Blood in poo- need reassurance please

[Abs811]

I really need someone to talk me down as I have terrible HA. Not looking for a diagnosis, already been to GP but waiting for tests.

First, I always check my poo. The other day, I went to the toilet in the morning and did a semi-loose poo. While looking down, I noticed some splashes on the bowl and saw blood. Not dark red, not bright red, just in between. I immediately thought I got my period as I was due, but after wiping, realised it wasn't my period, and that it came from behind. I wiped and there was blood on the tissue. It was hard to tell what colour it was, as I'm on iron tabs for heavy periods, so the poop is dark anyway. I then realised I hadn't finished but my subsequent poo didn't have any blood (don't ask but I made sure I analysed closely). I had breakfast and after that, needed another poo (normal for me), this time there was no blood at all.
Obviously I'm in a state of panic, worrying about BC. Went to GP asking about piles, no pain and they couldn't feel anything inside. Also felt my abdomen for lumps, said all felt fine. Booked me in for some further test so just waiting on this.

Has anyone had any experience where this hasn't been cancer? I haven't had piles in the past, although I noticed a few days prior to this, a tingling sensation inside my anus that went on for an hours then stopped. Also, 2 days prior to this episode, I had some diarrhea so my anus area may have been feeling sore. Again, not sure this is linked. Not eat anything either beetroot, colouring etc.

Love to hear from anyone...

Forgot to mention, I'm 41

This must be worrying but it could be lots of things. I had massive amounts of blood in my poo a few years back and was terrified it was cancer, but it was ulcerative colitis, which is nasty in itself but is now completely controlled with medication. It was diagnosed via a colonoscopy, but you can also have fecal calprotectin tests that look for inflammatory markers in your poo.

Hi have this every other month turned out be be internal hemeroids.. on the other hand my hsiband is going though a diagnosis of IBD he’s is much worse tho lots of blood gas an tummy pain.. currently waiting for a cononscopy

Just go to the doctor, or if you can't wait get a stool test from Amazon, chemist etc to put your mind at rest.

@Bubbletrouble2 thanks for replying. Do you have pain or discomfort with your internal hemorrhoids? I'm not constipated so not sure it's that. Also, was your blood always bright red. I'd say mine was more just medium red, but not dark, as it first looked like period blood. Sorry to hear about your husband.

@Abs811 I had tummy discomfort .. I also had no constipation I had mushy stools or anything.. started bleeding and my anus was sore … then had a ct and sogmoidscopy turned out to be internal hemeroids.. apparently they can be a nuisance and they was for me I convinced myself I had colon cancer at the time as it was frequent .. ov stopped eating nuts as they flare them
up for me

my blood looked like periods it was red mucus sometimes and sometimes bright red fresh blood..

Something else just occurred to me, could this be a possibility- 4 days prior to this happening I ate a small piece of beetroot chocolate cake and 2 days prior I ate a salad with some bits of beetroot in it. Could this also be a cause? Although I'm not sure a small amount of beetroot could cause this, especially after that many days.

I haven't had any more episodes since...

Yes i had blood. I had diverticulosis and also had to have my appendix out. One thing that the doctor asked is if i took photos? So when it happened a second time i had something to show them.

Try not to worry, although easier said than done! I had the same at the end of last year, noticed some medium coloured blood in my poo so I went to the doctor who examined for haemorrhoids and couldn’t find any so ordered a fit test which came back really high. I was referred urgently on the cancer pathway for a colonoscopy and it was absolutely fine - the consultant did say I had some internal haemorrhoids which probably caused the high fit reading.

It could be an anal tear, that would explain the bleeding and brief soreness. I had prolapsed piles fixed a few years ago and thought I didn't have any now, but I needed a colonoscopy to try to find out why I was anaemic and they told me I do have another pile- the GP hadn't found it on examination.
Most likely situations, I would think, are an internal pile or an anal tear.
I hope you get reassurance soon- I know it's frightening.

So no to my beetroot theory then? 😔

After looking in the mirror, I can see I have a small anal tear, but don't think that's big enough to cause what looked like blood splashes on toilet bowl.

AFAIK beetroot would dye the whole poo purple red, not make splashes.
Don't forget, blood always looks more than is. A tiny cut or tear can produce what looks like a lot of blood

Anal tears bleed a lot. Was the blood bright red (like from a cut) when you wiped and did it hurt to wipe? If yes, it was an anal tear.

If no, the thing I'd be worried about is it not being bright red, as that would more likely be bleeding inside the colon. Why don't you buy one of the kits from Amazon? If it comes back positive for blood, request a colonoscopy. Most likely an anal tear or internal hemorrhoid though.

I get this semi regularly and assume it's a fissure /tear. I'm on iron tablets too which make me constipated and therefore am prone to tears and piles. I really wouldn't think the bleeding you're describing would be bowel cancer, but the gp is investigating it anyway so I'd try and relax in the meantime.

@Shiningout thanks for sharing. Can I ask if you've ever been followed up with regards to this? Sometimes the iron tabs make me constipated, but sometimes they make me loose, hence why I thought this couldn't be a tear.

I have checked my poo obsessively since this happened and there's been no other signs of blood.

I know someone who very recently had much more alarming symptoms then this and it wasn’t cancer.

Of course you should get checked out but the likely hood (statistics wise) of this being anything sinister are incredibly low.

@Abs811 I would try not to worry, if iron tablets making you constipated means you may have over strained and caused a tear. Blood plus water from the loo and urine will always look more than it is.

Sounds like a small tear. The colour you mention sounds like it would probably be mid-way up, as opposed to just inside which would have been bright red or right up in or near the small intestine which would have been dark.

Proceed with the tests though, if only to put your mind at rest.

Thank you all, it's very comforting to hear your messages and I will follow up with the Dr but can't help but worry in the meantime.

I remember the blood looking like period blood, not really dark but not bright. Although I had runny stools that day, so wondering if the runny stools (which were black due to the iron), mixed with bright red blood (if it was a tear), could have created the darker looking blood splashes on the bowl...

Having loose bowel movements can cause tears just as much as constipation op, so don't rule it out. And it looks like a lot of blood when you look down, it's quite alarming.

I didn't have formal investigations but my doctor is aware I get this and is comfortable that it is tearing due to my constipation etc. She said if ever it was very dark blood or it was getting a lot more regular they would investigate.

DH recently had large amounts of blood and it was really bad heamorrhoids. He had a colonoscopy as well but all was well. He has had piles since as long as I can remember, but this time it was like a bloodbath!

@Shiningout I was thinking that the diarrhea could have caused the bleed.

I've been checking my stool religiously since and no sign blood. I am still incredibly gassy lower down which bothers me.

Blood tests all came back normal. Still waiting on FIT test results. GP wants me to do another test looking for infection as I have lots of rumblings lower down + gas. Not sure that can be the case as I don't have fever, nausea or vomiting...

It could be anxiety related IBS.