Blood in stool...Semi-freak out.

[beth0277]

TMI....Okay, talk me down. I just had blood in my stool. Not just on the paper, from like a tear, but mixed in the stool. It was bright-ish red but it was definitely mixed in. I have been going a lot lately, like a few times a day. Which is odd for me. Haven't been constipated, just regular, if not diarrhea like. I had a colonoscopy 1.5 years ago but I am still freaking. I also have a yearly fecal occult test (to test for microscopic blood) and it was negative in February. I also had an abdominal CT scan just 1.5 months ago for another reason. My dad died of colon cancer. Ughhhh......I just don't want something else to worry about!!

[Nicole80]

I've had it before too, freaked out, got a colonoscopy and everything was fine. He told me sometimes people get small tears in their colon which will cause that. Very very common he said and nothing to worry about. They heal on their own. You're ok.

[Slangevar]

Bright red blood (and even slightly darker red blood) comes from the lower part of the colon, all of which is viewed on a colonoscopy (not to mention a CT scan).  And colon cancer takes a long time to develop... much longer than a year and a half, which means what you're probably dealing with is a hemorrhoid. According to Dr. Google, "loose stools may actually cause hemorrhoids to worsen," so it makes sense it would come in the midst of a bout with loose stool. (I've had that happen, as well.) 

But I understand being worried given what happened to your dad. If it'll put you at ease, I can understand reaching out to your GI doc to ask his opinion. 

[LindaRK]

Talking to your GI doc will probably put you at ease ... I agree though.  Red blood is okay - darker blood should be checked further.

Considering you've had all of these tests and there were no problems, you probably have a tear or fissure or something completely benign.  What are you eating that is causing you to have so many BM's?  Too much fiber?

[beth0277]

I don't think I've changed my diet much. I'm not sure why I have been going so often.

[mollyfin]

Stress/anxiety gives me diarrhea like crazy. 

[Slangevar]

Stress/anxiety gives me diarrhea like crazy.

Same here.  Though I never think of it as diarrhea... just loose stools once or twice a day.  And I've had blood from them, too.

[beth0277]

I just remembered that I did eat A LOT of popcorn on Tuesday which I read can irritate/tear your intestines. Hoping that is all that it is.

[marc]

I agree with the previous posts, in that colon cancer typically takes many years to develop.

[mariea]

Always good to check with a dr, but colon cancer, I beieve, takes about 7 years before it is bad and you start seeing symptoms.