To ask for experiences (warning - blood in poo related)

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I have for the last few weeks noticed some blood in the toilet when I go for a poo along with a change in consistency to being softer - not diarrhea - just softer.

I also have a lot of gas in the morning and pain in my tummy - again - mostly in the morning. I also now have more urgency.... Whereas in the past I could hold on ages now when I need to go I really need to go.

I have had piles which would explain the blood but not the pain urgency or change in consistency.

I am seeing the doctor tomorrow - I just wondered if anyone else had these symptoms and had answers. I'm absolutely petrified that it's going to be bowel cancer and I'm feeling really anxious. I'm a single mum of 2, I'm 36 years old.

Healthy except for having Rheumatoid Arthritis (which is well managed).

Oh also not sure if relevant but I have had several courses of antibiotics over the last six months.

Anyone?

Bright red or dark red blood?

Me.
Saw GP.
Rectal exam.
Urgent referral for sigmoidoscopy.
Appointment 1 - failed bowel prep (small enema) so failed scope exam.
Appointment 2 following home bowel prep with liquid dynamite - successful scope exam. Diverticular disease diagnosis.
All good.

Definitely go get seen , first thing to rule out is whether it’s piles you can normally tell by dabbing around with tissue when wiping . If it’s from further up and accompanied by gastric upset it sounds like you need investigated fresh red blood is normally from further down the bowel so you need to rule out ulcerative colitis , crowns etc . Could a also be a gastric ulcer but normally once you see red blood in stools you would be in quite a bit of pain so blood would normally be darker . Go speak to GP , try not to worry it can be a number of things some of that are quite simple .

My BIL was pooing blood. Loads of it. He was also in pain with his stomach. He was scared it was the C word. Only recently they discovered it is in fact ulcers. He has ulcerative colitis.

Meant Crohns not crowns but they will normally want to rule out an ulcer first .

Ulcerative colitis diagnosis here - it did however take a couple of years to get the diagnosis. Six weeks of symptoms then I would improve. I had a couple of colonoscopies but the waiting time meant I was asymptomatic.

One GP actually listened and got me referred for a colonoscopy urgently so I was actually mid-flare when they looked.

Now medicated and well-managed.

@pooopypants (apt username for this topic!) it's bright red blood.

I'm just hoping hoping that its not anything serious. I keep worriying about it!

I hadn't even made that connection OP!!

I believe, and I'm by NO means an expert, that dark blood is usually a concern but fresh, less so. I'm not a Dr though. Could be piles (I have them - thanks kids!) or a fissure, definitely get checked though and put your mind at rest

UC quite often goes hand in hand with RA.

Good luck at the GP.

@Wingedharpy

Me. Saw GP. Rectal exam. Urgent referral for sigmoidoscopy. Appointment 1 - failed bowel prep (small enema) so failed scope exam. Appointment 2 following home bowel prep with liquid dynamite - successful scope exam. Diverticular disease diagnosis. All good.

Thank you - that's reassuring. I just keep freaking out at random times throughout the day 😕

Yep my doc did a piles check first - nothing there so got put on the two week wait for colonoscopy which showed nothing. I couldn’t believe it - sometimes the blood was pouring out (sorry) so I had to be bleeding from somewhere.

I spoke to consultant over lockdown who said he was happy there wasn’t anything sinister going in and that sometimes things are unexplained. He said any further investigation would be quite invasive and likely unnecessary considering my age and good health. So we left it.

Weirdly it seems to have cleared up a bit.

The good thing is they will take it seriously so any diagnosis (or not in my case) should be quick.

Beer of luck!

Same, years ago. GP did me an urgent referral for a colonoscopy. I have Crohn's-colitis. It's all the same gene group as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis/PA, ankylosing spondylitis, diverticular disease etc. If you've got one autoimmune disease, you're more likely to have another. Get on to your doctor, OP. Bright red blood is less alarming but still needs investigating. I had both kinds (TMI, sorry) but it was harder to see the dark stuff.

Best of luck obvs, although you might want a beer anyway!

Yes (TMI - blood would be splattered around toilet bowl). Diagnosed with internal piles and IBS. IBS seemed to come on after I had several courses of antibiotics for a chest infection and so I think it affected my gut flora. On a positive note, much better now on all fronts, so hopefully you will be too. Always best to get checked out though which you are sensibly doing.

Request a faecal calprotectin test when you go to the GP (its just a poo sample). Best non invasive indicator for Crohn's/UC which should definitely be considered as you already have an autoimmune condition.

Thank you so much everyone. I've been convincing myself of the worst for days and it's reassuring to read these informations from everyone

Just wondering how you got on OP? Going through this myself- all my symptoms read as UC and I’m getting tests done. Same thing happened me 5 years ago but tests were clear so didn’t have any scopes done. Possibly as another poster mentions- symptoms had lessened to point that inflammation wasn’t detected (fear and embarrassment led me to delay seeing GP!)

Any update on this ? X

Hi, yes I have ulcerative colitis. I went to the doctor and was given a colonoscopy. I had a private colonoscopy as it was going to be 8 week wait here. Once I had results i sent them to my HP here and saw a gastroenterologist within a week who gave me a drug called mezavant. I started on 3 pills a day and was reduced to 2 a day after a few months. I also went vegan. Currently pregnant so not vegan atm for the baby's sake but will go back to it when she's about 6 months (although it actually helped more with RA symptom tbh!)

Have been in remission ever since.

I'm in Spain by the way, i know that sadly wait times are nuts in UK. And I dont know what they prescribe there either but the Mezavant has been wonderful. I have a check up every 3 months.

Sorry not HP, GP!

I should say that the only thing I did privately was the colonoscopy. The rest of my care is in the public system. (gastroenterologist, medicine, checkups etc)

Just in case someone else needs to push for care in UK. It would have been 8 weeks in Spain for a colonoscopy on the public system in 2020 by the way. Now it's more like 3 or 4 unless it's urgent in which case it's be less I reckon.

Did you have a calprotectin test before being diagnosed I’m having all sorts of weird symptoms keep having bloody mucus more like a brown colour and bad stomach Cramps too and back ache not sure if that’s with me being pregnant but just strange having all this and now my back stomach hurt so much

every morning I wake up I get pains in myself to Mach until I’ve gone the toilet got to wait until I’ve had my baby for a colonoscopy due to it being to risky whilst Pregnant x

Yes they did that calprotein test too. I don't know how far along you are in pregnancy but please push your doctor to take you seriously. The medicine I take I am continuing with whilst pregnant by the way. It's not really safe for you to be waiting months for diagnosis and treatment of you have it. Good luck.

Do you have hip pain OP?