Hello everyone. I'm a 20 year old female and i have been experiencing blood in my stool for about 4 and a half years now. In The third year it stopped for a couple of months and then came back and I've had it almost every day since. The blood is a normal red color, neither extremely bright nor very dark and my stool has a normal brown color most of the times. I went to a proctologist a year ago and he said I have an anal fissure and prescribed me a cream that did not help and the bleeding just kept happening. A month ago I went back to the doctor and he said that now I have hemorrhoids so he injected them with something and the bleeding stopped for a couple of days but then returned again however this time only when my stool was painful, and not all the time like before. I expressed my concern about having colon cancer to my doctor and he said "ah you are way too young, no need to worry". Should I push to get a colonoscopy and get a second opinion or could the bleeding really just be due to the hemorrhoids? Apart from this I have been very gassy the last weeks and for about 1.5 years now I have been burping like crazy! I'm a hypochondriac and I already convinced myself that I have stage 4 colorectal cancer and am really hopeless. All these years i thought no way it's cancer because it would've already killed me by now and I would've started to get other symptoms but then I read that it's a very slow growing cancer so now i am really worried.
Blood in stool for 4 years: Hello... - Colon Cancer Conn...
Blood in stool for 4 years
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I wouldn't say so. My stool is occasionally firmer and harder to pass but this doesn't happen very often. Before the doctor injected the hemorrhoids I had blood every day, even when the stool was painless and now it's just when I experience a harder stool.
Thank you very much for your advice, I´ll try it out. Would you still recommend getting a colonoscopy, even though my doctor thinks it's unnecessary? I am sometimes really concerned about the amount of blood that comes out and in the past year I have had it almost every single day.
Why don’t go for a colonoscopy and it’s has been 4 years with blood in stool. I’m afraid of mine as well
As I said, my doctor first said i just have a fissure and then he said that i have hemorrhoids and he is sure that, they are causing the blood. He thinks that a colonoscopy in someone my age is unnecessary, since as he says 'im too young to have colon cancer'.
Okay sure so do you want think the medicine the doctor prescribed are letting you know getting better?
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Dear colorfulcoala ,Thank you for posting and I'm sorry to hear about the extended period of bleeding you are experiencing.
While there are many causes for blood in the stool, they always need to be diagnosed by a doctor (as you have done) but if the bleeding can't get under control, I would suggest a second opinion with a different doctor.
I'm so disappointed to hear that your doctor said you are "too young for colorectal cancer." Sadly, that is false information. While the majority of colorectal cancers happen in people over the age of 50, 10% of colorectal cancers are occurring in young adults.
I say this not to upset you, but just to correct the misinformation. The youngest patients I have known of were not even 10 years old yet - and again, this is very rare, but still, a doctor should NEVER say that someone is too young for colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is on the rise in young adults and people under the age of 50, and for that reason, we are passionate about encouraging colorectal cancer screenings.
There are treatments for anal fissures and hemorrhoids. Given your long history of bleeding, a colonoscopy may be a good option, the doctor will be able to see your entire colon, from the cecum to the rectum/anus. As with any procedure, there are risks and benefits that should be discussed with your doctor.
Do your best not to let the anxiety of the blood get in your head (easier said than done, I know!"
Our GI system is particularly sensitive to stress, so trying to find an outlet to release stress would be beneficial to your system. My recommendation would be to take this fear and anxiety and channel it into getting a plan and the appropriate tests done to determine what's going on, and what your treatment options are for the bleeding.
Even if you decide not to change your existing doctor, a second opinion would be a good idea at this point, having a fresh set of eyes to review your case.
Please know I am not recommending a colonoscopy because I think you have cancer, I am suggesting it is an option you discuss with your doctor (or new doctor!) because a colonoscopy is a procedure that is used to not only diagnose or rule out colorectal cancer, but also diagnose other conditions and chronic diseases.
We are here for you and while this is a very stressful time for you - it is great that you are taking steps to hopefully get answers and potential treatments to stop having the ongoing bleeding. Depending on the cause, there are medications, procedures, diet changes, and other options that may be appropriate for you.
Please keep us updated,
~Nicole @ GCCA
I feel bad for you I really do. I hope everything goes good with whatever is going on I haven’t had pain or nothing but I have a little bit of blood in my poop and idk if it’s anal fissue or cancer I’m so scared
Any update on your situation? I’m going thru the same thing but I also have narrow stools and diarrhea
Hey, I dont have narrow stools but I went back to the proctologist and he couldn't find hemorrhoids or a fissure so he ended up giving me a referral for a colonoscopy, however ny appointment is in 5 months which makes everything so much worse. I can't stop worrying knowing that something might be really wrong and i have to wait months to get it checked out
Hi ,any news ?same thing is happening to my bf ,he also started having blood in his stool since 2015 and now is 2021 and also think is colon cancer because his symptoms gotten worse but dr say he would of been dead by now and he has a conocopy and endoscopy next week
Hey! I had the colonoscopy today and doc couldn't find anything wrong and couldn't pinpoint the cause of the bleeding. But he did say that since everything is alright, whatever is causing the bleeding is not dangerous.
So doctor also can’t prescribe you with any medicine right, so what will be your next move, I wish to know because I’m stuck myself as well
I’m sorry English is not my first language and I hope y’all understand me to help me out through you contribution. I’m 28 and I have been having blood in my stool for about a year now. I have blood and mucus in my stool, constipation and left abdominal pains. The pains is everyday. I have gone to the hospital, I did a CT but nothing found. I’m so worried that I might have cancer. My stool is hard and my anus pull out when pooping. Do you think I need a colonoscopy? I’m fucking scared
I have been bleeding off and on for 3 years now. Got a colonoscopy and was all clear no polyps, no IBS but they did see internal hemorrhoids. Still bled so I asked for a MRI with contrast of my pelvic area focusing on my colon. It also came back clear. As well clean blood work. Hemoglobin levels were normal. Currently still bleeding every now and then. I was worried but after all that if it was something more serious I would have already had severe symptoms other than bleeding. I say all this to you because it may just be hemorrhoids. A lot of people with colon cancer don’t even see evidence of blood.
hey there...I have had the same similar symptoms. While I did not wait 4 years, I do the same thing and self diagnose and I took myself from 0-100 in no time. I also started to self diagnose myself to having stage 4 colon cancer. I did end up getting my colonoscopy as recommended by my Gastro doctor and my age being 44. He said no harm in ruling out what it could be and just getting the procedure out of the way.
In my situation, it ended up being ulcerative proctitis (inflammation / ulceration in my rectum). The doctor did do a biopsy in 3 different areas of the inflammation and thankfully came back with no cancer. I just started an enema treatment for ulcerative proctitis with anti inflammatory pills that I just started taking.
So I would definitely push for that colonoscopy and if this doctor does not give in go to another one. but get one for the peace of mind....trust me its worth it.
As of the colonoscopy, its definitely not as bad as percieved. Very simple, easy in and out 30min tops...the prep that you need to drink is more so the hard part vs the actual colonoscopy.
I wish you good health! any further questions, please reach out.