Bright red or dark red rectal bleeding? - Endometriosis UK

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Bright red or dark red rectal bleeding?

Amartasan profile image
13 Replies

Hi I have had bright red bleeding with bowel movements. I put this down to endo and worried it might not just be on the outside of the bowel but inside too. But my doctor just told me that the blood wouldn't be this red if from endo. It would be a darker red to brown! My blood loss was about a cupful and scarlet so they said this would be rectal area and endo only goes higher up. Does anyone else have rectal bleeding similar to mine. Please share as I am worrying as I don't have piles and am awaiting an urgent colonoscopy. Always have blood in my urine too!

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Amartasan profile image
Amartasan
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13 Replies
FMcB79 profile image
FMcB79

Hi

I've had this too and it is really scary. Mine was cyclical, only bad a couple of days before my period started, then stopping during my period. Is yours every time or monthly? Massively painful. I had an examination at the local hospital and they couldn't find anything, but since seeing endo specialists it has been put down to endo - I've just had lap and they found adhesions on bowel wall as well as other places. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure endo can be anywhere, including rectal area. I found that sticking to an endo-diet really helped, and also taking Psyllium Husk capsules helped as well - they are quite often suggested for people with IBS. I only took them about a week before my period was due, and it almost stopped the rectal bleeding completely.

Good luck with the examinations, I hope they can find what it is, and it's always best to get these things checked out thoroughly.

xxx

Amartasan profile image
Amartasan in reply to FMcB79

Thanks will def look into the pysillium husk. Just woke up in excruciating agony, can barely walk so excuse the short reply.

LynneB profile image
LynneB

I have the same problem. Mainly during my period but sometimes outside my cycle. It can be bright red or dark, it seems to change. My colonoscopy was clear and confirmed endo had not travelled thru the wall of the bowel. It's scary when it happens. Sorry I don't have a solution, I can just sympathise with you. Take care x

Amartasan profile image
Amartasan in reply to LynneB

Thanks Lynn, sympathy is always welcome, sometimes only a cuppa has the answers!

wp22 profile image
wp22

I had this around 2 years ago and mine was bright red. For me and what I believe for us endo ladies its either the start of or a nodule getting bigger. I have just had my 4th surgery and he has taken the second bowel nodule out which was stuck to my vagina. When they are more established is when they seem to stop bleeding thru your back passage. So it probably will be a rectum or bowel nodule either starting to grow or already growing bigger. X

Amartasan profile image
Amartasan in reply to wp22

Thanks, I have never heard of bowel nodules! Will google it! This is really informative. My surgeons always have talked about lesions, adhesions, scar tissue and chocolate cysts.

EllaRuby profile image
EllaRuby

Hi Amartasan,

You can definitely get endo in the rectum as I have to have mine removed/resected in January cos its so bad and I also have it a bit further up in the sigmoid region of the large bowel which has penetrated through and that was found on a sigmoidoscopy. My rectal bleeding could be bright red, dark red, and big clots.

It really annoys me when doctors don't know what they're talking about!!

Trauma1 profile image
Trauma1 in reply to EllaRuby

Hi ellaruby. I am to have sigmiodoscopy on Thursday as bleed cyclical from my anus. Its so painful. Had 6 laps where endo found in the pouch of douglas but last lap showed nothing. Think its in bowel but why would they not see on outside. I presume if penetrated there would be some residual left on bowel. So confused and scared. Any advice? Have u had a lap too? Or just sigmoid? I too loose on period lots amd large clots and the pain!!! 😥

EllaRuby profile image
EllaRuby in reply to Trauma1

Hi Trauma,

So sorry your suffering, it's a living nightmare!! Since that post, I've had a bowel resection also with lots of endo removed from my bladder, ovaries etc. Was a 4 hour op with a gastro & gynae surgeon & since I have hardly any pain. It's the only surgery that's ever worked ( had 2 separate ops & medical menopause for 6 months). I had an MRI which showed the endo. It can be in any of the layers of the bowel. If it's on the outside a lap would see it, if it's in the inside a sigmoid/colonoscopy would see it. But if it's in the layers between only an MRI would pick it up until it grows & penetrates through! Let me know how it goes on Thursday 😘

Trauma1 profile image
Trauma1 in reply to EllaRuby

No endo visible during colonoscopy so got mri now. How can i bleed of lap fine and colonoscopy fine? Suppose need to wait. Pain is horrend and a week before im due on. 😕

EllaRuby profile image
EllaRuby in reply to Trauma1

Sorry you didn't get any answers, did they do a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy? You might have an inflammatory bowel disease as well as endo, I have!! That can cause inflammation to flare just before period also. If they didn't do a colonoscopy & nothing shows on MRI, then you need to ask for one of them & a poo test call calprotectin (it measures inflammation in the poo) 😘

Hoppityhop profile image
Hoppityhop

Hi,

I have cyclical bleeding from my rectum. Not every month, but more often than not. It's usually in the couple of days leading up to my period, when I also have vaginal spotting as well. I went to my GP about it, and he suspected Endo (no prior diagnosis), and referred me to a gynaecologist.

I saw the gynaecologist last week, when she did a thorough examination, but couldn't feel any nodules. She still suspects Endo, but says there is nothing they can do if it's on the bowel/rectum, as the area is too thin for surgery?

ourmolly profile image
ourmolly

I have had rectal bleeding for 40 years. I lose both bright and dark red blood, plus clots. I had hystercectomy at 28 years old for endometriosis. I have had numerous colonoscopies. They said the lining of my bowel was very thin, hence why I have bleeding when anything touches my bowel. I also have a rectal ulcer. I did not have my ovaries removed because I was very young. regards, Della.

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