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Not the lovliest q....blood after defacating and other symptoms
Hello,
I do not really like asking qs like this but feel I must.
Today, after I went to the bathroom I noticed blood on the tissue paper, bright red. About a week ago, when I was working out I spotted blood and didnt know where it came from, thought it was hormonal.
I am a 25 year old female that became severely anorexic at age 12 and was diagnosed with chronic anorexia at 13. I have only been in recovery from an eating disorder for a few months, and have previously been diagnosed with ibs and gastritis. I feel some affects and feel that I may still be going through the 'refeeding' process, as I have to avoid many foods, am lactose intolerant, and am often nautious and in pain after eating.
Family history of colon cancer, but genetic testing from my father directly resulted in no genes in him that would likely pass on the cancer.
I do not have a Dr or health insurance, and recently moved yet again for a job.
Is this normal> I usually have loose bowels but recently they became very painful, as if I was passing a pinecone. ...and than there was the blood.
I cant believe I am posting this online in my name, but any answer would be helpful. Thanks!
I do not really like asking qs like this but feel I must.
Today, after I went to the bathroom I noticed blood on the tissue paper, bright red. About a week ago, when I was working out I spotted blood and didnt know where it came from, thought it was hormonal.
I am a 25 year old female that became severely anorexic at age 12 and was diagnosed with chronic anorexia at 13. I have only been in recovery from an eating disorder for a few months, and have previously been diagnosed with ibs and gastritis. I feel some affects and feel that I may still be going through the 'refeeding' process, as I have to avoid many foods, am lactose intolerant, and am often nautious and in pain after eating.
Family history of colon cancer, but genetic testing from my father directly resulted in no genes in him that would likely pass on the cancer.
I do not have a Dr or health insurance, and recently moved yet again for a job.
Is this normal> I usually have loose bowels but recently they became very painful, as if I was passing a pinecone. ...and than there was the blood.
I cant believe I am posting this online in my name, but any answer would be helpful. Thanks!
Hi ggreg,
In response to your response to MissLizzy. I'm just about in the same boat as she is (25 y.o. female struggling with a severe eating disorder for about 12 years). Recently, after ending up almost killing myself with the disease, I decided to stop being ambivalent and seek help. I've been so frustrated with the process (I know this is absolutely normal) but even when I 'do the right' thing (use my healthy mind-eat), I experience extreme physical discomfort. I know I have sensitivities to lactose and gluten and when I eat it is very clean. I am healthy afraid of carbs though. I just wanted to let you know that reading you thoughtful, compassionate response made me cry. I was in the ER on Tues for severe dehydration/electrolyte deficiency/loss of consciousness because I couldn't keep anything down for days and my body is already depleted. I have yet to figure out what my body can digest. I was wondering in my nauseous was psychosomatic... I was diagnosed with Gastroenteritis which made me feel a little less crazy. Anyway, mostly I wanted to say thank you, your reply to MissLizzy helped me too.
In response to your response to MissLizzy. I'm just about in the same boat as she is (25 y.o. female struggling with a severe eating disorder for about 12 years). Recently, after ending up almost killing myself with the disease, I decided to stop being ambivalent and seek help. I've been so frustrated with the process (I know this is absolutely normal) but even when I 'do the right' thing (use my healthy mind-eat), I experience extreme physical discomfort. I know I have sensitivities to lactose and gluten and when I eat it is very clean. I am healthy afraid of carbs though. I just wanted to let you know that reading you thoughtful, compassionate response made me cry. I was in the ER on Tues for severe dehydration/electrolyte deficiency/loss of consciousness because I couldn't keep anything down for days and my body is already depleted. I have yet to figure out what my body can digest. I was wondering in my nauseous was psychosomatic... I was diagnosed with Gastroenteritis which made me feel a little less crazy. Anyway, mostly I wanted to say thank you, your reply to MissLizzy helped me too.
Thank you both very much for your help! Ggreg, I dont think I will be eating donuts anytime soon, but thanks for the other advice, you seem to know it all about these things and it all makes sense and puts my mind at ease. I replace regular milk with soymilk, and dont eat many carbohydrates, I am trying to stick to lean proteins, and veggies and fruits as my main food groups, they seem to agree with me better. I usually work out everyday, but have been very busy with this job transition(I am a live-in worker and there is a child in crisis).
Thank you Ggreg and babygirl, I feel much more at ease. :-)
Thank you Ggreg and babygirl, I feel much more at ease. :-)
breasts are heavy and swollen right after ovulating which is a good sign- means you are more healthy/ also sometimes there is slight spotting (from the vagina of course not the rectum) with ovulation- don't ever worry about that middle of the month spotting- it rarely happens that every month there is blood though- during ovulation
Hi Lizzy,
I think I can probably answer some of your questions. When you're anorexic for a while, your digestive system sort of shuts down. So, when you get to eating again, it takes a while for the digestion to sputter up and start again. As a result, you can get constipated, which is when waste moves slowly and then dries out along the way. When that happens and you finally pass that kind of waste, the texture can be harder than it's supposed to be, and it can irritate the heck out of the tissues where it exits. This causes hemorroids. And when they bleed, they are bright red. If you had colon cancer, it would be a dark red, which indicates blood further up in the bowel.
So, there are a few things you can do, to naturally offset your tendency to have rough stool. But first of all, right now, just eat the kinds of foods that you like to eat and that cause you the least amount of trouble. I have a sensitive stomach, and while I don't have all the problems you have, I have to admit that I just crave Krispey Kreme Krueller donuts with dark chocolate and milk. Sorry, health food people! But it makes one of my meals for me and I look forward to it every day.
The stuff you can do, for a while, is avoid eating "heavy" foods, like a big steak or fatty gravies or fried food. Instead, for a few weeks, eat rather "softer and lighter" foods, like mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes and carrots, creme of wheat, scrambled eggs with a tiny bit of olive oil in the pan, 100 percent whole wheat toast with jelly on it, a small glass of orange juice, salads are great, and so is spagetti because it has a lot of water content in it, which constipation makes waste dry.
Drink a little extra water daily, and get you a little bit of easy exercise, like walking or a stretch routine, because both those things sort of "oil the engine." All that stuff will help your digestion move easier and will also be gentler on your tummy so you won't be so nauseaus. You can also try eating some Activia yogurt from the grocery store, or if there's too much lactose in that, you can drink "Nutrish" milk, which is for lactose-intolerant people and does the same thing as the Activia, which is put some "good bacteria" in the body that helps digest food a little better. Later, if you still have some problems with milk products, you can chew some tablets before you eat, that counteract the problems caused by lactose.
Put a little plain KY jelly on the area after your showers, and use Baby Wipes when you use the bathroom, to kind of lubricate things so the irritation won't end up bleeding. Eventually those hemorroids will subside and go away, when your digestion returns to normal.
As for your female issues, many women who have been anorexic, their menses stop, and so those female hormones are being supressed. What you are feeling is a sudden jump in those levels, because they're not being held back anymore, and in a few months, the swelling and discomfort of breasts and heavy bleeding will go away, when your cycling returns to normal.
Sorry you are swolled up and having all these digestive issues, but I think this is to be expected in people like yourself, and I'm glad you have overcome all the emotions that get tangled up with anorexia, and are trying to go at this world in as regular a way as possible. If my suggestions don't start to help you improve in a week or two, be sure to visit a regular family doctor at the county health clinic (they charge nothing or only a percentage according to what money you make), or even a dietician, to help get your digestion more regular more quickly. But the female issues, those really will ease up in time. Your body is just adjusting to your new and improved lifestyle, and you kinda have to go slow at first and not expect everything to just fall into place right away. Might take a few months to completely settle down, and then you will forget all about this!
I think I can probably answer some of your questions. When you're anorexic for a while, your digestive system sort of shuts down. So, when you get to eating again, it takes a while for the digestion to sputter up and start again. As a result, you can get constipated, which is when waste moves slowly and then dries out along the way. When that happens and you finally pass that kind of waste, the texture can be harder than it's supposed to be, and it can irritate the heck out of the tissues where it exits. This causes hemorroids. And when they bleed, they are bright red. If you had colon cancer, it would be a dark red, which indicates blood further up in the bowel.
So, there are a few things you can do, to naturally offset your tendency to have rough stool. But first of all, right now, just eat the kinds of foods that you like to eat and that cause you the least amount of trouble. I have a sensitive stomach, and while I don't have all the problems you have, I have to admit that I just crave Krispey Kreme Krueller donuts with dark chocolate and milk. Sorry, health food people! But it makes one of my meals for me and I look forward to it every day.
The stuff you can do, for a while, is avoid eating "heavy" foods, like a big steak or fatty gravies or fried food. Instead, for a few weeks, eat rather "softer and lighter" foods, like mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes and carrots, creme of wheat, scrambled eggs with a tiny bit of olive oil in the pan, 100 percent whole wheat toast with jelly on it, a small glass of orange juice, salads are great, and so is spagetti because it has a lot of water content in it, which constipation makes waste dry.
Drink a little extra water daily, and get you a little bit of easy exercise, like walking or a stretch routine, because both those things sort of "oil the engine." All that stuff will help your digestion move easier and will also be gentler on your tummy so you won't be so nauseaus. You can also try eating some Activia yogurt from the grocery store, or if there's too much lactose in that, you can drink "Nutrish" milk, which is for lactose-intolerant people and does the same thing as the Activia, which is put some "good bacteria" in the body that helps digest food a little better. Later, if you still have some problems with milk products, you can chew some tablets before you eat, that counteract the problems caused by lactose.
Put a little plain KY jelly on the area after your showers, and use Baby Wipes when you use the bathroom, to kind of lubricate things so the irritation won't end up bleeding. Eventually those hemorroids will subside and go away, when your digestion returns to normal.
As for your female issues, many women who have been anorexic, their menses stop, and so those female hormones are being supressed. What you are feeling is a sudden jump in those levels, because they're not being held back anymore, and in a few months, the swelling and discomfort of breasts and heavy bleeding will go away, when your cycling returns to normal.
Sorry you are swolled up and having all these digestive issues, but I think this is to be expected in people like yourself, and I'm glad you have overcome all the emotions that get tangled up with anorexia, and are trying to go at this world in as regular a way as possible. If my suggestions don't start to help you improve in a week or two, be sure to visit a regular family doctor at the county health clinic (they charge nothing or only a percentage according to what money you make), or even a dietician, to help get your digestion more regular more quickly. But the female issues, those really will ease up in time. Your body is just adjusting to your new and improved lifestyle, and you kinda have to go slow at first and not expect everything to just fall into place right away. Might take a few months to completely settle down, and then you will forget all about this!
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