What could cause this? Blood in poo?

[cremeeggseason]

I’ve had blood (it varies between bright and dark red) in my poo quite frequently over the last year. It’s not through it, but it’s on the surface of it. I don’t get any blood when I wipe- it’s just patches of blood on the surface of the stool itself (it’s definitely not from my period). Sometimes it feels really sore to pass stools, and it feels like I’ve got a tear or fissure but I’ve been checked for fissures and piles and don’t have any. Sometimes it feels like a struggle to pass but it’s usually not constipation, I usually have diarrhoea from IBS. I’ve had bloods taken and fecal samples which were normal and my GP said no further action or tests are needed.

Is this something I should be worried about or just one of those things that happens for no serious reason? Googling brings up the most scary stories and of course says it must be investigated, but there’s never any blood when wiping and my blood test and stool sample was normal. I’m not overly concerned, just unsure what could be causing it.

I’ve name changed but am a regular poster.

I’m sorry but in your case I’d be asking for a colonoscopy. I have ulcerative colitis and my first symptoms were blood in my stool and on my paper. Until I had my camera test everything pointed to piles when I knew they weren’t. Bleeding from the back isn’t normal and needs further investigation not being fobbed off.

I think you need to push for a colonoscopy .My husband had a history of piles and was placed on a non urgent referral list when he displayed similar symptoms to piles and not too many associated with something more serious . He did have something more serious , not suggesting that you do at all, but I think it needs to be ruled out.

Try taking some movicol or lactulose, up your water intake, more high fibre foods, exercise a bit more.
See how you go over the next few weeks, if it doesn't improve, chase your Dr for a referral to have some investigations done.

Youre saying its painful to go and the first thing the Dr's should have done is tried to see if that was caused by a degree of constipation.

Have you seen the Bristol stools chart? Its helpful in realising if your bowel movements might be a bit hard, my Dr's have asked me to keep a note of mine as I am passing large amounts of blood each time I go to the toilet (mine is definitely constipation though)

I think you do need further investigation, blood in faeces is not normal. And if you miss something serious (like colon cancer) you'd regret not investigating as soon as possible.

Of course it may be tiny tears/lesions, but to have visible blood suggests something larger. Don't ignore it.

I have ulcerative colitis. Blood on my stool exactly how you describe is one of my symptoms. Kind of like a red ribbon down one side.

I would keep trying. You need to be evaluated further.

Like everyone else has already mentioned it could be as benign as internal haemorrhoids, or as serious as bowel cancer.
It really sounds like you should be referred for a colonoscopy and I'm not sure why your GP didn't do that already!

Get back to the GP

Go back and push your GP for answers. I say this as someone who lost a relative to cancer that was missed in the early stages.

Go back to your go for a referral. If they are unwilling - ask for a second opinion. It is not normal

I'm so surprised uou haven't been referred for a colonoscopy. How old are you? I found that doctors often tried to fob me off when I was young. Now I am over 50, they want me to have every test under the sun

I have blood in the pan. Its piles.

But if you’re so worried, see the GP

@9ofpentangles

I'm so surprised uou haven't been referred for a colonoscopy. How old are you? I found that doctors often tried to fob me off when I was young. Now I am over 50, they want me to have every test under the sun

Yep fully agree. Doctors are crap these days. It’s all money to them. I was 25 when I asked for a camera test. I was told I was too young and they wouldn’t do anything. It took me being at deaths door in hospital to get one. I’ll never trust a GP again .

My dh has this and has so much blood coming out sometimes, he has been checked in the past but nothing found, doesn't seem right tho?

Agree with PPs, a colonoscopy is definitely needed. If the blood is darker and doesn’t just happen after straining/wiping, this doesn’t sound like piles and must be investigated asap.

Agree that you should be referred for a colonoscopy. This may be really gross to you but start photographing the bloody stools. Take the photos to the GP. They can’t ignore that. Also, the Gastro Consultant can sometimes get some idea of what may be going on by the way the blood is presenting. (Sadly I say this from experience.)

It very well could be benign but best to be checked.

If there's no blood when you wipe, then I think that cancels out anything like piles, fissure or a tear. It must be coming from further up your bowel.

Blood mixed in your poo is not normal. You don't get any bleeding with IBS. Who told you you had IBS?

I would go back to doctor and say that you think you either have colitis or bowel cancer, and want:

• Poo tests: Faecal Immunochemical Test (a poo test that checks for any blood in your pool, and a calprotectin poo test.
• Blood tests to check for anaemia, ferritin level, CRP marker, and for coeliac disease.
• A colonoscopy.

I don't want to scare you, but that definitely needs investigating further.

It could also be diverticular disease, which is really common and not serious, but it still needs investigating properly.

Op, did you find out what this was. I have similar waiting got Gp appt

@cremeeggseason did you ever find out what this was? Going through similar myself.