23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

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JK519
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:31 pm

23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby JK519 » Wed Jul 25, 2018 11:46 pm

Hello everyone,

I am 23 years old and I have had rectal bleeding for the past few years now. I went to the doctor about 18 months ago and let them know that I consistently (Probably 80% of the time) have bright red blood when I wipe and that it had been going on for a year or two. Its always on the outside and when I wipe I sometimes can feel a pain like I am wiping a cut. I asked them if it could be colon cancer and they said no way because I was too young and they decided it was hemorrhoids. I will admit my diet for the past few years has not been good by any means and I have slowly gained weight. Im 6'1 248 lbs. Also, I think its important to mention that I do feel like I might wipe harder then I am supposed to. What would you guys recommend I do? I feel like the odds of it being something serious are pretty slim. I think my weight, poor diet, and wiping too hard has probably created a tear that I keep reopening. But today I felt the need to dig in to this more.. maybe I go straight for a Colonoscopy to be safe? Thanks for your response.

benben
Posts: 324
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:18 pm
Location: Washington State

Re: 23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby benben » Thu Jul 26, 2018 10:10 am

Hi there.

Sorry to hear you're experiencing some concerns, but it's good to be proactive about your health. You are very young and most likely you don't have cancer, but there is no certainty.
You state that you feel pain sometimes when wiping after bowel movement. This is a good indication that it is most likely hemorrhoids or fissure.
However these can develop due to increased frequency of bowel movements. So that's something else to consider. Has your bowel movement frequency changed?

Now in relation to my own experience. I started experiencing some bleeding in my later 20's. Somewhere between 27-29. I will just say 29 as that's when I first went to the doctor to report it.
They performed an anoscopy and determined that I showed some flaring on hemi and small anal fissure. Although neither showed signs of fresh bleeding they chocked my experience up to that. I had a similar experience at around 37 years of age after a syncope episode and had medical focus on the upper GI tract, but they decided to not even look into my lower GI tract. Finally at 44 years of age and after experiencing increased blood amounts and mucous during bowel movements I demanded a colonoscopy. It took quite a bit of coercing to get my Primary Care physician to schedule it as all my bloodwork came back perfectly normal. It wasn't until a stool sample showed blood mixed in stool that the scope was OK'd and just like that was diagnosed with Stage 3b CRC. So not to scare you, but based upon my experience I would fully recommend a scope for some conclusive reassurance. God forbid something is found it's most likely merely a polyp or very early stage cancer at this point.

Whatever the outcome, take this experience as a call to action to be proactive about your overall health and well being as you've noted some room for improvement. Try to eat more healthy, exercise more, and most of all - experience life fully.

best wishes.
----------------------
3/29/17 diagnosed CRC - 44 y/o Male
4/17/17 ULAR - Straight anastomosis - no ostomy.
Path: low grade T3n1m0 - moderate diff.
KRAS - NO, MLH1/PMS2/MSH6/MSH2 - Normal.
5/3 med port install
5/22 folfox - first treatment.
3rd treat, delayed - low ANC - reduced to 90% OXI
zarxio all treats
Treat 7 - 75% OXI
Treats 8-12 - NO OXI, Luke & 5FU
10/20/17 CT- NED
3/18 Scope - Clean
11/8 PORT OUT!
7/22 CT - NED (5 years!)

KimT
Posts: 695
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:53 pm

Re: 23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby KimT » Thu Jul 26, 2018 11:19 am

We are not doctors. We are cancer survivors or loved ones of survivors. Any concern about your health should be addressed by the appropriate medical professional and not on a message board. Best of luck to you.
2/10 dx colon cancer
right hemicolectomy 3/19/10
Stage 2a 0/43 nodes
Lynch syndrome
3/14/10 colon resection/ removal of metal clips
Nov 11 dx ovarian cancer

benben
Posts: 324
Joined: Fri Apr 28, 2017 3:18 pm
Location: Washington State

Re: 23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby benben » Thu Jul 26, 2018 12:27 pm

KimT wrote:We are not doctors. We are cancer survivors or loved ones of survivors. Any concern about your health should be addressed by the appropriate medical professional and not on a message board. Best of luck to you.


Sorry, but I'm not sure I agree fully with this sentiment.

Yes health issues should be addressed by appropriate medical professionals, and the OP has stated he has seen his Primary Care Physician.
In my case I am indeed a cancer survivor. However if at 29 I'd visited a forum of this nature I probably would have pushed for a colonoscopy on what was a rather dismissive response from multiple practitioners - Primary Care and GI doctors alike. Had I done that perhaps I'd not be a cancer survivor, but rather someone whom had a precancerous polyp removed or at worst a stage I survivor vs a Stage 3b in limbo follow up procedures. Yes ultimately you need to rely on your medical professionals, but they are trained to deliver procedures based on standard of care. In my opinion based upon experience and the listening to similar experiences of a multitude of survivors, this standard of care is TOO DISMISSIVE when it comes to colonoscopies. Bottom line, if it's a pressing concern, get a scope - even if it's against medical professional standard procedure. It may cost you some money, but the peace of mind will be worth it and God forbid there is cancerous growth it can be dealt with early. Even at 44 my Primary didn't think I needed a scope, but I finally pressed for it. My surgeon told me that had my tumor not come out I'd most likely be dead it 2-3 years. That's my 2 cents and something to think about.
----------------------
3/29/17 diagnosed CRC - 44 y/o Male
4/17/17 ULAR - Straight anastomosis - no ostomy.
Path: low grade T3n1m0 - moderate diff.
KRAS - NO, MLH1/PMS2/MSH6/MSH2 - Normal.
5/3 med port install
5/22 folfox - first treatment.
3rd treat, delayed - low ANC - reduced to 90% OXI
zarxio all treats
Treat 7 - 75% OXI
Treats 8-12 - NO OXI, Luke & 5FU
10/20/17 CT- NED
3/18 Scope - Clean
11/8 PORT OUT!
7/22 CT - NED (5 years!)

Sammy2067
Posts: 13
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:38 pm
Facebook Username: Laban Sam DeFriese

Re: 23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby Sammy2067 » Thu Jul 26, 2018 5:07 pm

JK519 wrote:Hello everyone,

I am 23 years old and I have had rectal bleeding for the past few years now. I went to the doctor about 18 months ago and let them know that I consistently (Probably 80% of the time) have bright red blood when I wipe and that it had been going on for a year or two. Its always on the outside and when I wipe I sometimes can feel a pain like I am wiping a cut. I asked them if it could be colon cancer and they said no way because I was too young and they decided it was hemorrhoids. I will admit my diet for the past few years has not been good by any means and I have slowly gained weight. Im 6'1 248 lbs. Also, I think its important to mention that I do feel like I might wipe harder then I am supposed to. What would you guys recommend I do? I feel like the odds of it being something serious are pretty slim. I think my weight, poor diet, and wiping too hard has probably created a tear that I keep reopening. But today I felt the need to dig in to this more.. maybe I go straight for a Colonoscopy to be safe? Thanks for your response.


100% due a Colonoscopy! It solves the problem. You could have mutiple polyps or even a tumor. I would tell the doctor I am having all the symptoms for colorectal cancer. You need a Colonoscopy. I ignored Rectal bleeding for 3 years and my signature shows how dumb I was. I could've caught the issue very early and had zero concerns. I still got lucky it wasn't worse.

Do the Colonsocpy. It could saved your life. It did mine and my brothers.
51
1-15-16 to 3-22-18: On and off Rectal Bleeding
3-22-18: CSoscopy Rectal Can
4-8-18: MRI: T3(c) N0 M0
5-4-18 Short Course RT 5 days
5-13-18: Robot Lap LAR TME
5-20-18: Nodes: 0/21 LVI: present, Perinerral Invasion: Present, All Margins: Negative
5-21-18 Stage 2a
5-25-18: Oncol discuss if Chemo needed for Stage 2a. 3 months Capox
7-01-18 Oxy cause vomiting/Nasea.
7-06-18: Oncolt discontinued Oxy
7-23-18: Xeloda Monotherapy
7-23-18: CEA post surg .5, CA19-9 2.9

jens22
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2010 9:26 am
Facebook Username: jspirio
Location: Long Island, NY

Re: 23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby jens22 » Thu Jul 26, 2018 8:25 pm

I would reccomend a Colon Rectal surgeon who would have equipment to Check for hemmorhoids in the office with the tiny Scope. The best thing I ever did was this and found I had small hemmorhiods. That's a start.
Colonoscopy 3/10 for ? hemmorrhoid.
Diag Colon Cancer 3 days later
Colon Ressection 3/30/10
Stage 3B 5/14 Nodes positive.
Power Port and 7 months of Chemo
Port removed 11/11
8 negative Cat Scans..... 10 years cancer free and Discharged from Sloane Kett!!
Diag age 47 , now 57 Mom of 3 boys.

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3816
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: 23 Years Old - Rectal Bleeding

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sun Jul 29, 2018 10:34 am

I'm sorry you're going through this and would recommend you get a colonoscopy so you will know for certain.*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)


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