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How to tell the difference between a hemorrhoid/soreness and a UC flare?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 7/16/2019 8:24 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone,

Just wondering if anyone has a good way of distinguishing between a UC flare and hemorrhoids / irritation?

I'm on humira (3 months) and 6mp (4 months) as well as mesavant and have been doing well. However, I still get random occasional bleeding. Had this a month ago but had stool tests and fcp was normal and blood tests all normal so my nurses suggested might be a hemorrhoid... Anyway it stopped after a few days.

The past few weeks I have been having some pain/soreness when I have a bm and today there was some bright red blood on the toilet paper. I got my husband to look lol and he said it looked pretty sore.

Has anyone experienced similar? I'm just worried because I still get a bit of pain/discomfort so get scared it's the start of a flare.

Thanks 😊
Posted 7/16/2019 11:56 AM (GMT 0)
Oh it's very tough to tell between a hemi and a flare, as both involve bleeding. If you're clear/normal on FCP/CRP then it is probably a hemi. Flares tend to be more consistent, whereas hemis seem to be more sporadic.

Any pain when sitting down, standing up, when you tie your shoes, or reach down (all classic hemi signs)? You could always have a general practitioner doctor put on a white glove and check with a finger, as hemis are often pretty shallow (an inch or two at most inside the sphincter) and hurt to the touch.

Have you had any recent endoscopy, and were there any notes about hemis being present on that report?
Posted 7/16/2019 12:00 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks John. Yeah it hurts when I sit down and feels sore, also some throbbing pain. Yes think I might get my gp to check it out.

My last camera test was when I was diagnosed in November and don't think there was any mention of hemorrhoids in that but I definitely didn't have any rectal discomfort then.
Posted 7/16/2019 12:37 PM (GMT 0)
Sounds like something perianal, leaning toward a hemi. Perianal complications are hemis (internal or externally poking out of the sphincter), abscess (looks like a pimple within a 1-inch or so diameter outside the sphincter) or fissure (a paper-cut-like tear just inside or just outside of the sphincter).

You can always try a sitz bath for some relief.
Posted 7/16/2019 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again. What's a sitz bath?
Posted 7/16/2019 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-take-a-sitz-bath-1944927
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