Blood on surface of stool and very weird stool shape (help!)

[robertl]

Hi everyone,

I am Robert. In the past year, I found several times bright red blood stripe the one side surface of my stool. I went to see a doctor for this. The doctor did sigmoidoscopy and found nothing. As bleeding continued (not so often, about two to three continuous days per month), I went to see doctor again. This time he gave a anoscopy and found hemorrhoids.

However, recently I noticed that there are usually some small, thin, hard, star-like stool, which constituted the front end of a big stool. It is very hard to describe the shape of the star-like stool. It looks like they formed when the stool pass through a narrow and star-shaped tube. Please see the link below for pictures.

Big stool which came out first during bowel movement
http://i66.tinypic.com/madpus.jpg

many small star-like stool which constitute the front end of big stool
http://i63.tinypic.com/3353vvs.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/2m5aqls.jpg

one of the star-like stool
http://i63.tinypic.com/207t21g.jpg

My question is: Are these small star-like stool normal or do they resulted from a serious condition like colon cancer?

Thanks so much!

[PainInTheAss]

The shape of your stool would be caused by the shape of the organ directly preceding it, so, that is from your hemorrhoids. You would not have "star shaped" stools from a tumor further up the colon.

I had a tumor and internal hemmorroids, right next to each other but it was found with just a rectal exam.

I suggest you get a second opinion and a full colonoscopy from a colorectal surgeon if you are still worried about colon cancer. Colon cancer further up the colon would not be producing bright red in the stool. It would be a darker red. Bright red is either hemmorhoids, rectal cancer or anal cancer. The scope you had would have found any tumors near the sphincter.

If you have hemmorhoids, you should be on probiotics, stool softners and fiber pills as well as using hemorrhoid medication and avoid pushing while passing stools. Once you have them, they come and go depending on whether they are being aggravated.

[dianetavegia]

I'm not going to look at your pictures, but stool can collect in the rectal area which is muscles and get crunched up or look flakey when it finally comes out.

Everyone is BORN with hemorrhoids. They're veins found around the rectum/ anus. It's only after years of straining and constipation do they become engorged and are noticed due to pain, bleeding, etc. I had them as a pre teen due to chronic constipation.

Stool softener (I use generic Colace twice daily) AND consider propping your feet on a small stool or the bottom of a small garbage can (not very tall). One of our late members (snomminnhoj) told us about this way before Squatty Potty became so well known. If you go to the Squatty Potty website, they have a funny video which shows how the muscles need to get out of the way to make it easier to go.

BTW.... bright red blood can signal a paper cut type fissure that you nor your doctor can see unless he goes stretching out your anus (OUCH). That would cause blood down one side and if urine hits it, can sting like crazy! I use Diaper Rash Ointment (Desitin) if I have a tiny tear.

Diane

[PGLGreg]

Get a colonoscopy from a gastroenterologist. Even if your doctor thinks that rectal cancer is a low probability, I think you should insist. I had such symptoms in 2005, diagnosed by my pcp as hemorrhoids. But a half year later, I learned it was cancer. Of course, it's perfectly possible to have both hemorrhoids and cancer. Others posting here have had similar experiences.

[chrissyrice]

For sure get a colonoscopy ASAP. Why worry and take such a big chance with your life??

[robertl]

The shape of your stool would be caused by the shape of the organ directly preceding it, so, that is from your hemorrhoids. You would not have "star shaped" stools from a tumor further up the colon.

I had a tumor and internal hemmorroids, right next to each other but it was found with just a rectal exam.

I suggest you get a second opinion and a full colonoscopy from a colorectal surgeon if you are still worried about colon cancer. Colon cancer further up the colon would not be producing bright red in the stool. It would be a darker red. Bright red is either hemmorhoids, rectal cancer or anal cancer. The scope you had would have found any tumors near the sphincter.

If you have hemmorhoids, you should be on probiotics, stool softners and fiber pills as well as using hemorrhoid medication and avoid pushing while passing stools. Once you have them, they come and go depending on whether they are being aggravated.

Thanks for replying. The doctor said I had a big hemorrhoid. That may explain the bleeding. But I think if a big hemorrhoid could affect the shape of a stool, I would expect to see a fold in the stool. My star-like stool looks like many folds along the length of the stool. These stools are thin and hard and are unlikely to be affected by hemorrhoid. Will multiple mass surrounding the inner side of the colon cause this star-like stool?

[robertl]

I'm not going to look at your pictures, but stool can collect in the rectal area which is muscles and get crunched up or look flakey when it finally comes out.

Everyone is BORN with hemorrhoids. They're veins found around the rectum/ anus. It's only after years of straining and constipation do they become engorged and are noticed due to pain, bleeding, etc. I had them as a pre teen due to chronic constipation.

Stool softener (I use generic Colace twice daily) AND consider propping your feet on a small stool or the bottom of a small garbage can (not very tall). One of our late members (snomminnhoj) told us about this way before Squatty Potty became so well known. If you go to the Squatty Potty website, they have a funny video which shows how the muscles need to get out of the way to make it easier to go.

BTW.... bright red blood can signal a paper cut type fissure that you nor your doctor can see unless he goes stretching out your anus (OUCH). That would cause blood down one side and if urine hits it, can sting like crazy! I use Diaper Rash Ointment (Desitin) if I have a tiny tear.

Diane

Thanks for replying. For most of the time when I saw blood, I didn't feel any pain. So I think the blood was not from a fissure. I am eating more fiber food now and have a more smooth bowel movement most of the time. If the blood comes from hemorrhoid, it should be reduced gradually.

[robertl]

Get a colonoscopy from a gastroenterologist. Even if your doctor thinks that rectal cancer is a low probability, I think you should insist. I had such symptoms in 2005, diagnosed by my pcp as hemorrhoids. But a half year later, I learned it was cancer. Of course, it's perfectly possible to have both hemorrhoids and cancer. Others posting here have had similar experiences.

Thanks for your reply. What are your symptoms? Both blood and a change of stool shape?

[robertl]

For sure get a colonoscopy ASAP. Why worry and take such a big chance with your life??

Thanks for your suggestion. I will talk to my doctor about a colonoscopy.

[DarknessEmbraced]

I would get a colonoscopy to be certain.*hugs*

[PGLGreg]

Get a colonoscopy from a gastroenterologist. Even if your doctor thinks that rectal cancer is a low probability, I think you should insist. I had such symptoms in 2005, diagnosed by my pcp as hemorrhoids. But a half year later, I learned it was cancer. Of course, it's perfectly possible to have both hemorrhoids and cancer. Others posting here have had similar experiences.

Thanks for your reply. What are your symptoms? Both blood and a change of stool shape?

No, no change of stool shape. Are you sure you want to compete with your doctor in interpreting the details? It's not a game I'd play.

[robertl]

Get a colonoscopy from a gastroenterologist. Even if your doctor thinks that rectal cancer is a low probability, I think you should insist. I had such symptoms in 2005, diagnosed by my pcp as hemorrhoids. But a half year later, I learned it was cancer. Of course, it's perfectly possible to have both hemorrhoids and cancer. Others posting here have had similar experiences.

Thanks for your reply. What are your symptoms? Both blood and a change of stool shape?

No, no change of stool shape. Are you sure you want to compete with your doctor in interpreting the details? It's not a game I'd play.

What do you mean "compete"?

[PainInTheAss]

The shape of your stool would be caused by the shape of the organ directly preceding it, so, that is from your hemorrhoids. You would not have "star shaped" stools from a tumor further up the colon.

I had a tumor and internal hemmorroids, right next to each other but it was found with just a rectal exam.

I suggest you get a second opinion and a full colonoscopy from a colorectal surgeon if you are still worried about colon cancer. Colon cancer further up the colon would not be producing bright red in the stool. It would be a darker red. Bright red is either hemmorhoids, rectal cancer or anal cancer. The scope you had would have found any tumors near the sphincter.

If you have hemmorhoids, you should be on probiotics, stool softners and fiber pills as well as using hemorrhoid medication and avoid pushing while passing stools. Once you have them, they come and go depending on whether they are being aggravated.

Thanks for replying. The doctor said I had a big hemorrhoid. That may explain the bleeding. But I think if a big hemorrhoid could affect the shape of a stool, I would expect to see a fold in the stool. My star-like stool looks like many folds along the length of the stool. These stools are thin and hard and are unlikely to be affected by hemorrhoid. Will multiple mass surrounding the inner side of the colon cause this star-like stool?

You seemed to miss the part about getting a second opinion and a full colonoscopy from a colorectal surgeon. We are not doctors. We can't diagnose. But I do know that I was first diagnosed with just hemmorhoids by a GI in the hospital who did not even do a rectal exam. I was even told, "Congratulations, you don't have a tumor." He was wrong. Doctors can be wrong. If you are not happy with your diagnosis or feel in your gut there is something more going on than they are telling you, get a second or even third, fourth, or fifth opinion from other doctors until you are convinced. My 19yo daughter was only prescribed laxatives by a GI for her many symptoms, and I took her to my colorectal surgeon for a full colonoscopy. We have peace of mind now that her symptoms are not cancer, "just" IBS, though that has been no picnic. It is worth the extra effort and push for more tests to have peace of mind.