Could this be colon cancer/ulcerative colitis?

[Nonie9831]

I am a 58 year old female and I've never had a colonoscopy.  Once I had a small amount of bright red blood on the tissue after a bowel movement.  That's been over a year ago and nothing since.  I do have a hemorroid.  Slight change in bowel habits, (constipation but mostly diarreha).  Last night I had very slight cramps and went to the bathroom and my stomach was slighty torn up (loose stool).  When I wiped it was black with blood.  I looked in the toilet and found black, pencil like stool with bloody water around.  This is the first time this has happened.  About a year or so ago I started having a sharp pain in my lower left flank section, went to 2 doctors and was told that I had sciatica and that was causing the pain.  It moved from the back to the side to the front all on the left side.  It finally went away after several months.  After last night, I feel slight discomfort in my left side but I can hardly tell it, I just know its there.  Does this sound like colon cancer or could it be something else like UC?  I have a colonoscopy scheduled for late Sept. but if you recommend I can get it moved up sooner.  Please give me your opinion as soon as possible.  Thank you.

[Ratnakar Kini, MD]

Hi,
The common causes of blood in stool are hemorrhoids, anal fissures, diverticulosis, IBD, malignancy and angiodysplasia.
Taking you age in to consideration, diverticulosis, angiodysplasia and malignancy are to be considered though you cannot rule out the other three.
An early colonoscopy if possible would be better.

[inpain10]

Hi, being 58 a full colonoscopy is a good thing as it checks the whole of your large intestine. For what im going thru myself , I think it would more be on the side of crohns or UC. any weight loss??
If you can get an earlier appointment then why not do it, always better to be checked out.
Let me know how you get on, and good luck x

[kathyshort]

PLEASE go get the colonoscopy as SOON as possible. My sister waited because she thought it was just a hemorriod, turned out to be colon cancer. Don't take the chance that it "might" be something else.  I had my first colonoscopy and there was nothing to it. It turned out good for me. No signs of polyps or anything else. I am so glad I did it. I see my sister suffering with chemo and she has a colostomy bag and we really don't know how she is going to do in the long run. The cancer has spread to the liver and lungs.She is only 47 and has 3 little kids. I'm not trying to scare you but please don't wait.