Bloody Bowel Movement...

Olivia-Micro-Colitis · Mon May 17, 2010 7:10 am

Ok so this is kinda gross but every time i go to poo its not really painful but i always have bright red blood in it lately. does anyone else get this?

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon May 17, 2010 7:35 am

Olivia the bright red color indicates bleeding somewhere in the large intestine and you should get this checked out soon. Sometimes that can be an indicator of ulcerative colitis.

Don't let this one wait, see if your doctor can begin testing on this soon

--Joe

Olivia-Micro-Colitis · Mon May 17, 2010 9:01 am

is it possible to have MC and ulcertive colitis?

Post by **tex** » Mon May 17, 2010 9:20 am

Olivia,

The most likely cause of the bleeding is hemorrhoids - MC is notorious for causing 'roids. The second most likely possibility is C. diff. If you have C. diff, you should be having severe cramps, and frequent BMs. C. diff is usually diagnosed by means of a culture test, and the test is prone to false negatives, so if you get a negative result on the first test or two, the test should be repeated.

If you have UC, you should notice significant pain - UC is typically a painful disease. UC and/or Crohn's is a possibility, of course, but while they are possible, the chances that you have developed either one, in combination with MC, is pretty remote.

As Joe says, though, it needs to be checked out - blood in the stool should always be checked out. At your young age, diverticular bleeding, and cancer are probably not a consideration, but they are also a possibility, once we get a little older.

I'm guessing 'roids, (another aggravating side effect of MC that the GI docs are rarely aware of).

Tex

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Mon May 17, 2010 11:24 am

HI Olivia,

I also suggest that you get it checked very soon. I am with Tex in that 'rhoids are something that gives us the bloody result in the bowl.

Hope you are doing better enough today to put a call into the base doc.

Love, Maggie

Olivia-Micro-Colitis · Mon May 17, 2010 11:29 am

i always have serve pain as well and very bad cramps

Olivia-Micro-Colitis · Mon May 17, 2010 11:43 am

i think the pain and cramps go hand in hand with my swelling and throbbing tummy!!

Post by **tex** » Mon May 17, 2010 12:33 pm

If I were in your shoes I would ask my doc for a C. diff test, and as I mentioned above, if the first one is negative, then repeat it.

It takes at least 4 days for a culture test for C. diff to provide a reliable reading, so the alternative is to just assume that you have C. diff, and take a 2-week treatment with vancomycin. If that doesn't clear it up, (IOW, if the strain of C. diff is vancomycin-resistant), then follow that up with rifaxamin. Many doctors used to first prescribe Flagyl, (because it's a much cheaper drug), but these days, most C. diff strains seem to be tolerant of Flagyl, so using it first, usually just wastes two weeks, and prolongs the agony.

Your PCP should be able to handle this project, but I have no idea what the military protocol might be.

Anytime you take an oral antibiotic, be sure to immediately follow it with at least two weeks worth of probiotic use. Otherwise, you run a big risk of becoming reinfected by C. diff, or some other opportunistic pathogen, while your gut is vulnerable from being depopulated by the antibiotic treatment.

Good luck with this,
Tex

Olivia-Micro-Colitis · Mon May 17, 2010 1:45 pm

what is c diff?

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Mon May 17, 2010 3:22 pm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_difficile

I agree that bright red bleeding is likely hemorroids. I also agree that any bleeding from the bowel should be checked out ASAP.

Hope the link above helps with the c diff question.

That can be hard to get rid of so I hope it isn't that.

Love, Shirley

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon May 17, 2010 3:27 pm

Thanks Starfire , I was wondering about that myself

--Joe

Post by **tex** » Mon May 17, 2010 4:47 pm

Thanks Shirley.

Sorry, Olivia and Joe. I just assumed that everyone with MC is aware that we are at an elevated risk of developing a C. diff infection, because of our digestive system bacterial imbalances, (caused by poor digestion due to the MC), and we're especially vulnerable if we have to take an antibiotic for any reason.

C. diff is rapidly replacing staph infections as the greatest infection risk of a hospital stay, and it also seems to be becoming more antibiotic-resistant, in the process.

Tex

teagirl · Post by **teagirl** » Mon May 17, 2010 4:51 pm

Olivia, run, don't walk, to the doctor and get this checked. With luck it'll just be hemorrhoids. Blood in the stool is always something to check out.

C Diff is highly infectious and can be dangerous, so plse get it ruled out. I did this test twice when I first fell ill as I was caring for my MIL who had C Diff in the hospital. She died from it (but was 92 and already weak).

On the silly side, I rushed to the bathroom one day last year, and when I turned around was horrified to see the bowl full of blood plus my deposit. OMIG I am bleeding inside ! Trying not to panic, I said to myself, hang on, no pain peeing or pooping, no other signs of blood, how can this be. I stared and stared into the bowl then had a light bulb moment. I rushed to the other bathroom and had another pee. No blood.

I'd switched toilet bowl cleaners and the new one has something in it (bleach?) that reacts with urine and turns everything red. Scary moment.

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Mon May 17, 2010 5:39 pm

And to add to Maxine comedy, I had a large helping of beets on day. When I went to the bathroom I thought I was bleeding to death. Took a while to realize what it was. I have to admit I didn't run to the Dr. (which I should have with the color in the toilet) but was glad I didn't.

Olivia, if you are having bright red in the toilet, please go to sick call. It is probably the best place to get hemmroids ruled out. Let us know what you find.

Jan