Ulcerative Colitis or Colon Cancer? (sorry for the nasty photos. 1 here & 1 below in reply!) (Couldn't figure out how to inc. 2 in my post)

[12345Marie]

I'm a 67 female with R.A. After several days having horrible cramping and gas and the strangest loose stool I have ever seen, my dr ordered two stool tests - the Fecal Occult Blood Immunochemical and the new test, the Microbiology Infectious Diarrhea Panel (which just came out two months ago and checks for many parasites/pathogens). Sometimes I get wicked cramping and horrible smelling gas and when I wipe my butt, sometimes it's just nasty mucus, and no poop. And then a couple weeks later, start feeling normal.

The Fecal Occult Blood test came back positive.

The Infectious Diarrhea Panel came back negative.

My grandmother had bad diverticulitis, and my aunt died from colon cancer at 65. However, because I have rheumatoid arthritis, my dr believes UC is much more likely than CC and has ordered a colonoscopy, but with the state of affairs in Canada's health care system these days, I may have to wait three months to get in. Waiting is so darn stressful!

UC sounds like a horrible disease! but honestly, I would still rather have that than have any type of cancer.

I have been unable to find any photos online of stool from someone with ulcerative colitis, or stool from someone with colon cancer.

Thoughts? Thank you for any advice you can offer!

[12345Marie]

This photo belongs to my post above.

not pleasant

[Summer64 in reply to 12345Marie]

I'm surprised the doctor didn't do a calprotectin stool test to check for inflammation. I have the most horrendous episodes and my calprotectin is raised at times and not others so that ruled out ulcerative colitis or Crohns but the colonoscopy showed ulcers in the large bowel and lack of blood supply so got the diagnosis of ischaemic colitis. I haven't been able to find out much about that. Hope they soon sort you out.

[12345Marie in reply to Summer64]

Thanks so much for your reply. I'm not sure why dr didn't get the lab to do the calprotectin stool test. Maybe because I often have inflammation due to having RA. Not sure. With your calprotectin only raised 'sometimes', I'm curious why that rules out UC or Crohns. Wouldn't CALPR only be raised when you're having an episode and go back to normal when you're not? (Sorry - I'm just learning about UC and CC etc.)

It's so darn had waiting to get the colonoscopy. ..... This is an odd ? to ask, but is your stool total diarrhea? I'm really confused as to why mine looks so strange, especially in my first photo.

[Summer64 in reply to 12345Marie]

The episodes I get come on suddenly and I'm on the floor doubled up with pain, vomiting and I know I'm going to end up going the other end but nothing happens for ages and then slowly it starts and looks normal and then ends up watery diarrhea. Sometimes with bloody stuff that looks like redcurrant jelly. I've had long white stringy stuff and thought it was worms but apparently that was my gut lining. I don't understand the inflammation thing either. Like you I'd have thought it would only be raised during a flare.

[12345Marie in reply to Summer64]

Sorry to hear that. That sounds horrible. your gut lining? Yikes - that sounds so painful. I hope you get long breaks between the episodes! ... I was surprised when my fecal occult blood test came back positive. And I was even more surprised when the Infectious Diarrhea Panel (which tests for many parasites/pathogens) test came back negative. Several times over the past 9 or so months, it looked like a piece of string/thread was sticking out the end of the stool. Didn't always happen, but quite often (inc. tonight). I was convinced (and hoping) that I had a parasite, and that I'd have to take strong meds for a bit, and that'd be the end of it.

[Summer64 in reply to 12345Marie]

That's exactly how I felt when I thought I had worms. A cure, wouldn't that be nice. I did have long episodes in between but then they suddenly got closer together so have left me with a fear of food. They put me on supplemental drinks so I don't go short of nutrients but it's not the same as having a meal. I have ongoing but less severe problems now probably due to my poor diet. Now just to add to my misery I have piles. I have asked them to take my bowel out and give me a bag but they won't do that unless you have cancer.

[Steve2357]

Well you would not get a Colonoscopy that much quicker here in Scotland. I would not worry to much your stool. I have had Crohn's disease for over 40 years, now 66 years only and the only thing Doctors worry about is are you constipated, have diarrhea, is there any blood in your stool and how often your bowels move. They are not interested in what it looks like.

What drugs are you on for rheumatoid arthritis? As there can be some cross over in the use of drugs. One of the first drugs I was on was Sulfasalazine which is also used for rheumatoid arthritis.

[12345Marie in reply to Steve2357]

Thanks for your reply Steve. Sorry to hear the health care system isn't great in Scotland either! ..... That's something that worries me - constipated my whole life but things shifted about a year ago. My bowel habits slowly started changing to what I'd consider normal, that is, until a few weeks ago. and I never really noticed blood in my stool, so I was really surprised when the fecal occult blood test came back positive. and I was more surprised when the Infectious Diarrhea Panel came back negative, because I really thought I had a parasite..... I take a few different RA meds, with one of them being sulfasalazine (I've been on that one for 25+ years), meloxicam, plaquenil and methotrexate.

[12345Marie]

Update. Because my fecal occult blood test came back positive and the Infectious Diarrhea Panel came back negative (meaning no pathogens/parasites were found), I was considered urgent, so instead of waiting for 3 months for the colonoscopy, they got me in in about 10 days.

The findings were internal hemorrhoids, diverticuli, and polyps. They will be biopsing the polyps, which I believe is customary. Not sure how long that takes, but I believe the nurse mentioned 2 weeks...

I will let you know what the findings are.

[Genericusername12 in reply to 12345Marie]

Sorry to pry. Did you get any results? I have recently had something almost identical

[ShannMarie]

Hello! I am 36 and I am having the exact same bowel habits as you’ve described and the photos you included. I’m very concerned as I have had a lot of blood and other stomach issues. What were the results of your biopsy?