Blood in toilet and platelets at 94

Last week..one morning after waking, I went to the bathroom and noticed lots of blood in the toilet bowl...coming from the rectal area.  It was pretty shocking since there seemed to be alot.  It was bright red so I know its from the lower tract.  The next BM, the same and then it cleared up with not a trace of blood and has been fine since.  Since it bothered me so much, I decided to go to the ER.  I had a COLONOSCOPY back in OCTOBER 2008.  No polyps just inflammation found.  At the ER, they drew blood and also checked for hemmorhoids and none were found.  He didn't think it was much since I have had a colonoscopy within 1 yr 1/2.  and said chances of it being anything bad were almost nil.

My platelets were 93 but I always run a low platelet count since I have medicine inducted neutropenia being that I am on meds for rheumatoid arthritis....enbrel and prednisone (5 mg).   My platelets have run in the 100-120 range for about three years.  All other lab values were very good.....and he saw no problem anywhere else.  

I am a 60 yr old female....with r/a since 1983.  Post menopause.

Could you give me an idea of what could have caused this?  I had this happen about 7 yrs ago and the gastroenterologist told me it was probably fissures.   But that was only one time and then its been fine ever since.  

Also, could my medicines...enbrel and/or prednisone cause bleeding?

Thank you.....

  

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Although fissures can cause bleeding, they are painful.

Bleeding from prednisone or enbrel does not stop so quickly.

A recent colonoscopy is reassuring to decrease the chance that cancer is causing the bleeding, and if it was cancer it would not likely stop so quickly.

After rectal bleeding it's a good idea to see your regular doctor to check if you have ongoing bleeding that you can't see.  There's a hemoccult test that looks for the small amounts of blood that can leak from a tumor in the colon.

Enoch Choi, MD

[PaulaAnn]

I posted and paid for a comment from the expert and no one has answered this question for me....its been about 3 weeks now.....  

[tisa30]

Seems to me this is a bad site to get info. I really want to talk to someone but I cant even find how to post on here

[PaulaAnn]

H Tisa..I had to finally write to medhelp customer service.  There was no way to get to the expert page..it was confusing.  I finally posted my ? here on the expert forum and the member forum....waited for an expert to answer and no one answered.  I wrote to medhelp and they said to give it 10 business days....mentioned that I had posted before and it only took the dr two days to reply.  I waited the 10 days and more...almost 3 weeks and finally they refunded my money BUT I really wanted to have a dr answer my questions.  I hope that you can get thru somehow.  Good luck...Paula

[MGE12]

A related discussion, Hemorrhoids and the accuracy of DRE was started.