Rectal bleeding around ovulation

[PennyCrowe]

Hello.

I had an MRI at the beginning of the year which showed endometriosis in a few different places, one of which was near my rectum.

I have rectal pain quite often and pain before opening my bowel etc, and I also sometimes have rectal bleeding around the time of ovulation.

My symptoms seem to flare up around ovulation too, which Ive spoken about here before, and seems to be common. Specifically lower back and hip pain and gastro type symptoms similar to IBS.

I have had several poo samples taken over a few years, tests and a colonoscopy in Jan where they removed a very small polyp, but everything else was fine and I was discharged from them.

I still have rectal bleeding it always seems to be in mucus when I poo) around ovulation. My gynaecologist has said that he thinks it unlikely my endo is causing the bleeding as on my MRI it isn't deep infiltrating.

So I am continuously anxious as to what is actually causing it ( which probably makes my symptoms worse)

It seems too coincidental to me that it happens around the time I ovulate and when my other symptoms seem to flare up?

Has anyone else experienced this?

Thank you! Love to all x

[Nickyaa]

Hello!

MRI does not always show if it is deep infiltrating. Mine certainly didn't. I had chronic bleeding and pain when opening my bowels and was on sustained morphine due to the pain.

I am now 5 weeks post op which took over 5 hours with an endo mass removed from my rectum which the mri did not pick up on and a bowel section because it had indeed infiltrated though my sigmoid colon. I am blessed and have no bag though, just two staples lines.

They use the mri as a guide for exploring to save time in the actual surgery slot.

My bowels for thr past 7 days have been incredible, passing them is no longer horrific with awful bleeding and pain.

Do not let them gas light and stand your ground. Take pictures if you have too (I did) and remind them that mri does not always show fully how deep it has gone.

Peace and blessings xx

[ChicaPixie]

Hello lovely, Firstly I'm so sorry you're going through this too. It's definitely hard to explain to anyone the fear you get before going to the loo with the hope the bleeding will stop.

For many years I suffered with various gut related symptoms which would, on paper, sound like IBS. Then I started to bleed with bowel movements. I didn't clock it straight away that it tends to happen always around just before my period is due. This carried on for a few years before it got really bad but my GP would always send me home with stool softener.

Last year I finally went privately to have a colonoscopy done and it showed nothing. I had a gyne consultation and an internal ultrasound which showed a mass near my rectum. However only when I had my laparoscopy last year which then confirmed that I had deep infiltrating endo in my rectovaginal passage with pouch of Douglas completely covered with endo.

To give you a bit of context I've now had a hysterectomy too and during the op the specialist found more endo in the same spot. They only shaved it a bit.

My mistake initially was not looking at a gyne who knows about endometriosis, mine did but I think the advanced stage was a bit above their understanding. What I am trying to get to is that if your gyne is saying it's not likely endo then that to me sounds like they might not fully understand the way this disease works. Similar to mine while I had my lap last year because they left the endo there I continued to to have rectal bleeding just not as much.

I would definitely recommend finding a specialist who is experienced with endo maybe look on the BSGE register in your area. I would continue to push for a better diagnosis as someone already said MRI doesn't always show, depending on where it is for you.

I truly hope that through your determination you will be able to get to the bottom of it and perhaps get some support or relief.

Sending strength your way, I know it can be exhausting, I still worry daily xxx