bottomly things..

[MaryAnnSingleton]

Has anyone experienced similar - pains in tummy,like period pains -for about 2 weeks,maybe a bit less- the feeling of needing to go to the loo fairly often but it all coming to nothing except for sometimes very runny poo with lots of mucus (sorry for all this it's making me very embarrassed) and some blood. I do have some piles but they are quite ok at the moment and I know how they feel when sore -this blood seems to come from inside,sort of higher up-at least that's the feeling. I thought I'd monitor things for a week or so and if no improvement see my gp.

Is the blood fresh red blood or darker blackcurranty stuff? And bloody mucus or blood mixed with poo?

I would see GP this week TBH, could be some sort of colitis type problem but it needs checking out.

urk- not especially red,like a cut,but I'd say blood in mucus (can't believe I'm saying this !)

I would try to make a morning appt with the GP and take a sample with you, the receptionist will be able to give you a pot. Any other symptoms - bloating or lost weight or lot more tired? Am a nurse BTW, not a poo troll

My sister has been diagnosed with colitis with the same symptoms. Hers came on six weeks after she gave up smoking - there is a big link believe it or not.

I've had similar symptoms to yours though when I had a bit of a bug so it may be something in nothing but best to get it checked out.

@ poo troll ! thanks v much - no noticeable bloating or loss of weight but very tired as I am working quite hard,going to bed too late and getting up early. Am on tamoxifen,not that that probably has any bearing.

It does sound like colitis and bless you for a very discreet title

I had similar symptoms with c-diff. Have you been on antibiotics, or does tamoxifen alter the gut balance...that combined with any sort of hospital frequenting makes for a risk of c-diff.

I think it's important to see the GP asap as if left, colitis caused by an infection like c-diff can be very serious (sorry)

I survived, obviously, and once I was given meds for it it never got any worse. But it did drag on as it kept coming back.

Anyway GP tomorrow, get a sample sent off, try to take it to path yourself and tell them to put it in the fridge as the organisms die off after a couple of hours at room temp, which makes it hard to detect, thus multiple false negs! In the fridge ought to be Ok though.

Good luck, keep posting if you need more advice as I have the t-shirt

Don't monitor it btw my darling, just go tomorrow - they press the panic button once you test positive for this monkey, mine took about a day to ring me with great excitement saying 'You must start antibiotics for this NOW!'

Which I did, and was fine...I think GPs like mine live for this sort of event

thank you - I am pretty bad at going to the docs but will try to get there ! Don't think tamox. alters any gut flora and I haven't been to hospital for a while (except to take my dad in a few weeks ago) Was convinced it was period pains but tamoxifen has interfered with that, so it must be gut stuff.

Okay, well, let us know if you want to, how you get on. The symptoms point to bowel inflammation, at least, but what is causing it is the question...infection, IBD (which normally doesn't have such a sudden onset iyswim) or summat else.

It should be sortable though

Good luck x

Another vote for going to the GP and don't prevaricate :)

thanks everyone...will do my best...

or procrastinate if that's what you meant!

I am procrastinating a bit- I want to be sure that I'm going alonmg with a genuine thing,rather than just a wibbly tummy...please don't nag me because I will go but I need to feel confident in asking for help

You do need to go. Don't feel embarrassed, they deal with bottomly things all day and night.

Repeat after me - ' I keep getting griping pains and there's blood in my stools' There, that was manageable, wasn't it?

Make the appt and let us know how you get on.

Have you had this checked out yet? I ask as someone who left these kind of symptoms and ended up having emergency bowel surgery in the summer and a subsequent diagnosis of bowel cancer. I am now back in hospital, due to a blockage caused by the scar tissue & am also on chemo although they got all the cancer out.

I cannot stress how important it is to get checked out. I am not trying to scare you, but having been to hell and back over the summer I am working on raising awareness of bowel cancer in young women.

you are all right,I know - knitting am so sorry you've had a hellish time- I will gird myself.

btw - am doubting things because the poo today was more solid (still not solid as such) but no sign of blood. I examined very carefully.

Ok, well. It's good that there's no blood today and it's more solid.

HOWever - and I know this having spoken to both GP and consultant about it for about four months, a few years ago - I'm a nervous patient! - having bleeding and mucus in your stool is NOT normal, it's never normal and this with the pains you've been getting strongly indicate bowel inflammation.

Your bowels don't inflame for no reason. It could be ulcerative colitis, or Crohns disease, or another inflammatory bowel disorder. It could also be infection - possibly a nasty one like I had, well, almost certainly a nasty one of some description There are some types of food poisoning that cause this too.

I don't care if it's stopped for now, you really, seriously need to go and discuss it with your doctor as soon as possible.

Old people often die from c-diff, so you need to rule that out. Cohns can become very serious as can UC and you don't want it to end up being an actue situation, rather than the rumblings you have had so far which can be controlled fairly easily.

I'm talking about it getting a whole lot worse if untreated. So there is a good reason to go in NOW and at least have some tests done, or be told what to look for in terms of symptoms.

Honestly please don't take a risk with your health. There's a reason for this - hopefully NOT pseudomembranous colitis but really, it all needs checking out.

Sorry, appalling typos and I got a bit shouty and insistent but I hope you know it's because I care. I don't want you to ignore it and get much worse.

By the way, IBS never involves bleeding, that's one of the major things it doesn't do, warranting further investigation.

Jane you are a sweetie -I completely understand your insistence and I know it is sensible. I think this week feels a bit overwhelming as I have my 6 monthly check at the breast clinic and am thinking of that. I always urge people to go for smears (I loathe them but go eventually) and have any suspicious breast probs seen immediately so I know why you are urging me to go.

Oh god it's fine - I completely understand. You are already being extremely brave and have enough to cope with at the mo.

When my friend died I couldn't bear to have any sort of checks, not even a smear, as I knew if the results were NOT good I'd never cope with them. So I just put it all in a compartment of my mind marked 'scary stuff...later' and waited till I felt more sturdy.

That time did come. Yours will too duck xx

I mean the time when you feel able to face these things again.

Not sure if that sounded odd!

but ikwym, entirely. Good luck with checkup!

thanks - I knew what you meant Check up should be fine - it might even be the last one (they see you for up to 3 year years after diagnosis)

Has it really been that long? Yikes...time does fly. Fingers crossed then