Referred for stool sample

[Riven1993]

Hello,

I’m after some friendly advice more than anything and I have a lot of health anxiety, which doesn’t help.

I’m 29, my son was born in November 2021, it was a complicated birth.

Fast forward to around September/October 2022, I started to notice bright red blood when wiping occasionally. It would happen and then 6 weeks later, happen again. I had a telephone GP appointment in December 2022 where she said it was likely a fissure and prescribed me a suppository.

Over the next few months, the bleeding was on and off and most of the time, it was accompanied by a glass cutting pain and usually when my poo was harder.

I went back to the GP in May due to bruising on my legs (which has now stopped, think it was me itching), tiredness and aches/pains. I mentioned it then and it was dismissed as I said it was red and only when I wiped after pooing. I was sent for some bloods and the ‘only’ flag was low vitamin d.

The hard stools, red blood on wiping and pain has since been more frequent, it clears and then comes back again. My bowel motion is still regular and no pain/cramps.

I spoke to the GP today about was I was experiencing (as it was a different GP) and she said that my iron was borderline low last time and that I should have been advised to have them redone 1-4 weeks later (which I wasn’t). She then said, given my symptoms, it would be a repeat of bloods to check the iron and the stool sample kit in the post to me to check for bows cancer.

I couldn’t quite believe she was following the bowel cancer route, straight off the bat and I cried. I asked if she would please mind having a look. She did and said I had a visible fissure but her management/follow up remains the same, that I do the stool sample.

i have occasional red blood when wiping, occasional pain when pooing, aches, some tiredness (but not uncontrollable) and the borderline low iron.

I had also seen a physio for my muscle aches who thought it was muscular and stress.

I am petrified, the GP’s delivery of it was really scary and I’m panicking. I am so worried about having cancer and being unable to be there for my beautiful son.

It is very unlikely to be cancer, the GP is being thorough. What’s your diet like? Eat a diet based mainly around plants with some protein and avoid processed food. That will give you and your son the best chance of a healthy life.

I had this for a year or so post childbirth and it was a fissure. Horribly painful and put me off any more children. It's good she's checking everything, hoping it's nothing serious.

@Lovepeaceunderstanding @kezziecakes thanks for the response. I think I’m most worried about the iron being lower and this in hand with the rectal bleeding. It’s not enough blood externally to make me be anemic? Before pregnancy my iron levels were great and when I was tested after, following a hemorrhage, they were great too (although I had infusions for that). My periods are heavy-ish more recently but that’s it as I’m not on the pill.

@Lovepeaceunderstanding my diet is hit and miss (if I’m honest!) but definitely not the worst in the world.

@kezziecakes how did you manage things? If it is the fissure, it’s opening/bleeding every time I go to the toilet

That seems very unlikely. It's just a routine follow-up, don't worry.

Very unlikely to be cancer at your age. I’ve just had the same test myself for the same symptoms and it was negative (they are very accurate). Your GP is doing a good job, well done them

I'm on the same pathway at the moment. I'm grateful my GP is putting me forward for these tests. I'm currently awaiting the date for colonoscopy and endoscopy. It's more than likely the results will be clear, but if not the issue will be dealt with, hopefully early enough to be managed easily.

Heavier than normal periods can cause lower iron. I'm post menopausal so that's not the reason behind my low iron count.

Good luck and well done on having an attentive GP.

I was just very careful when I went to the toilet each time and also took laxatives so I didn't have to push at all. It did heal completely after a year.

@BHRK @Cazziebo I’m not saying at all that my doctor is wrong in sending me. It was more the delivery of it, I have anxiety so it’s not really how you go about it with me. And then obviously the fact she wouldn’t look until I asked . It’s hard because my anxiety makes my whole body just not function as it should, so it means my symptoms feel a bit muddled for me and I can’t work out what’s what 😊!

@kezziecakes thanks- I’ve been trying to do the same but haven’t tried laxatives yet.