Blood in stools anemia and referral on cancer pathway

Hi Im terrfied

I went to see my GP about HRT and asked for blood tests - but now I've found out I am anemic. I post menopausal so they asked for a stool . FIT test - this has come back positive and I have to have a colonoscopy.

I must add, my diet is terrible due to arthritis and being on codeine and other meds for a quiet a while - the codeine make me constipated, I have little appetite due to anxiety and stress - so all in all I dont look after myself very well. But is it possbile to have bleeding and still be diet related anemia?

I'm so scared - alone on a Friday evening - just got the news and now cant eat and feeling bloated because of my anxiety Its this terrible catch 22. I cant come off codeine until my hip replacement which is now on hold! I'm only 61, work full time and have a son. I'm so depressed and anxious right now - please advise/

 

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  • Hello Jem1603,

                              l can fully understand your anxiety,but l think you have left the horses in the stable and bolted off down the road pulling the cart on your own.. there are many reasons why you would see blood in your stool and only one would be cancer.There the worry would be if you were seeing stale blood in your stool,but l suspect this is not the case.

    l am no medical professional but l picked up on two points of your post that could point to the presence of blood,long term medication being one,and following on from that constipation which could cause fissures, tears,or benign polyps in the lining of the bowel.So yes if your bowel lining becomes inflamed for any reason and starts to bleed its not going to work properly,so the combination of blood loss and the inability to process nutrients properly could well lead to anemia.

    l think its all too easy to jump to conclusions and stressing yourself will in no way be doing any favours to a distressed bowel. You need to keep sight of the fact that its far more likely to be something other than what you currently fear.

    The good news is that a colonoscopy is the gold standard for diagnosis so you should be reassured by the fact following that ,the proper and correct treatment would be swift in forthcoming to help you overcome your present difficulty.

                                                        Breathe a little more gently and be a little kinder to yourself in the meantime,

                       David

  • Thanks guys  you are so kind. It means a lot that you answered.xx

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