Bright red blood in stool and on TP

[cherpod]

I'm a 31 year old female who has just noticed within the past week that I have bright red blood not only on the toilet paper after a bowel movement, but as part of my stool.  This amount of blood is comparable to a period.  It only happens with a BM, which are always quite soft.  I've never had constipation and any strange freaky things going on in that area until now.  I have occasional heartburn, (which I attributed to getting older), and some cramping and bloating, which I've attributed to what I eat or menstural issues.  I take a baby aspirin for my heart arythmia, zyrtec, vitamin C, a mulitvitamin, zinc, and cod liver oil.  I know aspirin can cause bleeding, but like this?  Please let me know, I'm freaking out and don't have issurance coverage until 10/01/08.  Thanks!

[Morecambe]

Hi - rectal bleeding is never normal and should be investigated.  Type in rectal bleeding to google/yahoo etc in order to find the possible causes.  You are too young for the more sinister causes - eg colon cancer - to be likely.

However, I suggest that unless your doctor is able to diagnose firmly one of the minor causes such as anal fissure, haemorrhoids etc, then you ask for a colonoscopy.  I cannot advise you whether or not it would be wise to wait for the colonoscopy (if suggested) until 10/1/08 - but I suppose that another month is not all that long if you can contain your understandable anxiety.

regards
Morecambe