I am half way through 6 mths of chemo. Around 6 weeks ago I had dreadful diarrhea.
I started bleeding from my bowel and it continues now every time I open my bowels.
Any strain at all I bleed.
Spoke to my oncologist and he said we'll keep an eye on it.
I had a low red count last week and have read low iron can cause bleeding
Don't know if thats what I have. Am getting very anxious that it is cancer. Along with BC.
Just wondering if anyone has had the same problem.
????
Hun It sounds like all thenstraining has created a fissure - it is when the rectum tears due to all the straining...
I unfortunately get them too. Fresh blood readilly visible on the toilet paper and at times you will even feel it run is usually a fissure.
Try not to strain much and as soon as you are done on the toilet up you go and lie down. It is better to get up and go to the toilet 20 times than to sit on it for a long time as fissures as well as bkeeding hemmoroids need you to lie down and leave the bowles and rectum rested.
If thebbleed calms down on its own and it is not visible during the non-loo episodes it means it is healing so do not panic over it. Do keep an eye out as we do not clot well on chemo and you do not want to bleed too much but just seeing red blood in the stool should not worry you enough to think bowel cancer.
It is just your poor bowels being tortured by this whole Chemo eexoerienc. If just hemmiroids they heal in a matter of weeks. Fissure is more likely to take a few months and you need to ask for help with making them heal.
Gastroentorologist I see has me use suppositories which contain steroid in them and while it is uncomfortable to insert when the fissure tirn and have to be super carefull not to insrease the tear they help me a great deal as they help keep the area sorft and lubricated and they speed up healing. It is worth speaking with the Oncologist or GP and even having them send you to a Gastroentorologist for a proper diagnosis and management plan.
These things are uncomfortale and painfull but I promise they can be managed and with most people.will not come back once they heal.
Hugs
Jel.
I am a massive worry wort and if it was me, I would have gone straight to emergency. Please have yourself checked. I've just commented on another post where many people agree that we often have to listen at our bodies and demand more when we feel we are worried. Don't let anyone, not even your healthcare team make all the decisions on your health. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. Make them listen. Good luck and massive hug to you.
..I too had bleeding from diarrhea, and at one stage quite a lot of blood came through, It did stop after about 10 mins....blood loss there seems huge as the vessels there are very sensitive, so blood loss from a tear or haemorroid seems massive to us....
Like Kath said.... i'd get it checked by the GP...you need a calm mind to get through this
Thanks Kath.
The blood drips quite a bit.
Think I'l get it checked out. Its doin my head in. Reminds me how I fealt at the start of BC. All the unknown and uncertainty.
Airlie ?? ??
Is it fresh..like red blood when you wipe. You may have developed a tear or even a hemorrhoid from all the wiping etc. I have the same issue but due to constipation. Low iron can result in anaemia...but low blood counts are normal in chemo and if it gets too low they will look at that. If it is just a small amount when you wipe don't be too worried but if it is lots dripping..then go get checked out by your GP. You could do that anyway if you are really worried. Hope things settle soon. Kath x
