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Blood color-what does it mean?

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Posted 9/21/2018 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
I just got my Canasa today for my proctitis flare. This is my first flare since my original diagnosis in 2011. Due to a screw up at the pharmacy, I've been waiting all week for these suppositories. When I started this flare three weeks ago I had urgency, mucus, severe rectal pain and occasional blood. For the last week I haven't had any rectal pain, less urgency but there's been an increase in blood. Generally I go to the bathroom about 4 times a day-two time produces a solid bowel movement with a little blood and the other two times it just feels like I'll need to go but I just pass several dime sized amounts of blood and little bits of what looks like liquids stool(also dime sized). Sometimes the blood is bright red while other times it's a darker red like maroonish. Should I be concerned? Keep in mind, I'll only be starting the Canasa tonight. I also lube up with Vaseline before I sit on the toilet, hoping it helps me prevent hemorrhoids.

Post Edited (Sunflowergrl) : 9/20/2018 6:39:13 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/21/2018 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
What other meds are you on? What you are describing is exactly what it looks like for me when I start flaring up. To be blunt, the chunkier stuff seems to come before larger amounts of pain and just regular bleeding. I would give your new meds a little time to work before being overly concerned unless you are under medicated.
Posted 9/21/2018 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
I'm not on any other meds. I only took Rowasa and Canasa suppositories the time I was diagnosed with proctitis in 2011. It was mild. I saw a new GI doc on Tuesday and he thinks this is just a mild proctitis flare so he gave me the script for the Canasa suppositories which I'll be starting tonight. I'm just worried that the colitis has spread higher up in my colon now. Blood scares me.
Posted 9/21/2018 1:13 PM (GMT 0)
The color of blood in stool tells us two things:

1.) How old is the blood? Fresh blood is bright red. Old blood is darker in color.

2.) How far did the blood travel since its origin? Anything from the rectum is very fresh and very bright red and fresh. As you progress up the left side, to the sigmoid colon, the blood gets darker red as it took longer to be passed. As you get to the transverse colon and the right-side, the color gets even darker still to a darker and darker red wine color. Once you get to blood originating within the small intestine and stomach it passes as black (common with stomach ulcers, and food poisoning such as salmonella). I have proctosigmoiditis, so I get darker red blood at times.

So, if it is your very first bm of that day, as a proctitis patient, then you are seeing blood that's been stored in the rectum since your last bm. It will be blood that's darker in color. On your second or third bm of the day, the blood should be a very bright red.

Those of us with hemmeroids, fissures, or abscesses pass very bright red blood as that originates from the rectum.
Posted 9/21/2018 4:17 PM (GMT 0)
The longer the blood sits in the rectum if you have once a day bms, it will be dark.....purplish if mixed with a suppository and maroonish if mixed with mucus.

You should, however, be on an oral mesalamine regardless....lower dosage of around 2400mg.

I suggest you learn what all symptoms of YOUR UC is rather than just focusing and fearing the blood. Once the bleeding stops, it doesn't mean no flare.....the inflammation increases and regresses in increments.

Keep us updated.

q
Posted 9/22/2018 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
Well I started the Canasa last night and I went all day without any blood. That's encouraging. I don't know where things will go but for now I'm hopeful. If the inflammation was higher than proctitis than I would think the blood wouldn't have been stopped by one dose of the suppository.

I will say that this is the only board I'm on where people are very adamant about those of us with just proctitis to stay on meds for life. I've been to several GI doctors and nobody has said that to me. I've gone 7 years without a flare. To me, I've gone 7 years without taking medicine and unnecessarily harming my body. My new GI doc said there is no way to predict whether I'll continue to have occasional proctitis flares or my colitis will spread. I appreciate listening to everyone's opinions though but please understand everyone's body is different and what works for one person, may not work for another. If there was a 100% absolutely successful treatment plan from either medication or diet, nobody would have IBD. That's why different things work for all of us.
Posted 9/22/2018 4:20 AM (GMT 0)
You will learn by experience......and definitely your choice to stay on meds....maintenance..... or not. Maintenance is tapered from treatment dosage, just fyi....in case the other experts didn't mention it.

I do suggest, however, you get to know your symptoms intimately.....and regarding what some here suggest, it's based on experience and sharing.

q
Posted 9/22/2018 1:09 PM (GMT 0)

Sunflowergrl said...
I will say that this is the only board I'm on where people are very adamant about those of us with just proctitis to stay on meds for life.

If you've read the sheer volume of "I stopped my meds and flared" posts that we have over the years, then you'd understand. Certainly do what you feel is best. However these mesalamine meds are very safe, well tolerated by most without side effects, and many of us have taken them continuous for decades without issue.
Posted 9/22/2018 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
I can understand your frustration when hearing about people who quit their meds and then end up with a severe flare. However, as you might know, proctitis can go either way. Many have mild flares and can manage them when they happen while others wind up with full blown UC. Unless I'm missing something, nobody here is a doctor or gastroenterologist. So basically nobody is an expert. They only think the are. 🙄
Posted 9/22/2018 5:58 PM (GMT 0)
You obviously have a misunderstanding of how we feel about you not wanting to continue meds. Your ass....your life.
You sound like a recycled member.....sigh.

q
Posted 9/22/2018 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
I hope you're right and do not need meds indefinitely, I hate taking them myself (and nearly everyone does). If you're wrong then live and learn, and join club med like the rest of us (and eat crow) ;-)

Nobody here claims to be doctors. We're just here to offer our experience and what we believe to be best practices.
Posted 9/23/2018 9:47 AM (GMT 0)
Sunflowergrl, I was diagnosed with proctotis back in 2006 and on Canasa for 9 years and it seemed to keep the BMs under control and had no more bleeding but continued to suffer on and off with the tenesemus. But then suddenly in 2015 after what seemed like a very stressful year for me I started bleeding again and more frequently along with pain and more frequent BMs and diarrhea and terrible urgency. Went back to my GI doctor who put me on steroids, Prednisone for several weeks trying to control the bleeding and D, but it wasn’t working. Ultimately after getting a colonoscopy found out it had traveled up into sigmoid colon. 25 cm of ulceration there. Was put on messalamine (Lialda) two pills per day then increased it to 4 per day because 2 wasn’t working. Been on the 4 per day and Canada now since then which is almost 3-1/2 years. The flare has been under control with these meds but I was told to be sure to stay on them even when feeling everything was under control. My biggest problem now is on and off constipation.

If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about being on Canasa for a long time. The mesalamine, as I was told is the safest of all the UC meds. The only thing to keep in mind is that your kidney function should be tested on a regular basis through regular blood tests. I have a Nephrologist in addition to my GI doctor.

I hate taking all these meds as much as the next person, but I am more concerned or scared of the consequences of not taking them or stopping them. UC is an ongoing disease and we can’t fool ourselves into thinking we’ve been cured. We are just controlling it through maintenance.
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