Gross and Anatomically Explicit Question

[Anonymous]

So yesterday morning, I went to the bathroom (#2) early in the morning and noticed a startling amount of bright fuchsia blood in the toilet. Though I've been pretty regular through the pregnancy (now @ week 21), I did, um, strain a little to get this one out. Naturally, I panicked, assuming it was from the uterus, but it was clearly rectal. After a moment of relief, I became newly horrified. Is this how hemorrhoids begin? According to WTEWYE, it could also be something equally unappealing called "anal fissures"...yuck.

The bleeding continued throughout the day, though it lessened gradually, along with some mild discomfort. This morning, when I went to the bathroom again (see? pretty regular), I seemed to have reopened the wound or reaggravated the problem. (I'm now developing a fear of high-fiber foods!) I haven't been able to call the doc during business hours, so I'm a little worried. Has this happened to any of you? If so, how did you fix it?

So sorry for the extremely icky post...I just need to feel better about this unfortunate new symptom.

[Anonymous]

buy some stool softeners like Colace and keep drinking more water. it may be hemerroids or a fissure with hemerroids because you strained so hard and maybe ripped something a little. keep applying tucks pads and don't strain to go. if you are still bleeding after a week or so, call your doctor. its painful, and scary to see blood coming out of your behind (gross, I know), but most of the time these are self-healing.

[Anonymous]

I was blessed with my first hemerhoid this week - yay! Ugh. I'm 20 weeks. I had a tiny bit of blood but like you I'm pretty regular so I think its just from irritation. I've started taking warm baths at night, which seems to help and my doc recommended buying some medicated wipes to use instead of toilet paper to cut down on irritation.

Unfortunately now that its irritated, I think you'll probably need to be super careful from now on.

I bought some colace too but I'm afraid its going to jack up my system (I have IBS).

Sigh....

[Anonymous]

I had this. the blood shocked me. eat some fiber, get some colace going. see a dr if not better

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thanks, all, for your candid responses. I'm sorry that you all had to suffer but relieved to hear that this is common at this stage in the game. (For some reason, none of my friends or relatives have experienced it.) I tried Colace when I was a teenager and having some IBS-like digestive troubles and really didn't love the way it made me feel, but I guess a) my body has changed quite a bit since then, and b) it beats bleeding out the wazoo!

Thanks again...I'm off to some kind of high-fiber dinner!

[Anonymous]

yep - my recovery kit at home for my second child included tucks medicated pads and colace. It's par for the course!

[Anonymous]

ditto. Totally sucks, doesn't it? But don't worry - it's normal. I take two stool softeners every single morning now...and probably will for the rest of my life (I am just one of those lucky people who is always constipated, pregnant or not!) But taking them makes a WORLD of difference and my fissure rarely "acts up" now. I even went to a gastro doctor about it and he was really nice but said he does not recommend surgery - it could just come back and the surgery is painful and not worth it.

Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

OP again. Made high-fiber dinner. Husband has already experienced "release"...me, not so much. I have an early train trip tomorrow morining and am dreading taking my "problem" to the Amtrak bathroom. Thanks for all the suggestions -- I"m eager to try taking more baths -- and, more importantly, for the fellowship. Good to know I'm not alone!

[Anonymous]

OP again. My problem persists -- I'm now on day 5 of icky and painful bleeding, and have sat through a couple of train rides and some looong meetings at work.

I finally called my OB, who told me to see a gastro. Needless to say, the first 5 I called were booked through June. (Our town certainly holds its tension in its tush, no?) Anyway, I got an appointment for Thursday (with a man, unforch, not that it's less embarrassing with a woman) and am curious about what to expect. Will there be a horrible probing exam? Please advise!

[Anonymous]

I'm the PP that went to see a gastro for this problem - I promise you, it's not bad. I saw a man, too (not my first choice, but just went with it). I saw Dr. Phillips and I loved him. The exam was really quick and didn't involve probing - he took a quick look, said what he saw looked totally fine to him, it was just a fissure, not to panic, etc. I actually went and saw him two different times because the problem was persisting and it was freaking me out (I also would cringe hearing the news stories about Farah Fawcett, sure that I probably had some kind of cancer or something, too).

I'll be really honest with you - I think I had this problem for maybe 3 - 4 years, on and off again, taking in benefiber, water, anything I could THINK of (and lots of baths) but it always came back, even after I thought it was better. That's when he recommended the stool softeners and my OB was totally supportive of it.

Like I said, now I take two a day and will forever (and I'm currently about seven months pregs). I accept it. Like a vitamin or something. It keeps me regular and I promise I have not had one flare up or painful episode since starting them.

You're not alone though I know it's a freaky (and painful) thing to have to deal with. Hang in there!

[Anonymous]

Activia or Fiber One yogurt is a great, easy way to get more fiber in your diet. Drink as much water as you can stomach!

[Anonymous]

OP again -- thanks again for the recommendations. Strangely enough, I've been more regular than ever for the last couple of weeks (even went twice on two different days) -- just with really tough, pointy, rather knife-like um, products.

Glad there's no probing involved in the exam; I can't handle anything else passing through that area, whether on its way in or out. Still not thrilled about bending over for some guy to look up my tailpipe, but, again, good to know I'm not alone!

[Anonymous]

hmmm - that's good that you're regular, but what you're describing definitely sounds like there isn't enough hydration in your system and honestly, the stool softeners might really help. Even just taking one can make a difference. But see what the doc says - good luck!!

[Anonymous]

I hate to burst your bubble, but I saw a gastro for the same problem and he definitely felt around inside. However, it was quick and he only used one finger w/ some K-Y. He had me lay on my side and he did it from behind, so to speak. I had a bleeding hemorroid. Actually, a couple of hemorroids, which I ended up having lasered. Best procedure in the world! Made it entirely through my first pregnancy w/o a single hemorroid! Good luck!

[Anonymous]

PP, thanks for your description of the exam -- I'd rather go in expecting the worst, or at least the most uncomfortable. It sounds like you had the laser procedure pre-preg, which I'm assuming would not be safe during, but I'll definitely look into it afterwards.

My mother also informed me that my father used to get hemorrhoids (not something I wanted to know, per se)...anyone know if that's genetic? Nothing I can do about it, but I'll give my kid a heads-up when she's thinking about her own pregnancy in 30 years or so!