A few bowel worries.

Posted , 2 users are following.

I always worry, even when I shouldn't.

I've been to my GP a good few times and he's had a poke around in my back passage and we've talked about my symptoms, along with the occasional blood test, and he tells me time and time again that the infrequent bleeding and discomfort is down to hemorrhoids. As there's one right on the edge of my rectum that I've felt in the past and that has bled and become swollen from time to time, I can believe that.

About a week ago I had the fright of my life when I went for a late-night toilet break and turned around to see that the toilet water was a thick, bright red that I couldn't even see through. 111 told me I ought to just schedule a GP visit for the next day, and he said again that internal hemorrhoids seemed very likely. For that first day and a couple after, every bowel movement just seemed to be the same--purely red, nothing else. There wasn't any pain and I wasn't constipated, nor did I feel excessively tired (typical signs of something really nasty going on in there), although the hemorrhoid near the outside did become extremely painful and swollen for about half a week (but it didn't seem like that one was doing any bleeding). The bleeding went away after those few days.

Flash-forward to now, where things seem a bit better. My stools are back to their typical brown, although sometimes they can be a bit watery and loose and I've definitely noticed that on some days I'll need to go up to 3 or 4 times. There's no cramping and no pain, but those few days of intense bleeding still have me worried. I'm scheduled for a check on the 29th of August (a long time for me to be anxious, I know) but that's quite a while for the closure I desperately need. Some days I do feel a bit sick and a bit light in the head, and perhaps even the occasional cramp just under the centre of my ribcage that I've chalked up to hunger as it goes away when I eat, but all of that just seems to be the byproduct of anxiety or dehydration from the more watery stools.

Any words of wisdom or advice are greatly appreciated, and I'd love to hear from professionals or anyone with similar experiences so that I can have a better understanding of what's going on, if only to set my mind at ease for this long wait before my checkup. Thank you!

[TL;DR: Pooped nothing but blood for three days straight, GP said hemorrhoids, have a checkup at the end of next month. No other symptoms of something nastier except for some sickness and lightheadedness that I assume is either dehydration or anxiety. Still worried.]

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    Extra note: There has been absolutely zero blood in the stool or when I wipe since the heavy bleeding ended.
  • Posted

    I have literally had the same issue for the past 2 years. I went to the doctor immediately after the first episode and had a colonoscopy with biopsies along with a ct scan. Nothing was found. Fast forward two years later and the bleeding continues off and on. I have a colonoscopy scheduled for this Wednesday to have a second opinion. My doctors are assuming hemerriods also. Time will tell. Hope you figure it out! xx
    • Posted

      Definitely helps knowing someone else in my situation came out clear after their check—after all, the nasty symptoms anxiety can cause are almost more of a nuisance than the actual problem! Hope you can get those hemorrhoids sorted and that my own plight is just as benign.
  • Posted

    Anxiety fears are the worst. But seeing a toilet bowl with blood in it is worrisome to anyone. I completely understand. I was praying for IBD just so long as I didn’t have cancer. So imagine my surprise when they saw nothing. My new Gastro said he is sure, seeing as it’s been two years, and I’ve had every test you can imagine, that colon cancer is the least likely. Anxiety can absolutely cause loose bowels and frequent bathroom visits. I am getting ready to try CBD oil to see if it can calm my stomach since my nerves are terrible. I’ve heard amazing things about it.

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