Bleeding, no diarrhea or mucus

Greetings all,
Wishing you all the best of health.

I’ve been in remission a number of years and doing well but would love your advice on how to cope with the emotional and physical realities when bleeding returns.

I have had light bleeding / spotting on toilet paper for a couple of weeks but nothing serious. I’ve been thinking it’s hemorrhoids as my stools are normal and I don’t have mucus.

But there was streaks in the toilet and on tissue today. I also felt a little faint.

I had a colonoscopy in October and it was confirmed remission.

Thoughts on next steps? Up my meds? Get a proctoscope as it’s bright red blood?

LR

Post Edited (LondonRed) : 3/11/2024 3:33:27 PM (GMT-8)

Hello Quincy!
No I don’t have the urgency other than feeling a bit sore down there and focus on down there.

Yep and that’s my fear always. I usually think it’s hemorrhoids and they develop more. Maybe the anxiety makes it worse. I’ve been in remission for about 6 years and forgot all of this. Not sure how to tackle it. Maybe I should add a suppository or get a rectal scope done.

Good advice. I might try recital meds but I don’t have diarrhea, mucus, or urgency. It’s normal formed stools with some blood on the stool and toilet paper. The blood didn’t show the last bowel movement.

Are you back in remission? How did you get back there?

Yes I am back in remission. Took a long time this time. I did what I mentioned above - low fibre diet, lots of rest. I refused to go on Prednisone, and she refused to prescribe rectals, so we were not big fans of each other during this time.

Oh, just saw Poopydoop's suggestion to get a fecal calprotectin test. I agree with that suggestion. (The only caveat is, in my case at least, it is a bit of a lagging indicator).

How high is high? For example my hospital doesn't start to worry until it goes above ~200. When flaring I had values in the thousands.

Yes I’ll watch out for that. Not to let it escalate and out of control. I’ve always had mild symptoms generally when flaring. Some blood and mucus, 3-4 BM’s a day. No diarrhea.

I’m treating it like I would hemorrhoids- OTC HCI cream and watching the diet. Two bowel movements a day with no pain.

Update.

After going 10 days with no bleeding it returned this weekend. Specs of blood on the outside of the stool and fresh blood on the tissue. It isn’t much blood but it’s visible specs.

Although there is an absence of urgency, mucus, and diarrhea I am worried that it might be a mini-flare up. Or as is more likely stubborn hemorrhoids.

What medication shall I take? I started Anucort yesterday but suppositories just irritate my anus if anything and feel worse, shall I try them for a week for proctitis / hemorrhoids? I preferred Pramoxine - maybe try that again?

I have 2 bowel movements a day with normal poops. I want to control it before it gets worse.

Any advice on medication ? I am currently on 3mg Pentasa a day.

Post Edited (LondonRed) : 3/25/2024 4:27:40 AM (GMT-8)

Ditto Straydog!

q

Update.

Today after no bleeding for 5 days I had very mild tinge of orange / blood on the toilet paper. It’s not on the stool or toilet bowel at all. They’re being stubborn. It’s been a month now. They don’t hurt, they don’t itch or anything. But seeing even a spec of blood freaks me out.

Anyone else suffer hemorrhoids? How go you stop the specs of blood on toilet paper?

I have colitis which has been in remission for several years (most recent colonoscopy in October 2023). Seeing any blood even a speck freaks me out.

It is now a month since I first noticed small streaks of blood in my stool. I’ve been taking Pramoxine on and off and took Anucort for 10 days and treating it as Hemmorhoid as which I’ve had in the past.

The situation is much better. I don’t see blood on the stool or any drops of blood in the toilet paper. I see though very small smidges of red on the toilet paper after a bowel movement. I don’t have pain. Or any colitis symptoms.

I’ve read that Rubber Banding and other recital interventions have side effects (mostly bleeding) so I don’t want to do something that risks things being far worse than they are. However, the OTC creams and Sitz baths although have improved me the minor symptoms remain.

I want to see a stop to even mild smudges of red on my toilet paper. It’s distressing and annoying.

What do you suggest I do? See a colorectal surgeon or try and be patient and wait it out?

Dont look!