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Red Bloody Stool - Help!

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 6/28/2016 4:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello! This is my first time posting to this board, I am usually on the Lyme Disease board, but I was wondering if anyone has had experience with RED blood in their stool. I am "sort of" freaking out over this because I do not think its a hemorrhoid or a fissure.

I was previously diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Disease and had "Thickening of my terminal illium loop" show up on a CT scan, but colonoscopy and endoscopy all came back normal, other than polyps being removed, and some visible inflammation. The gastro told me it was "like Crohns, but not Crohns". I have been dealing with excessive, unwanted weight loss (i am underweight). My Gastro basically dismissed me... and I never followed up bc I have so many OTHER problems. Fast forward a year later - Ive been VERY sick with chronic lyme disease & all of the "fun" that comes alone with that.

I had a normal, NON-strained bm yesterday morning, it was formed, but loose and falling apart - if that makes sense. I looked down - saw SO much blood I thought i had gotten my period - but it was red blood throughout all of my stool, not just a spot here or there. There was no blood when I wiped. When I flushed the entire toilet was bright red. I have no rectal pain. The only variable that i can think of is that I had intercourse the night before (and have in the past with no issues). I am also dealing with PCOs and a dermoid cyst on my left ovary, as well as endometriosis, mostly on my left side (where your colon is). I take digestive enzymes with every meal.

I am seeing my functional doctor tomorrow, I plan on telling him what happened - and - showing him the pictures on my phone (so embarrassed, but I think he needs to see). What questions should I ask or tests might I ask to have run to further investigate this issue?

I have since had 2 BMs, but I had taken charcoal pills BEFORE the bloody stool, so the last 2 BMs were charcoal BMs (i.e. too dark to tell if there was red blood in them). I take charcoal pills occassionaly to help remove excess toxins.
Posted 6/28/2016 11:45 PM (GMT 0)
I would hold off on charcoal pills for now.

Red blood can mean a lot of things. It could be internal hemorrhoids, a fissure (which is a tear), or it could be Crohn's/UC. There are a few other options, but these are the most common (in order of commonality). The best way to tell would be to ask for another colonoscopy. Inflammation isn't good, and honestly if your GI doesn't take this seriously then you need to get another GI.
Posted 6/29/2016 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Scifigal2k - I am working on finding a new Gastro!! The one I was recommended doesn't have any openings until August.
Posted 6/29/2016 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
If it continues being that red and bloody all of the time for more than a couple of days, you should go to the ER.
Posted 6/29/2016 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Scifigal2k - wouldn't you know... I thought it was getting better - but second movement today - its just as red and bloody again as it was on Monday :(

I have an appointment tonight with a functional doc - and i fugured i would discuss with him - but knowing we are going into a holiday weekend in the US - I decided time is of the essence, so I ended up calling the "jerk gastro doc" and got an appointment to see him tomorrow. I've had bad experience with ER docs - so going to the ER is really my last resort (i.e. - my arm would need to be falling off!!!) The blood isnt WORSE than monday - so im hoping its nothing too terrible...

Good thing I write down literally EVERYTHING in my journal - food, meds, activities, etc... no weird variables... :(
Posted 6/30/2016 12:21 AM (GMT 0)
How much blood are you losing? That's what we really have to watch out for with this. If you are losing a lot of blood you need to get it checked out fast! I've almost bled to death from a deep ulcer in my TI. At first I didn't think anything of it because it was bright red. Everyone always says oh that's just hemmies or a fissure. But I quickly figured out the amount of blood wasn't normal. It was coming out so fast it didn't get the chance to turn dark. I would keep an eye on it for sure!
Posted 6/30/2016 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Jen. I'm just glad I have an appointment tomorrow. I'm sure I can't get a colonoscopy until after 4th of July weekend, I wonder if there are any other tests he could do to see how bad it is..

I got my results for an organic acid test back today and it points to SIBO - i don't know if that's what's causing the bleeding or not..

Not sure how much blood I'm losing. The blood is all through out the bm like it's bleeding far up... It looks a lot like period blood to me but enough to turn the water completely red when I flush the toilet... 😫

Post Edited (eagle0eye0JC) : 6/29/2016 6:36:15 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/30/2016 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
SIBO shouldn't cause bleeding like that. Something else is going on.
Posted 6/30/2016 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
Even if your jerk GI can't do a colonoscopy right away he can order blood work to see how anemic you are, which would indicate blood loss, examine you for fissures, hemmies, etc and check inflammation markers. Let us know how it goes with your appointment. I'm glad you are getting seen. Jen is right that sometimes you can get into trouble fast.
Posted 6/30/2016 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you gumby44 for those test suggestions - I wrote them all down on a post it note to bring with me.

When I saw this guy last year, I KNEW something was wrong with me - I had lost 50 pounds (not trying, by eating junk food...) I was concerned how low my weight was as it was too low of a BMI - he chalked it up to "nothing being wrong with me, and I just want to FIND something wrong" diangosed me with anorexia (i tell myself its because of no appetite, but i really think he thinks I had an eating disorder) and suggested I see a psychologist........ So, I kind of wrote off my gastro problems, since I had bigger problems at that time, muscle wasting and pain to name a few - I could deal with the weight loss and constant bathroom problems on my own, or so I thought.

Im working on getting all of my labs in order - i know this guy thinks im a hypochondriac - I know I am not. Before my life came to a crashing halt - my arm would need to be falling off before I would even consider going to a doctor... The doctor I saw yesterday who I have a great relationship with offered this bit of advice: You only need him to get you the colonoscopy - dont worry about all of the other stuff, he doesnt need to know about it!

He is very... mainstream western - I dont think im even going to mention the SIBO to him bc Im sure he doesnt think that exsists either!! Ahhh - thanks for letting me vent - I just need to get this anger out now so I can make the most out of my 15 minute appointment time!! (They squeeze me in between patients, im sure its going to be a QUICK appointment...)
Posted 7/1/2016 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
SIBO isn't really out of the mainstream...just sayin' Let us know how your appointment goes
Posted 7/11/2016 9:11 AM (GMT 0)
I am suffering from the same kinda problem and am also from the lyme disease board. I had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy done also which both happened to turn up normal except for minor inflammation of the duodenum. I had them done due to increasing blood in the stools and severe abdominal cramping and pain that got a ton more immense (causing my inside body to feel like it was exploding and loads of blood) whenever taking an antibiotic. After having a colonoscopy, I think the prep knocked the irritation out of my stomach but I've recently got a wisdom tooth infection and need to treat it with antibiotics but what do you know, the blood in stool and stomach discomfort has reappeared with no explanation to where it comes from. I would be interested if you've found a solution to the problem as I still do not understand where the inflamation blood stems from and how duodenum comes into the situation.
Posted 7/11/2016 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
^Even if you had a colonoscopy and gastroscopy that were clear (or mostly clear), that still leaves 15 feet or more of small intestine that wasn't looked at. That small intestine can be viewed indirectly with MRIs or CT scans, sometimes with capsule endoscopy too (where you swallow a capsule with a camera that takes video as it goes through the small intestine).
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