I am 20 and have blood/loose stool

I am a 20 year old female and I have a loose stool (sometimes diarrhea, but not alot unless I eat something that would cause it) as well as blood. Sometimes there is no blood during the day, but most of the time, there is blood in my stool, and then what looks like blood clots in the toilet, and of course, blood on the toilet paper.

   I have no pain, besides sometimes if my stomach is upset. I do not know of any colon type cancer in my family as well.


  This all started about 3 months ago when I started my new job. It was about two weeks into the job, and it started. My diet, however, did change. I started eating out of the vending machine and then from the pizza place next door to my work. Do you think this may have caused it?

   Can this also be caused by wiping too hard? Because I sometimes do that.

  I am not losing weight, in fact, over the past two years I have gained a few extra pounds (I am not fat, or obese though)

  What is the likely chance that I would have colon cancer at my age and also, what do you think maybe the cause of the blood in stool?

  This has happened before. I do not think it was as much blood as this time, but last time it happened was about two years ago. It lasted about a month or so, and then went away.

I am due to go to the doc's in two weeks and I am going to have them give me a blood test and such. However, please let me know what it could possibly be with the symptoms I described.

Thanks!
Tina

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Blood in the stool can be caused by hemorrhoids, gastroenteritis, inflammatory bowel disease, polyps, or cancer.  At 20 years of age, cancer and polyps are unlikely.  

Further evaluation with an anoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy can be considered to evaluate for these more serious causes.

It is possible that wiping too hard can irritate hemorrhoids.  Diet is unlikely to be the cause.  However, before attributing the cause from wiping, I would rule out the other causes first.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[waitng for science]

is the blood new or old? if the blood is new as if you have just cut yourself then hemarroids could be a problem, if the blood is old as in dark or black then you should consider further tests