Blood in stool and dull pain near coccyx. What to expect?

[a4anonymous]

I am a 27 year old guy. First time I've had blood with my stool without any pain was a month ago. There was a lot of blood with some small clot. My PCP doctor seems to think its a internal hemorrhoids and I started taking a lot of fiber, eat healthy and working out light exercise everyday as I always tend to have constipation no matter how much water I drink. I've bled 4 times in total after that in a month. I can see few drops of blood everytime I've a little bit difficulty pooping but not any blood in the stool. But past few week I feel a constant dull pain near my left coccyx near anal area. I am worried could it be a rectal cancer? I've colonscopy scheduled on Jan 28th.

[Nicole_GCCA Partner]

Hi a4anonymous ,Thanks for posting and I'm sorry to read about what you are experiencing - definitely understand how you can be anxious when you see blood in the toilet/on tissue.

Prior to your colonoscopy if you have extreme bleeding or pain, be sure to contact your doctor, and if serious enough, go to the emergency room (although an urgent call to the dr would be best given the COVID situation and have them determine if you need to go to the ER).

The colonoscopy will be able to give your doctor a clear view of your entire colon, from the cecum (top) to the rectal area/anus.

Please know there are many reasons why you could be experiencing blood in the stool, many are treatable with medication, diet change, etc.

Be sure to let your doctor know of any over the counter medications that you take as well as prescription meds, as some can cause constipation.

In the meantime, until your colonoscopy, try not to let your anxiety get the better of you, it can actually make GI symptoms worse as our GI systems are very sensitive to stress.

I know your colonoscopy is still a ways off (but thankfully not too far in the future!), but I wanted to share some tips I've put together to help you get through the prep to ensure a nice clean colon for your doctor to get the best visibility possible.

Here are some tips to get you through your colonoscopy:

1. Once you get the prescription for the prep that you'll drink, follow your doctor's instructions exactly. You want to have the cleanest colon for the doctor to be able to see everything with no fecal matter obscuring the way. We like this tool that Kaiser Permanente put together (with drawings!) that shows food to avoid and foods to eat leading up to when you actually start drinking the prep:

wa.kaiserpermanente.org/htm...

2. Get prepared to prep! Many people say the prep is the worst part of the colonoscopy procedure as a whole. Depending on what your doctor prescribes, it may be a lot of the same drink with the medication mixed in (such as Gatorade) vs. a smaller volume of prep that you drink, and then separately drink a certain amount of liquid of your choice (excluding something like a red Gatorade which could stain your colon for the test).

a. In addition to picking up your prescription, buy yourself some supplies:

*Toilet paper (necessary!)

*Wet wipes (never flush wipes even if they say flushable, the last thing you want is a clogged toilet when you are in the midst of prepping for a colonoscopy),

*Magazines

b. While you are going through prep, many treat themselves to buying a movie or series they've been wanting to see.

3. If during your prep you have any concerns or don't feel well (nauseous, etc.) call your doctor to let them know what is going on.

4. Most places will require you to have a family member or friend drive you home (you can not drive for the rest of the day), most places won't want you taking a taxi or Uber home alone. Bringing a family member or friend who can take notes on what the doctor tells you when you are in the recovery area will be key - you most likely won't remember what they say.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

~Nicole @ GCCA

[a4anonymous]

I haven't done FIT test yet. I will ask my doctor about it. But will FIT test be positive since I have blood with stool?

[Nicole_GCCA Partner in reply to a4anonymous]

Hello a4anonymous ,

Great question! This is something to discuss with your doctor because FIT is looking for blood in your stool (it can detect blood that is not visible to the human eye).

While non-invasive tests such as FIT or StoolDNA tests (like Cologuard) are an important part of screening options for colorectal cancer, the presence of blood from hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or menstrual blood can give a false positive result on the test.

There are benefits and drawbacks to all tests - so having this discussion with your doctor is key. A positive non-invasive test, such as a FIT, sDNA (stool DNA), CT Colonography (also known as "virtual colonoscopy"), will result in a colonoscopy, which can not only detect colorectal cancer, but can also remove polyps during the procedure. So a colonoscopy is unique in that it can go from a preventative screening to a diagnostic procedure.

Please keep us posted and we'll be thinking of you when you get scoped on the 28th!

~Nicole, GCCA Staff Member & Colon Cancer Connected Site Administrator

Just a reminder - this group is here to offer support, share experiences, and offer our thoughts - but this is not medical advice, and you should always consult your medical professional(s). Additionally, for all emergencies, seek urgent medical care, never delay.

[Worriednanxious]

What was it?

[a4anonymous in reply to Worriednanxious]

They found 2 internal hemorrhoids and a polyp. After they cut my polyp, it stopped bleeding for a while and started again from time to time. They gave me a medicine (Linzess) to make my bowel movement regular. It gave me diarrhea often times I need to poop. I took it for 6 months. But now I am fine and my bowel doesn't have any blood and my stool infact looks healthy. I've resumed normal diet with meats and some unhealthy stuff like McDonald's and it's all okay so far. Hope it helps you

[CRCAdvocate]

Glad to hear you are now feeling better. Be sure to keep in touch with your doctor if you experience any bleeding or irregular bowel movements.