Blood in stool since July

Hi everyone 

I'm so worried I think I've been anxious about this since late July 2021 and it's now mid October. 
 

In late July I was shocked to go to the bathroom and find blood on the toilet paper when I wiped. I was on holiday at the time and it completely ruined my trip as I was so anxious and fearful the entire time. The blood seemed to go for a couple of days but then it came back. I've since had this on and off - I've noticed a real increase in mucus when I wipe (sorry TMI). Sometimes the blood is in the mucus as streaks, sometimes it is on the outside of my stool as streaks and then sometimes it looks like it's just on the toilet paper. I would say it's always bright red fresh blood. I haven't had any noticeable change in bowel habits apart from sometimes I feel like I need to go regularly and just bloody mucus comes out. Other than that I still have completely normal stools, no bloating and no pain. 

i called the doctor in late August and got a telephone appointment in September. I relayed my symptoms and they said they thought it was internal hemmorhoids. I was given suppositories and a cream and they didn't work, so I called up again and got another appointment today. 
 

The doctor did a digital recital exam, he said he couldn't see any external hemmorhoids but could feel some swelling in my rectum. I asked if this was consistent with internal hemmorhoids and he said he wasn't sure. He's referred me for a stool test, a fit test and bloods. He said depending on outcome I may need a colonoscopy. 
 

Has anyone had symptoms like the above - ie painless rectal bleeding with bright blood, excess mucus, with no bloating, or pain? 
 

I should say I have bowel problems in my family. My grandma was diagnosed with bowel cancer in her 80s and my father has IBS and diverticulitis. 
 

Thank you so much,

️ Xxxx

  • I have a lot of these symptoms but with abdominal pain and occasional bloating. 
    I'm 29 with two young children so it's very worrying. 
    I had 3-4 episodes of heavy bleeding over the course of about a week which disappeared I do have visible hemaroids and went to the doctors about that who said they can bleed significantly. I also have internal ones, and my mum suffered terribly with them. So I wrote this off as that. 
    however the past few months I've developed stomach pain but that's now subsided too, I still have odd looking poo. 
    I have a colonoscopy on Thursday so I'll keep you posted about, my anxiety has been awful abs I've felt like not turning up, but I realise that I need to know what's going on inside. 
    I really had to push for a colonoscopy and saw a private colorectal consultant who got me one on the nhs in 7 days he was amazing I can't thank him enough x

  • Hi Charlottechloe

     

    thanks so much for your reply and I'm sorry to hear you are going through something similar. It's so anxiety inducing isn't it. I'm glad you've got a colonoscopy sorted - wishing you the best of luck for that. Do you mind me asking if you have already had to provide stool samples etc? That's what I have to do next. And are going for sedation with the colonoscopy? For some reason the thought of being under makes me more nervous! 
     

    wishing you all the best, will you let us know how you get on? 
     

    ️ Xxx

  • I had similarish symptoms - bright red blood, on toilet paper with one incident of it coating the stool. I didn't have the excess mucus but did have some other symptoms like trapped wind. I had a colonoscopy and all that was found was hemorrhoids.

    I don't think you mentioned your age. My consulant said that as I am only 40, the odds of cancer were low.

  • Hi Margaret Mary

    thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear you've had problems but glad it's hemmorhoids. The telephone consultant originally thought it was internal hemmorhoids for me, but of course that was without physically looking. The doctor yesterday confirmed I had no external hemmorhoids but did say he felt swelling inside my rectum. It was his non commital response when I asked if it was consistent with internal hemmorhoids that concerned me.
     

    im 34 so not in a higher risk age group but I do have my father who has diverticulitis (and I'm pretty sure ulcerative colitis) and my grandma on my mums side had bowel cancer (although diagnosis in late 70s). 
     

    I understand the doctors hesitancy in commiting to a diagnosis but I think in my mind I had told myself it must be internal hemmorhoids to ease my anxiety beforehand - which ended up not being eased!

     

    thank you so much for your reply, 

    ️ Xxx

  • Hi Betty,

     

    Like you around August I developed a bit of a backache, a slightly runnier consistency to stools over a few weeks and some excess wind.
     

    It all calmed down for a while, probably a fortnight or more then I noticed bright to slightly darker red blood mixed in with mucous coating the stool.  Sorry no such thing as dignity when it comes to matters of health.  I had no other symptoms aside from a slightly odd sensation by my left hip only when sat down.  I wouldn't even go so far as to call it uncomfortable.  
     

    Got a GP appointment within a week and they performed a digital rectal examination with nothing found.  The symptoms had again disappeared and all was well.  A fortnight later and two more bloody stools (not an enormous amount but enough to see) I was back at the GP and referred for the two week cancer pathway.  
     

    Blood test came back normal, FIT test came back with a reading of greater than 200ug of blood in whatever they measure it against.  Then followed a telephone consultation with a surgeon.    Last Saturday I was in for a colonoscopy where they located what the colonoscopist has worded as a "Bowel Tumour" in his notes.  Those words have struck the fear of god into me.  Biopsy results are pending and a CT scan to follow.  I'm still petrified but hope that it may have been caught early enough not to be too serious.

    If what you are going through is not normal for you and can't be readily attributed to something please listen to what your body is telling you and push for the appropriate tests.

     

     

  • Hi Echo,

     

    sorry for slow reply. Sorry to hear you're having a time of it too. Have you had any further news since you posted? 
     

    I have two stool samples to take this week and blood tests tomorrow, so will see what comes back. 
     

    The tailbone pain/pressure has been pretty bad today. Can't tell if that's because I've been sitting down a lot though

     

    Betty xxx

  • Hi Betty,

     

    It's highly likely malignant for me, surgeon seems deadset but have a CT scan Thursday that should determine at least how screwed I am, or not. 
     

    Everything crossed for you that you're okay.

     

    DC

  • Hi Echo

    How did you get on at your scan? did you find out anything else? 

    Ive since had my results back from the stool and fit test. My fecal calprotectin was raised to 58ug when it should have been between 1-50ug, and my FIT test was abnormal showing >200ug of blood. Which I'm not surprised about as the sample I gave was covered in bloody mucus. One of my doctor friends said the fit test is almost pointless if you have visible rectal bleeding as it's sensitive enough to pick up microscopic amounts, but it helps you get referred. I'm on the 2ww pathway now and terrified. The doctor asked me if I have IBD in my family, which I do as my dad has ulcerative colitis and diverticulitis. I don't know if they think it could be that or something else. 
     

    Still no abdominal pain, gas, bloating or any other symtoms apart from very occasional ache in my coccyx. Still regular bowel movements. I guess I'll find out soon. 
     

    sending all my love and support to you. 
     
    Betty xxx

  • Hi Betty can I ask did you ever find out what it was 

  • Hi Betty what was it in end. Hope ur ok