BLOOD! Help!! - Digestive Disorders Message Board

Ski_G · 12-09-2003, 09:51 AM

Please help!

I have IBS with constipation and was put on zelnorm after having a negative screening for ovarian cancer and bloodwork that came up perfect. I was never given a colonoscopy or endoscopy, was just put on zelnorm.

The zelnorm helped the constipation. But lately, about every few days or so I have EXTREME pain in the middle of my abdomen and then down my left side and then immediatley have a bowel movement that has bright red bloody mucous IN it. One time this was instantly (in the same session) followed by BRIGHT orange diarrhea (and I had not eaten anything orange in the past two weeks).

Can anyone shed some light on what this could be or what is wrong with me?? I have an appt. with my GI in two days, but he cannot see me any earlier. Should I go to the ER? my last bowel movement that was bloody like this was on Sunday...it's Tuesday morning right now, and I haven't seen any blood or anything weird since Sunday afternoon.

actudan · 12-11-2003, 02:10 PM

First you can't say you have IBS without having the proper tests performed to rule out other diseases. I believe many doctors rush to the IBS diagnosis way too early. I agree that you have IBS like symptoms but IBS symptoms mimic all the other digestive disorders which is why you have you need the tests before you can give the diagnosis.

Was your pain relieved once you passed the stool? A common symptom amony IBS sufferers is to have bad cramps and then relief once the stool has passed. The blood could be due to a hard stool causing some small vessels to rupture or it could be hemmrhoids. Did you ever strain a lot when you had the constipation? Anyway, I don't want to make it sound like seeing blood is no big deal because it is something that needs to be checked out. Should you go to the ER? That's your call. Maybe someone else here could shed some light on when you should go to the ER after seeing blood in your stool? Remember it doesn't take much blood to look like a lot in the toilet bowl. Good luck!

gillian30 · 12-12-2003, 01:35 PM

Was it bright red blood or dark like coffee grounds? That makes a big difference, because I also bleed bright red blood and was checked out the other day and told that it's most likely internal hemorroids or a fissue, both of which are benign. If it is dark blood, it could be an upper GI bleed and should be looked at more seriously. As long as you don't continue bleeding after the bowel movement and aren't writhing in pain, you should be fine until your appoinment. That advice came straight from my GI doc, when I asked him what I should I do a few days ago when I was bleeding. Good luck at your appointment.

twisten · 12-12-2003, 08:47 PM

I was told since my early teens that I had IBS and I also had NO testing at all before this diagnosis. I'm 39 now and just about 2 years ago I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and told I'd probably had it most of my life. One main thing with IBS is that there is NEVER blood present in your stools. I agree that unless you are writhing in pain or your condition changes drastically that you should be fine to wait until your appointment. Good luck and let us know what you find out.

gillian30 · 12-12-2003, 09:39 PM

Could you tell me what sacroiliitis is? I have an intestinal disease called Celiac Disease, and I also have terrible lower back pain and trouble walking which I was told is a problem in the sacroiliac joint. Is this the same thing you mentioned? I'm also not responding to treatment for Celiac, and I fear I may have Crohn's. I have a colonoscopy in January though I'm extremely nervous about that, partly because of the procedure itself and partly because I'm worried about being told I have Crohn's. Is pain in the si joint related to Crohn's?