Bowel trouble

[Governoress86]

Not really an AIBU but posting for traffic.

Warning TMI!!

I had a small bowel movement and when I wiped I had blood tinged mucus on the tissue. I'm passing a lot of gas aswell. This has frightened me so much that I don't want to go to the toilet in case I see it again.

Just wondered if anyone else has experienced this.

Thanks for reading

I think the guideline is if this happens for a few weeks then go to the GP, but think back to food you have eaten? have you had a virus? it could be a simple explanation, drink lots of water and eat non spicy or wind causing food, try porridge, bland soft foods.

This is likely absolutely nothing to worry about but any bleeding from the bowel should be investigated as it can be a symptom of something more severe.

Also you shouldn’t be bleeding for weeks before you go to a GP - not good advice.

Thank you for the replies. I don't think I have piles, I'm not in any discomfort other than a bit of bloating. I'm thinking I may have IBS but haven't been diagnosed with it. I asked my mum if she has this symptom with her's and she said occasionally.

I have just been again and there was nothing there when I wiped this time, so possibly a one off.

I don't think I could wait a couple of weeks before seeing a Dr tbh. The anxiety would finish me off I think.

No red foods eaten lately that I can think off, at least not in the last 48 hours.

I do have a bit of urgency but when I do now it's just air that comes out.

Obv you should go to the doctors if it continues.
My oh had this and it was investigated and found to be a virus. Nothing to worry about.

NHS App says see GP if you have had blood in your stool for 3 weeks.

Call 111 now if poo is black or dark red.
Bloody diarrhoea for no obvious reason.

I have had this before and it was a fissure that was bleeding (so it happened several times until it healed).

Not sure on official advice so probably worth getting it checked but from experience it certainly can be something harmless.

I get this occasionally. Also due to a small fissure I think. It always sorts itself out and I've never panicked about it.

If it's bright red blood it is most likely to be piles. Piles aren't always sore and you can't always feel them. GP won't really want to see you for a few weeks however do keep a diary of how many times do you go to the toilet per day and is there always blood, is it bright red or dark and is it on the outside of your stool or mixed in with it and of course are you straining to go. I am not a poo troll, I have Crohn's :)

@TARSCOUT

If it's bright red blood it is most likely to be piles. Piles aren't always sore and you can't always feel them. GP won't really want to see you for a few weeks however do keep a diary of how many times do you go to the toilet per day and is there always blood, is it bright red or dark and is it on the outside of your stool or mixed in with it and of course are you straining to go. I am not a poo troll, I have Crohn's :)

Completely agree with this. I have Crohn's too and am currently badly flaring. The blood I pass is a large amount, 20 plus times a day. Please keep a record and see your GP immediately if it starts to get worse or increase. Fingers crossed it’s nothing more than an internal pile or fissure.

I don't see it in the stool, it was just when I wiped, but I'm getting a few stomach cramps and a lot of wind right now, I haven't had any more blood since earlier.

What are the symptoms of crohns?

I didn't know you could have piles with out discomfort it could be that

@MummyGoingItAlone
Oh no, am so sorry you're flaring :( That's a lot of blood to pass, have you been in touch with your consultant about it? I don't want to be an alarmist but that sounds extreme. The most I have passed is 3 or 4 times in one day and they were considering a transfusion at that point.

@Governoress86
Symptoms vary from person to person. When I'm flaring it's like someone cutting me open and dragging a white hot poker in my stomach, lethargy, diarrhea 20 or 30 times a day, sickness, no appetite, mouth ulcers, abscesses and horrendous joint pain.

I think it is more likely to be Ulcerative Colitis. That is how mine started. Go and see a doctor sooner rather than later.

I don't think it's Crohn's tbh. I feel for you that sound horrific to have.

I haven't had any more blood but I am getting stomach cramps and have the urge to go but when I do I just pass gas.

I will be 34 in a few weeks

It could be inflammatory bowel disease and us likely nothing sinister. But do ring the GP to be safe.

Everyone with Crohn's is different - my description is when i'm in a flare. When I'm not flaring it's generally just being tired and sore joints.

It's too early to find out what if anything is wrong. Putting my mum hat on, go to bed, try to get a decent sleep, if you are still windy try bringing your knees up to your chest and rocking to disperse it a bit more. Keep a diary and unless anything dramatic happens in the next two weeks, you might find out you've just got a dicky tummy. Likely you've just strained a bit too much if you keep trying to go to the toilet. Try not to worry.

Keep a food diary. Something may have set you off. If you haven’t eaten anything unusual the last one to three days it’s more of a mystery. Perhaps a viral thing.

The blood, wind and mucus is what I get with ibs if I have eaten something my guts don’t like. The mucus seems to be created when poo isn’t exiting quickly enough so your bowel seems to try and grease it’s way out! The wind is presumably from eating something that isn’t agreeing with your guts. Beans? Peas? Whatever it is avoid it.

If you eat crap improve your diet and your problems should go hopefully.

Dark blood see a GP.
Red blood is your piles inside (we all have them) tearing as the poo is too hard to slide out softly. Your stool can be softened by stuff from the chemist. But you should see a gp if it persists after you start eating healthily.

I had a poo test thing from the gp. Just put poo in a little box thing and it gets tested.

About a month ago DD started passing blood from her bowels when going to the toilet. After about a week she called the dr as it wasn’t getting better. She was told it was probably piles and started using a cream to help. A week later there was still no improvement and she was having bloody diarrhoea every day, the GP examined DD and couldn’t find any piles. DD had a stool sample examined and it looks like IBD, she’s being referred to a gastroenterologist.
I would keep an eye on it for a few days and then call the GP if not better.

@TARSCOUT I’m so glad you’ve just explained the pain the way you did. I have Ulcerative Colitis and the only way I could explain the pain for years before I was diagnosed was that someone was dragging a scalpel Inside the very bottom of my stomach. The looks I got from GP’s etc when I said it, they’d raise their eyebrows as though I was exaggerating.
Op - I had symptoms of UC for years before being diagnosed, hadn’t done a solid poo for 7 years, would have to go urgently, like through meals etc. Then I started passing blood and mucus, filling containers but with no poo...eventually got an emergency colonoscopy and they could see the damage there and I got the diagnosis that night in hospital. Fingers crossed it’s something simple x

OP It may be advisable to ring the GP as sometimes a FIT test i.e stool sample test is arranged to check for blood, you do it at home from a provided kit. Its worth doing and easy, always best to get medical help with these things and then you know.

@TARSCOUT it’s normal for me unfortunately in a flare. I inject Humira but I’ve been off it during the pandemic so I didn’t have to shield. I’m awaiting a new delivery of injections which I know will sort me right out 😊