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DiscussionUlcerative colitis - worried about medications
Digestive Health | Last Active: Aug 24, 2023 | Replies (70)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "So sometimes when I go to the bathroom, I get blood in my stool, some days..."
@contentandwell, I will try to see a doctor as soon I get health insurance back, so it could be at least a couple of months before I find anything. Inclusively, besides bloating, I tend to notice anal itching and even cramps in my case. So i personally hope that it’s just something as minor as IBD or fissure/hemorrhoids
@contentandwell I just hope, that it’s nothing cancerous, like I mean I’m just 21, but I just want to be sure
I am all too familiar with blood in my stool. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis almost 2 years ago. It was a shock, to say the least, because my health has always been good. As a result, I have learned so much about this disease. What I can tell you is that blood dripping into the toilet may very well be hemorrhoids or even a fissure, and both are very treatable! I had those things in my 20s and 30s because of anxiety and always rushing in the bathroom... My first UC flare, years later, was bloody stool, and the blood, frequency and abdominal pain became progressively worse over a period of weeks. Diarrhea increased until it was 8-12 bloody loose stools daily. I lost 22 pounds in 2 months, while I waited for an appointment with a specialist. I am fortunate to have found a GI doctor that specializes in IBD. The best thing to do is to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist as soon as possible; many of them have long waiting times, so you may want to get on a cancellation list, so that if someone cancels, you may be seen sooner. A colonoscopy is the best way to diagnose so many of these conditions, but there are also blood tests that will show certain "markers" to see if it may be ulcerative colitis or Crohns disease. They can also do a sigmoidoscopy, which is less invasive than a colonoscopy. UC is typically lots of bloody diarrhea and there is abdominal pain. There are different levels of severity from mild to severe and there are many different treatments, from oral mesalamine to biologics. Mine has progressed in less than 2 years and I have been on oral mesalamine, rectal mesalamine, rectal steroidal foams (budesonide), and since the flares continue, biologics are the next step. It is a process, and in the meantime, you can keep notes on your daily food intake, daily bowel movements and any other significant things that happen in your daily life. It will be very helpful to both you and your doctor. What I have found helpful is drinking LOTS of water so you don't dehydrate; it also helps you go to the bathroom more regularly. Get up and move around so you're not sitting for long periods of time; get enough sleep, and the hardest thing of all - try to ease your anxiety. I know that's easier said than done, and I have been anxious my entire life. Try to take just a few minutes whenever you think about it to just "breathe" or focus on something as simple as looking out the window and watching a bird or whatever you might see at that moment in time. I saw my GI doc yesterday and while I'm preparing for the biologics (updated vaccinations) I have also made an appointment with another group of doctors that do things more naturally with acupuncture and herbal remedies. My GI doc does not believe they will get the UC back into remission, but he said it can help with anxiety and ease some of the symptoms. I owe it to myself to do this and you owe it to yourself to see a doctor to find out what's wrong! I'm sure you're having anxiety just worrying about your symptoms. Once you know what's causing them, you can get a diagnosis and a treatment plan that works for YOU. Good luck to you! Do this for yourself!!
@ejlouboutin16 I have a similar problem. I am not sure where the blood comes from but I have coincidentally come to realize very recently (as in the last few weeks) that I either have lactose intolerance or IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). From what I have been able to determine, with just lactose intolerance there is not generally blood in a person's stools which is why I now wonder about IBD. I plan to try to isolate what else other than lactose containing foods may be causing problems for me, and then I plan to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist.
I too have bloating and pressure.
I suggest you make an appointment with a gastro and try to get to the bottom of it. If you do, and if you find anything out, please let me know and I will do the same if I make it to the doctor. The doctor I would like to see is scheduling in September or October so I may have to settle for someone else.
JK