Bleeding from down there

[WishIhadmagicpowers]

NC as this is embarrassing and personal, not a troll post, I’ve posted before under a different name.

I have IBS. Bloods/stool sample were both fine (taken several times, not just once) so no need for any further investigations or referrals. Bloods showed no inflammation and I tested negative for coeliac.

I have diarrhoea most days, but earlier this year I’ve started having a more embarrassing problem. I thought I was having incontenance as I had noticed staining on my underwear, and I had started to hurt down there- it’s a really sharp burning pain. I noticed a few weeks ago that actually it’s not incontenace but it’s blood. I’ve had diarrhoea with blood in it a few times before. Today, I had diarrhoea (no blood) then went for a walk and started to feel the sharp pain, so I came home and my underwear was stuck to me in a patch of blood. It’s not leaking all over my underwear, it’s only the patch that was stuck to me. It was both brown and red so I think it had been bleeding on/off for the entire time I was out walking.

I thought it might be a pile or fissure so I checked myself using a mirror but couldn’t see any blood or redness or obvious cuts. I also wiped down there but again there was no blood which I thought there would be if it was a fissure or pile? I have tried using anusol but it doesn’t really help.

I’m too embarrassed to go to a doctor about it, and I don’t know if this is just part of having IBS, but it’s happening nearly daily now and having a serious impact on my life- more than the constant diarrhoea/nausea is. I’m young (university age) and nobody is even seeing my underwear apart from me, but it’s still really embarrassing and it’s affecting the clothes I wear because I’m very anxious about bleeding randomly from down there and it being obvious. I was so worried thinking it was incontenance so I was relieved when I realised it actually wasn’t, but now I’m even more worried because I’ve realised it’s blood which is bad too! The blood is a mixture of deep, bright red and also brown- I’m unsure if this is because it’s dried blood or if it was brown anyway.

Sorry I know this is a horrible topic to post about but I don’t know what else to do. My doctor said I have to learn to manage my IBS so I don’t want to go back with this if it’s something simple I could treat at home, but I don’t know if it’s a fissure or pile or if there’s anything else that could cause this. There was no blood when I wiped and no obvious cuts or blood when I checked in the mirror. For anyone else with IBS, is this normal with it? What else could it be if not a pile or fissure?

Bleeding is not a symptom of IBS.

If you have internal pile/haemorrhoid (likely) you have the right to have that confirmed.

They wouldn't necessarily even have to do a coloniscopy, a consultant (if gp refers you) can use a devhce they use just look inside and say yes or no re haemorrhoids. The ho could also examine you to see if they think its haemorrhoids.

Be "pushy", say its concerning you want to make sure it's just haemorrhoids.

*the gp

@Nowinapanic451

They told me I had IBS for a long, long time and they were wrong. I had to go private to get a colonoscopy and was eventually diagnosed with ulcerative colitis when I was 27. Don't take no for an answer - pester them, and tell them that you want investigations done.

That must have been so scary for you! I’m so glad you finally got some answers Thank you yeah I’m going to do exactly that, it’s gone on way too long to keep ignoring it x

@Mountainpika

I've got visions of a video consultation with OP baring her bum to the GP......

Joking apart, hope you get it sorted.

I don’t know who would be more traumatised, me or the dr, haha!

Oh please don't feel embarrassed and be fobbed off. It happened to my niece, saw the GP five times and fobbed off. Finally taken seriously, diagnosed with cancer, it can happen to young people.

I don't want to scare you but please please don't sacrifice your health to an inept system. I'm sorry you're going through this.

@Duchess379

Oh, I really feel for you - I'm going through the exact same situation myself! My Dr arranged a colonoscopy to check that there was nothing untoward going on, which there isn't. But you absolutely MUST be checked out properly. Just because you're young doesn't mean that it can't be serious. If you can't get through on the phone, write a letter instead. The Dr will read it & ring you back 💞

Thank you so much for being so understanding! It’s such a horrible position isn’t it, I’m so glad your dr arranged for extra tests and that there’s nothing untoward going on I’m so glad my bloods and stool tests have come back normal but at the same time I know something isn’t right because this definitely isn’t normal I’m going to follow all the advice on here and insist on an appointment x

@Allsortsofroses

Bleeding is not a symptom of IBS.

If you have internal pile/haemorrhoid (likely) you have the right to have that confirmed.

They wouldn't necessarily even have to do a coloniscopy, a consultant (if gp refers you) can use a devhce they use just look inside and say yes or no re haemorrhoids. The ho could also examine you to see if they think its haemorrhoids.

Be "pushy", say its concerning you want to make sure it's just haemorrhoids.

That’s really relieving that it can be diagnosed/ dealt with without needing a colonoscopy or anything invasive like that! Do you know if gps are able to diagnose haemorrhoids or is it only a consultant? Thank you

@50ShadesOfCatholic

Oh please don't feel embarrassed and be fobbed off. It happened to my niece, saw the GP five times and fobbed off. Finally taken seriously, diagnosed with cancer, it can happen to young people.

I don't want to scare you but please please don't sacrifice your health to an inept system. I'm sorry you're going through this.

Oh my gosh that is so sad, I really hope your niece is doing well? cancer is such an unfair disease, especially in young people it’s awful to hear so many stories of people getting fobbed off and having to insist multiple times on being taken seriously, only to end up diagnosed with something like that

Posting another update (sorry, I didn’t mean to keep posting so much on this!)

So the bleeding had actually stopped this week which I mentioned in a previous message I was really happy about. Unfortunately it started again today, just like before though not much blood, just on and off all day. It seems to get worse when I walk about which I was doing all day at work so that must have caused it. It’s also extremely stingy and painful down there when I walk and sit down, which makes me think there’s a fissure or pile and that’s where the blood is coming from, rather than coming from somewhere further up or more serious. I went for a walk after work and had to go home because it was so painful

On a side note, I mentioned previously about going to a private dr…. after realising how expensive this is I’ve quickly decided against it and will be calling my NHS gp again on Monday As a typical student, I definitely don’t have £200 for an appointment I’ll try my Nhs dr again on Monday morning!

Get this checked ASAP. Blood in stool is not normal, nor typical of IBS. Hope you feel better.

No my niece's diagnosis came too late and she died very young. That's why I jump into these threads to implore people to push for better treatment. You are worth it. I'm so glad you're going back to your GP. Ask them straight, how can I be sure it isn't a cancer (bowel, bladder etc)

@50ShadesOfCatholic

No my niece's diagnosis came too late and she died very young. That's why I jump into these threads to implore people to push for better treatment. You are worth it. I'm so glad you're going back to your GP. Ask them straight, how can I be sure it isn't a cancer (bowel, bladder etc)

That’s so tragic, I’m so sorry for your loss thank you I will definitely follow your advice and insist on being seen and I’ll ask that question too x

Did they check for Crohn's? This symptoms sound like my son in law's and he was fobbed off to the point of nearly dying. It might also be worth greying to reduce the amount of fat you eat as some people can't digest it proprly.

Try ringing 111 if you cant get through to your gp. They can book you an appointment at a walk-in centre. My MIL had to do this with undiagnosed hypertension after I nagged at her. They were brilliant .

Sorry I just realised I didn’t post an update!

I managed to get an appointment and the doctor I saw was so understanding of the fact I was nervous, and the examination wasn’t nearly as scary or awful as I had thought it would be! Obviously still embarrassing but it was over really quickly and the doctor was really kind which made it so much less stressful than I expected.

No piles or fissures found however obviously I’m relieved everything was ok but I was hoping for a simple answer like a superficial fissure/cut that was causing the bleeding. Because we’re not sure where exactly the bleeding is coming from, I’ve got a referral to go back to gastro department at the hospital.

The doctor said it’s probably just a fissure or pile inside that she can’t feel and it’s reassuring that all my tests are normal so I’m not worried, I just can’t wait until I have an answer and it can get fixed/treated.

Thank you so much everyone for your advice! x

Sorry shameless bump, just wondered if anyone else has had similar with bleeding and diarrhoea where stools/bloods have been normal and no piles or fissures were found? What did it turn out to be? Sorry, just not sure what to expect now because my tests are completely fine and everything suggests ibs apart from the bleeding- I was really hoping it would be something simple like a fissure and I would have an answer for why the bleeding is happening, as horrible as a fissure would be at least it would be an answer

My daughter had the bleeding as well, not so much the diarrhoea. The doctors kept dismissing it as she was young (late teens/early 20's). She kept on at the GP who referred her for a sigmoidoscopy which revealed telangiectasia angioma which are blood vessels that are too close to the surface of the bowel. The basically lasered the areas which stopped the bleeding but she does have to go back every few years for it to be done again if the bleeding starts. It is nothing sinister.

@whineybing

My daughter had the bleeding as well, not so much the diarrhoea. The doctors kept dismissing it as she was young (late teens/early 20's). She kept on at the GP who referred her for a sigmoidoscopy which revealed telangiectasia angioma which are blood vessels that are too close to the surface of the bowel. The basically lasered the areas which stopped the bleeding but she does have to go back every few years for it to be done again if the bleeding starts. It is nothing sinister.

I’ve never heard of that before, I’m glad your daughter went back and got a diagnosis! I hope she’s doing a lot better now and that the laser treatment keeps helping

Yeah all my tests were normal so it’s so reassuring that there’s nothing sinister going on, it’s just so confusing where the blood is coming from because they couldn’t find any piles or haemorrhoids or fissures. I’m so glad all my tests have been clear but I’m starting to think I’m imagining the blood because there’s no reason it should be happening

@WishIhadmagicpowers

I've got to be honest it took a lot of going to the GP to get the diagnosis. The GP would send her to A&E with no real outcome. In fact I remember going with her and one A&E doctor asked her if she was sure the blood was from her back passage and not vaginal bleeding! I just gave him the dirtiest look and he skulked off. We had lots of appointments where they assumed piles but never found piles, it was very worrying for a while, but she finally got an appointment with a Consultant who listened to her and she got the diagnosis.

Keep on at them, at the very least I would be asking for a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy.

[quote whineybing]@WishIhadmagicpowers

I've got to be honest it took a lot of going to the GP to get the diagnosis. The GP would send her to A&E with no real outcome. In fact I remember going with her and one A&E doctor asked her if she was sure the blood was from her back passage and not vaginal bleeding! I just gave him the dirtiest look and he skulked off. We had lots of appointments where they assumed piles but never found piles, it was very worrying for a while, but she finally got an appointment with a Consultant who listened to her and she got the diagnosis.

Keep on at them, at the very least I would be asking for a sigmoidoscopy or a colonoscopy.[/quote]
Oh my gosh that’s such a shame it took so long, she must have been so relieved when she got a consultant that listened and she finally got a diagnosis! thank you i will do, the doctor I saw was so understanding and is referring it back to the hospital. I’m not sure if they will see me again or reject the referral because they’ve seen me before and my tests were normal so it’s just IBS, but I’m hoping they will see me so I can just get an answer for this bleeding. Thank you again for the advice! x

Shameless bump in case anyone else has been in a similar situation x

Posting an update in case anyone is going through something similar. It stopped over the last week or so, and everything seemed a lot better. No diarrhoea, no pain, and most importantly no blood! It started back today however and was the exact same as usual, it was sore and bleeding a bit around dinner time, then I went for a walk and came back and there’s more blood (probably about an inch or so in size so not huge but it’s definitely blood again). I’ve had a look using a mirror and there’s no obvious cuts or areas where the blood has come from but it’s so painful down there when I walk and it feels like I’m sitting on needles.

I really don’t know what to do. I’m otherwise healthy but this is really getting me down. There was no piles, haemorrhoids or any other sources of bleeding when I got checked, and it’s not enough blood to warrant a visit to a&e/OOH GP. It’s not pouring or dripping blood, and I haven’t seen any when I’ve been wiping or at the toilet, it’s just so painful down there and then there’s blood in my underwear. The referral has been made to go back to the hospital but it will take a while and I can’t go back to my GP at the moment as they are operating an emergency only service right now due to omicron, and then they will be closed for Christmas and New Years.

So to sum up my long winded post, it’s bad enough that it hurts and is very uncomfortable but not bad enough for the only services available right now (A&E ect). Don’t know why I’m posting this as I know nobody can physically help, however everyone’s been so lovely and I think I just needed to vent/get all this off my chest. I’ve got a fantastic GP surgery but when I went and got checked there was no sign of anything that would cause bleeding (piles ect)- I honestly feel like I’m going insane here!

x

Very hopeful bump x

Hello OP. Really feel for you. I had bleeding from there as well. Ended up having a colonoscopy which showed nothing scary but I had 'internal piles' a bit further up. I would push for that proper test if I were you.

@Sapphire387

Hello OP. Really feel for you. I had bleeding from there as well. Ended up having a colonoscopy which showed nothing scary but I had 'internal piles' a bit further up. I would push for that proper test if I were you.

Thanks so much for replying I’m so sorry you had it too, it’s horrible isn’t it! Did the bleeding stop once the internal piles were treated? It’s awkward because there’s nowhere really to get help atm, our GP surgery is closed for Christmas obviously but are only working for urgent/emergency cases right now due to omicron so I can’t get an appointment for this, and there isn’t really anything else they can do on their end anyway because they’ve already checked for piles and fissures there wasn’t any so I’ll just need to wait for the hospital referral but with the backlog that will likely be months. It’s not serious enough to warrant OOH or A/E as it’s only a bit of blood and everything else is fine, but it’s been on and off for so long now and it’s really frustrating especially as we don’t know the cause yet. I can’t wait to be able to wear white/light coloured clothing without having to be so worried and paranoid!!!