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Bloody mucus and low B12 - could they be linked?

2 replies

chriistmas · 12/12/2022 19:56

I'm in my 20s, no other health issues. Around once a year since I was a teenager I would have these episodes of intense stomach cramps, diarrhea and fainting (from the pain of the stomach cramps). The last two times this has happened (last week and a couple of months ago) I had bloody mucus in my stools. It was bright red. The stomach pain is just above my belly button and is a burning kind of pain. The first time it happened my GP thought it was a bug, but the second time has meant I've had a stool test and blood test.

I'm waiting for results from my stool test (testing for calprotectin and infections). My blood test results have come back normal aside from low B12, my GP has advised that I have a repeat blood test in 3 months to check these again. I don't have many symptoms of low B12 aside from tiredness, brain fog and occasional tinnitus - all of these symptoms flare up when I'm stressed though so I attributed them to stress. I am a vegetarian though, and I don't eat cereal or eggs though as I just don't like them and eggs make me feel sick so it could be diet-related.

Aside from these episodes, my bowel movements are pretty normal. I do have irregular bowel movements, but I can always attribute it to something e.g. every Monday I have loose stools and urgency because I always feel anxious on Mondays due to work, every weekend I barely have a BM as I'm not eating or drinking enough, etc. On average I go 2-3 times a day, mainly in the morning.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Could the gastro issues and B12 be linked?

OP posts:
themiserychick · 31/12/2022 08:26

Sounds like it could be ulcerative colitis with the bloody mucusy stools. I often get B12 deficiency from it.

Lonecatwithkitten · 04/01/2023 20:29

Pernicious anaemia - the inability to absorb B12 can often be found with coeliac disease. Coeliac disease can often give you gastrointestinal signs.

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