The Colon Club

Anyone had bleeding after a colonoscopy - not related to a bowel movement?

When I had my first colonoscopy, about a week later, I had bleeding with a couple of BMs, but nothing in between, and it stopped.

This time, I was in the store, shopping, when I spontaneously started bleeding. I went home, and found my underwear soaked in blood, and several clots (sorry, TMI!) For the next couple of hours, every time I checked, there was more blood. Not as much as 1/2 cup at a time, that my GI dr said to watch for, but it was continuous.

So I did go to the ER, but after a 2 hour wait, and being told that it may be another 2-3 hours before I was seen, AND the bleeding had stopped - I came home. I promised to come back if the bleeding started again.

My colonoscopy was 5 days ago. My stomach is crampy, but I had no fever when they checked me. Other than calling the GI dr in the morning, any other thoughts? Is this normal?

I am not a medical professional, nor do I have any experience with this, but I would:
1. Call your GI doc now and see if they have an on-call physician to return your call; or, if not,
2. Go back to the emergency room with a book and some water and wait in a chair there until they can see you or you can reach your GI doc.

It seems to me you would only bleed if your colon wall was lacerated (minor) or perforated (major & life threatening). If your colon is perforated and sepsis develops, one of the possible symptoms is mental confusion - so I would do something now while you are still thinking straight.

Stomach cramps also could be pointing to perforation - as would chills, fever, and abdominal tenderness.

I think it's an unusual occurrence as I've been on the board for 2 years and can't recall reading about this before.

Do you have someone living with you who can help keep an eye on you or call an ambulance for you if you decide to wait it out?

Thanks for your reply! I survived the night with no further bleeding. However, when I had a BM this morning, there was still some blood - though not as much as yesterday.

Yes, I have my husband and adult son here if I should need help.

Now I am waiting for the GI doctor's office to open, to give him a call.

I did ask the nurse while waiting for my 2nd colonoscopy, about the bleeding after the first. She said that if they take a large polyp, there can be a scab formed, and when it comes away there can be bleeding. Not sure if I buy that for the amount of blood I saw, but...

If they remove polip theey say you so so you can expect bleeding few days after colono, but usualy there is no blood expept maybe first day, but as waw4 said - it is not something for living with no check up with GI or someone else who knows about it.

I'm with Bill. I've never heard of that happening before--and I've had polyps removed. So yes, get checked out by a doctor.

Good luck!

I had a colonoscopy and started bleeding within 25 min and continued massive bleeding for 2 hrs before going to ER. Checked in and passed blood 3 more times before passing out and became hypotensive with a BP of 90/45. My blood levels dropped extremely low and are still way below normal. Stayed in hospital for 3 days. I have gotten no explanation as to what happened. In the ER they told me that they don't see bleeding like this the first day-usually after 7-10 days. Anyone else had anything similiar