Ulcerative Proctitis

23 y/o Male
Symptoms:  Blood and mucus in stool at every bowel movement
-Absolutely NO pain or discomfort
-blood and mucus are constant, they do not go away

I had a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.  I made an appointment with my gastroenterologist and he told me the diagnosis wasn't entirely accurate and that I had "ulcerative proctitis".  My questions:

1)  Since I have such mild symptoms (blood and mucus ONLY) and no discomfort, what could happen if I did not treat this disease at all, and allowed my body to expel blood and mucus with every bowel movement indefinately? Is this permissible?

2)  My doctor told me that this disease does not increase my chances of getting colon cancer, unlike ulcerative colitis.  Does that mean that this disease cannot travel farther up into my large intestine and turn into ulverative colitis over time?

3)  Can ulcerative proctitis be the cause any other illnesses or conditions (in general)?

Thank you in advance.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Without appropriate treatment, the disease may progress with worsening symptoms.

It is difficult to make predictions about the prognosis without evaluation.  There is a possibility that the disease can spread over time without appropriate treatment.

Ulcerative colitis or proctitis may be associated with diseases outside the GI system.  This can include skin lesions, lung disease and/or arthritis.

These questions can be discussed with your GI 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_