Bleeding as a symptom

[meddleman]

Those that had bleeding as a symptom - i keep reading that the symptom was blood IN the stool. What did this look like? I've only had blood on the tp a few times (usually with a sharp pain so I think a fissure) and a streak/line on the outside of the stool (like where the sharp pain was). It lasts for 1-2 bms in a row, and then is fine for about 8-9 mos before it happens again. I've done the home FOBT tests, and those are always negative, so I dont think there is blood IN the stool. Thoughts?

[willtowin]

I did have bleeding as a symptom. My mass was ulcerated, thank God, that is what helped me find it so early. I had bloody mucous on each and every bm and on tp. I have discussed this w/ my gi before my colonoscopy and he said any time there is blood in the stool a colonoscopy is warranted. He DOES NOT trust the FOBT and wishes people would not use them. He also said if you had blood one day a month ago but not today, it does not mean the problem is gone, check it out.

I hope you decide to err on the side of caution and get a colonoscopy soon. Good luck...

[meddleman]

Thanks willtowin. Is blood IN stool different than blood on the surface of the stool? Or do people just mean both when they say blood in the stool?

[justsing]

If a tumor is earlier in the colon, then the blood from the tumor has more time to mix in with the stool and will appear as blood in the stool. But tumors lower in the colon, sigmoid or rectal, can just leave traces on the outer edges of the stool just the way a hemmorhoid does. I had several rounds of negative FOBT tests a few years ago, when they were negative, my doc didn't look further. I really wish he had.

Get the scope.

[meddleman]

Would a sigmoidoscopy be ok to get for bright red bleeding? Doesn't that just look at the lower colon/sigmoid/rectum? Or do I need to ask for a full colonoscopy? I have an appt for this Friday. Last time I went (the last time I had bleeding) was 4 or 5 mos ago. It was a different dr, and he said he could feel I had class2 hemheroids and that was where the bleeding more than likely came from. What do I need to tell this new dr, in order for him to do a scop? Any advice on that?? I am 28.

[mungo]

I had bleeding with large gaps between episodes (6 months or more) and so incredibly stupidly ignored it. I finally saw a doctor and was referred to a colorectal surgeon but they still didn't think it was anything more than haemorrhoids.I was getting stomach pains but I obviously wasn't describing them very clearly - In the end, I was so anxious that they weren't going to do anything that when he asked me when I had last had bleeding, I lied and said the previous week even though it was much longer than that. However, they did the colonoscopy and found..... So as not to alarm you, it IS more likely than not that you have haemorrhoids not cancer, but the only way of knowing for sure is through a colonoscopy.Please get the test done.

[meddleman]

Mungo - can you describe your bleeding?

[Guest]

I would get the colonoscopy. The fact that you have had bleeding warrants the test. My husband had on and off bleeding, bright red blood, sometimes just a dot on the tp then other times a lot of blood. For 4 years his doctor said he had hemorrhoids. Last Feb he was dx with stage 3 rectal cancer. Get the test in case it is not hemorrhoids. If they confirm that it is hemorrhoids then you can relax and make dietary changes. If it is cancer, you can get treatment before it progresses. I wish we would have found my husbands cancer before it grew into stage 3.

[willtowin]

Thanks willtowin. Is blood IN stool different than blood on the surface of the stool? Or do people just mean both when they say blood in the stool?

The blood for me started out on the outside of the bowel movement. It gradually got worse (over the period of a month while waiting on surgery) and progressed to more blood on the outide and inside of the bowel movement. I would wipe and have blood on the tissue as well. I totally was hoping for hemorids, although, I never had any straining to indicate hemorids. The safest thing for you to do is get a colonoscopy.....It really is an easy procedure, much better than all the stress in worrying about it.

And no, please dont settle for a sigmoidscopy (sp) you could have something going on higher up in addition to the lower issues and it would never be found.

[mungo]

I could see the blood clearly on the outside of the stool but it's worth noting that from what I remember, there wasn't blood on the toilet paper which is an ominous sign.However, someone could have both haemorrhoids and cancer! Like many others on this board who have found out the hard way, I feel strongly that you should not prevaricate or self-diagnose - get the test !!!

[meddleman]

It is an ominous sign that there WASN'T blood on the tp? or that there was?

[Terry Miller]

At first I saw an occasional streak of blood following a bowel movement. Being a former "rhoids" sufferer, it was easy to dismiss the symptoms. What drew my attention was a toiled full of bright red blood! That go my attention. My tumor was located in ascending colon, so I was very fortunate that it announced itself in that manner. Fortunately, it was still at Stage 1.

Best wishes,
Terry

[NWgirl]

I never had blood in the stool but frequently had blood on the TP - which many would just write off as hemmerhoids (which I have too). But my blood was from the tumor - which was very low - right where the colon/rectum meet.

When the blood started coming out when I had to pass gas, that's when I finally freaked out enough to call the doctor, and, well, the rest is history - stage III colo-rectal cancer.

I hope you don't wait as long as I did.

[smoothielover]

I had both blood thoroughly mixed in the stool and blood on the surface of the stool. It was my only symptom. I too could go for long periods of time with nothing, so my doctors and I considered it to be nothing to worry about for a few years. Then it got more frequent and I lost more blood.

[justsing]

I repeat.

Just because you have hemmorhoids, it doesn't mean that you do NOT have colon cancer. They are not mutually exclusive.

Just because you have IBS doesn't mean you don't have colon cancer.

Just because you are not 50 doesn't mean that you don't have colon cancer.

Say whatever you have to say to make your symptoms seem as dramatic as possible in order to qualify for a DIAGNOSTIC scope as opposed to a SCREENING scope. I have a child with Crohn's, a brother who had a suspicious polyp at 36, a father with diverticular disease, a mother with pancreatic cancer . . . pick one.

Work the system and get the scope.