Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m resurrecting this thread-I’m the OP who posted this just over a year ago when I noticed blood in my stool. I spent an entire year with this symptom too petrified to do anything about it watching it evolve over a year. The blood sometimes would get noticeably worse, on one occasion I saw a clot and rectal bleeding seemed to be getting more frequent. My bowel habits went from sort of your classic IBS to very narrow stools to basically diarrhea mostly (sorry TMI). I knew deep down I needed to address this but I just didn’t want to face the possibility that something had developed since my last colonoscopy 4 years prior, so instead I wasted an entire year silently ruminating while outwardly going about my life with the kids and my family as though nothing was wrong. Also my GI had retired so I was trying to find a new one so that was my excuse for continuing to delay facing this.
Finally, I said to myself-either address this one or face possibly worse consequences later and forced myself to establish care with a new GI that my friend recommended w Capital Digestive (he’s one of their top drs if anyone wants the rec) and he put me at ease that unlikely anything serious was going on but suggested we do a colonoscopy just to be certain. I still wasn’t at ease and spent the entire time leading up to the colonoscopy again silently worrying, even rescheduling it once.
I wanted to come back here to report that it was all clear. No polyps which I found unbelievable and I even pressed him like the neurotic person I am to confirm he saw nothing-tiny, flat, nothing?? The prep was clear he could see everything. All he found were internal hemorrhoids which I had previously been diagnosed with and confirmation (again) of IBS which probably has gotten worse with age are the culprit for the bleeding.
I know this is a long post but many of us are posting on here about health anxiety, worries over symptoms, watching friends get diagnosed with cancer and we get so far into our heads instead of just following through on getting to the root of the diagnosis. Just wanted to share this for anyone going through something similar that it is okay to be scared, worried, etc. and that you can and will find the strength to face those fears to address whatever it is that is going on. This doesn’t cure my health anxiety, but forcing myself to go through with this test is a reminder that we can rise above it and take care of our health instead of fearing it.

Question -- why haven't you taken care of the internal hemorroids? Go see a colorectal surgeon -- they can sometimes do an in-office procedure called rubber band ligation and get rid of internal hemorroids very quickly. i used to have one that bled, and she got rid of it very quickly and easily. you don't have to live with it.

Anonymous wrote:I’m resurrecting this thread-I’m the OP who posted this just over a year ago when I noticed blood in my stool. I spent an entire year with this symptom too petrified to do anything about it watching it evolve over a year. The blood sometimes would get noticeably worse, on one occasion I saw a clot and rectal bleeding seemed to be getting more frequent. My bowel habits went from sort of your classic IBS to very narrow stools to basically diarrhea mostly (sorry TMI). I knew deep down I needed to address this but I just didn’t want to face the possibility that something had developed since my last colonoscopy 4 years prior, so instead I wasted an entire year silently ruminating while outwardly going about my life with the kids and my family as though nothing was wrong. Also my GI had retired so I was trying to find a new one so that was my excuse for continuing to delay facing this.
Finally, I said to myself-either address this one or face possibly worse consequences later and forced myself to establish care with a new GI that my friend recommended w Capital Digestive (he’s one of their top drs if anyone wants the rec) and he put me at ease that unlikely anything serious was going on but suggested we do a colonoscopy just to be certain. I still wasn’t at ease and spent the entire time leading up to the colonoscopy again silently worrying, even rescheduling it once.
I wanted to come back here to report that it was all clear. No polyps which I found unbelievable and I even pressed him like the neurotic person I am to confirm he saw nothing-tiny, flat, nothing?? The prep was clear he could see everything. All he found were internal hemorrhoids which I had previously been diagnosed with and confirmation (again) of IBS which probably has gotten worse with age are the culprit for the bleeding.
I know this is a long post but many of us are posting on here about health anxiety, worries over symptoms, watching friends get diagnosed with cancer and we get so far into our heads instead of just following through on getting to the root of the diagnosis. Just wanted to share this for anyone going through something similar that it is okay to be scared, worried, etc. and that you can and will find the strength to face those fears to address whatever it is that is going on. This doesn’t cure my health anxiety, but forcing myself to go through with this test is a reminder that we can rise above it and take care of our health instead of fearing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m resurrecting this thread-I’m the OP who posted this just over a year ago when I noticed blood in my stool. I spent an entire year with this symptom too petrified to do anything about it watching it evolve over a year. The blood sometimes would get noticeably worse, on one occasion I saw a clot and rectal bleeding seemed to be getting more frequent. My bowel habits went from sort of your classic IBS to very narrow stools to basically diarrhea mostly (sorry TMI). I knew deep down I needed to address this but I just didn’t want to face the possibility that something had developed since my last colonoscopy 4 years prior, so instead I wasted an entire year silently ruminating while outwardly going about my life with the kids and my family as though nothing was wrong. Also my GI had retired so I was trying to find a new one so that was my excuse for continuing to delay facing this.
Finally, I said to myself-either address this one or face possibly worse consequences later and forced myself to establish care with a new GI that my friend recommended w Capital Digestive (he’s one of their top drs if anyone wants the rec) and he put me at ease that unlikely anything serious was going on but suggested we do a colonoscopy just to be certain. I still wasn’t at ease and spent the entire time leading up to the colonoscopy again silently worrying, even rescheduling it once.
I wanted to come back here to report that it was all clear. No polyps which I found unbelievable and I even pressed him like the neurotic person I am to confirm he saw nothing-tiny, flat, nothing?? The prep was clear he could see everything. All he found were internal hemorrhoids which I had previously been diagnosed with and confirmation (again) of IBS which probably has gotten worse with age are the culprit for the bleeding.
I know this is a long post but many of us are posting on here about health anxiety, worries over symptoms, watching friends get diagnosed with cancer and we get so far into our heads instead of just following through on getting to the root of the diagnosis. Just wanted to share this for anyone going through something similar that it is okay to be scared, worried, etc. and that you can and will find the strength to face those fears to address whatever it is that is going on. This doesn’t cure my health anxiety, but forcing myself to go through with this test is a reminder that we can rise above it and take care of our health instead of fearing it.

So all that worry for nothing. What did it solve?

Anonymous wrote:I’m resurrecting this thread-I’m the OP who posted this just over a year ago when I noticed blood in my stool. I spent an entire year with this symptom too petrified to do anything about it watching it evolve over a year. The blood sometimes would get noticeably worse, on one occasion I saw a clot and rectal bleeding seemed to be getting more frequent. My bowel habits went from sort of your classic IBS to very narrow stools to basically diarrhea mostly (sorry TMI). I knew deep down I needed to address this but I just didn’t want to face the possibility that something had developed since my last colonoscopy 4 years prior, so instead I wasted an entire year silently ruminating while outwardly going about my life with the kids and my family as though nothing was wrong. Also my GI had retired so I was trying to find a new one so that was my excuse for continuing to delay facing this.
Finally, I said to myself-either address this one or face possibly worse consequences later and forced myself to establish care with a new GI that my friend recommended w Capital Digestive (he’s one of their top drs if anyone wants the rec) and he put me at ease that unlikely anything serious was going on but suggested we do a colonoscopy just to be certain. I still wasn’t at ease and spent the entire time leading up to the colonoscopy again silently worrying, even rescheduling it once.
I wanted to come back here to report that it was all clear. No polyps which I found unbelievable and I even pressed him like the neurotic person I am to confirm he saw nothing-tiny, flat, nothing?? The prep was clear he could see everything. All he found were internal hemorrhoids which I had previously been diagnosed with and confirmation (again) of IBS which probably has gotten worse with age are the culprit for the bleeding.
I know this is a long post but many of us are posting on here about health anxiety, worries over symptoms, watching friends get diagnosed with cancer and we get so far into our heads instead of just following through on getting to the root of the diagnosis. Just wanted to share this for anyone going through something similar that it is okay to be scared, worried, etc. and that you can and will find the strength to face those fears to address whatever it is that is going on. This doesn’t cure my health anxiety, but forcing myself to go through with this test is a reminder that we can rise above it and take care of our health instead of fearing it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand your anxiety OP. I have ulcerative colitis and it can present like this--lots of diarrhea, pain, burping, indigestion and blood. It comes in waves. I take prednisone when it’s really bad. Because your doctor is retiring anyway, I would actually start looking into different doctors now--call the practice you already go to and ask to be seen by first available, and be placed on the cancel list. Sometimes you can also see an NP and get things sped up.

m
OP here—yes I asked to be seen by a diff dr in the practice who seems to have the same demeanor as my current Dr (based on reviews—need someone empathetic) and the guy I wanted is booked out until august so I’m seeing the retiring Dr (Rubin) in July and hoping he’ll recommend the switch over to the other dr. I asked about any avail next appt and everyone is booked at least until 7/3-even the NPs. How were you diagnosed with colitis? Was it done via colonoscopy? At the one I had in 2013 I know they biopsied the lining for UC (I think) and it was negative. I don’t think they took any lining biopsies in 2019.

Anonymous wrote:I understand your anxiety OP. I have ulcerative colitis and it can present like this--lots of diarrhea, pain, burping, indigestion and blood. It comes in waves. I take prednisone when it’s really bad. Because your doctor is retiring anyway, I would actually start looking into different doctors now--call the practice you already go to and ask to be seen by first available, and be placed on the cancel list. Sometimes you can also see an NP and get things sped up.

Anonymous wrote:my mom has had bleeding hemorrhoids for years. Literally blood gushing when they burst. Don't panic.