Bleeding after BM

[HelloHaze]

Hello everyone.For the past few months, after having a bowel movement there will be a few drips of blood. It's not every BM either, but usually once a day every other day. I have no pain or cramps or anything, and I also experience looser stools for the most part. I haven't been to a specialist doctor yet because I am losing my health insurance.

Im a 27F and 2 months postpartum. During my pregnancy I mentioned this to my doctor but she told me it's probably internal hemorrhoids and that was the end of it. I'm concerned because it still hasn't gone away though.

Any thoughts?

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator]

Hi HelloHaze,

Thank you for posting on Colon Cancer Connected. Congratulations and I hope everything is going well with the new baby.👏❤️👍

I hate to hear you having these issues. I also hate to see a doctor diagnose symptoms with a complete guess. “probably internal hemorrhoids” is not a diagnosis based on facts. It looks to be a diagnosis based on your age and that is something you should never accept. Yes, you are young and that’s a good thing going for you. But symptoms are symptoms and they need to be diagnosed regardless of age. Never accept a diagnosis based on how young you are.🤔

Because it still hasn’t gone away, you need to find good answers. It may very well be “internal hemorrhoids” but you need to know for certain that that is the case. It could very well be a variety of other different things. You just need good answers so you can focus on getting well. You can address this with your doctor by saying it may very well be internal hemorrhoids, but you need to know for sure what is causing this. Another thing to think about is if there is any hereditary medical issues within your family. That is good information to know as well as it may guide some tests that you may need.

We do wish you the very best of getting some answers. You should never accept a diagnosis based on your age and that’s what was given to you. So, please focus on getting those answers. Otherwise, you’ll be guessing at what’s going on which will drive anxiety and not be good in the long run. Also, please let us know what you find out. It is that type of information that can be helpful to others on this side as well.

Thank you,

~Tom, GCCA Survivor - 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.

[HelloHaze in reply to GCCA-Survivor]

Thanks for your reply. I ended up making it to a GI doctor and had a CT scan. The results concluded that ill need a colonoscopy to know further what is going on.. I go in tomorrow to schedule it.

CT scan showed thickening of the lining in rectosigmoid colon. And i was told it could mean inflammation or something more concerning. We shall see!

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator in reply to HelloHaze]

ok. Glad you got the CT scan. The colonoscopy is the gold standard for getting good answers.

My colonoscopy tips (since I get one annually)😲 ... move the timeline up 1 to 1 1/2 hours for the prep. I usually have the product Moviprep. This way the tidal wave will be over sooner and you'll be able to get a good night sleep. The day of, do the same thing so you don't have to focus on finding bathrooms on the way to the procedure.

I usually try to schedule as early as possible. You may have to get up at 4 am, but it will be over sooner in the day and you can get a meal sooner as well. When I have a late in the day one, I'm always looking for things to eat. I have to put post-it-notes on the refrigerator to remind me.

Also, you can add flavors if you want. I usually add lime Gatorade to make it taste better and get some electrolytes. There are many flavors you can add, just nothing red.

Good luck with the colonoscopy. Let us know what you find out.

Also, I hope the little one is doing well.👍

[HelloHaze in reply to GCCA-Survivor]

I had the colonoscopy. Turns out I have ulcerative colitis. Thanks for the support!

[GCCA-Survivor Administrator in reply to HelloHaze]

Well, you're in for some treatment for that, but a least you know and don't have to speculate on what's going on. Glad you got the colonoscopy. It's another great example that lots of things could be causing symptoms and it's best to get answers.

Thanks for sharing. I wish you all the best in dealing with the UC.👍❤️

Tom