wants to put you off, along with things like pooing yourself during labour, teeth maybe falling out during pregnancy and your hair shedding massively after 3 months. Birth may be natural, but a lot of the after effects ain't beautiful.

The colonoscopy will give you peace of mind, but honestly this is so normal after childbirth. I actually think it's more abnormal not to have these problems. Most of us poo blood and also (yes gentlemen readers!) we often wee ourselves too. It's a huge trauma for our bodies. I had hemmies after both my children that flare up from time to time even now (my eldest is 13).

Thanks so much for your reply. xx

I know it should be just hemmies but this blood this morning has really thrown me. I can't get the thought of Bowel Cancer out of my mind. I had these same issues 10 years ago which led to a colonoscopy also. All clear in that one. I also had bloods taken in March that was all fine too.

I hope and pray I'm ok. The thought of leaving my husband and baby brings me to tears

[nomorepanic]

Sounds like piles to me

[Red12345]

As a man, I have also had this on occasion and haven’t given birth!

My doctor told me that if you had bowel cancer at a stage where you were bleeding it would be obvious that it is something very serious - i.e. a large amount of blood with every bowel movement. Try not to focus on it or get upset and maybe see how it looks next time you go?

[Shadowhawk]

Also.. if it is a fissure or piles, keep in mind that simple stress can make them worse. I know it is hard, but please don't stress yourself out over it.