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Traces of Blood in stool only AFTER Colonoscopy?

Hi everyone,

My name is Charles and I find it bizarre that I only started to get traces of blood in my stool only AFTER my colonoscopy, and I still get the traces even after several months!

Here is my situation: I was suffering from major constipation and IBD for an entire year!  And only after over ONE YEAR LATER, I underwent a colonoscopy test for further investigation.

My Doctor did indeed find an inflammation in my bowel area, and he told me it was a form of Irritable Bowel Syndrome or possibly even a case of Colitis/Crohn's.

Then 2 days after my colonoscopy, I saw some traces of blood in my stool FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE!!!

I know that the inflammation in my bowel area can cause me to have blood in my stool, BUT WHY DID I START TO GET BLOOD IN MY STOOL ONLY AFTER A YEAR LATER, AFTER THE COLONOSCOPY??  

I at first thought that the blood in my stool was simply as a result of the biopsy and so I should be back to normal after a few days.  BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN A FEW MONTHS AND I STILL GET THE TRACES OF BLOOD IN MY STOOL??

My doctor says it's normal to find blood in my stool because of the inflammation in my bowel area, BUT WHY DID I ONLY START TO GET THE TRACES OF BLOOD OVER ONE YEAR LATER, ONLY AFTER THE COLONOSCOPY??  Or is it just a MAJOR COINCIDENCE?

I am wondering if maybe the colonoscopy "worsened" my condition, or perhaps it was the "preparation" of the colonoscopy: all of those laxatives I had to take!

Did anyone experience something similar?  Does anyone have any advice or know of any "natural" treatment to this health problem.  I thank you kindly in advance for any advice of insights : )

Best Wishes,

Charles
6 Responses
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Avatar universal
I have this same problem and the blood is appearing EXACTLY how you explained it.  I also wake up with stomach and lower back pain almost every morning.  I had 3 polyps removed and one apparently will keep coming back.  So colonoscopy every 3 years.  I'm 36. Female.  With a family history full of bowel problems.  My dad just overcame colon cancer, thank God. Ugh, I'm so frustrated....
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Avatar universal
It is common to have blood in your stool after a colonoscopy if you had polyps removed.  
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Avatar universal
I have this same problem and the blood is appearing EXACTLY how you explained it.  I also wake up with stomach and lower back pain almost every morning.  I had 3 polyps removed and one apparently will keep coming back.  So colonoscopy every 3 years.  I'm 36. Female.  With a family history full of bowel problems.  My dad just overcame colon cancer, thank God. Ugh, I'm so frustrated....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks everyone for such great and professional help!!!  I am Very Impressed, you both seem like doctors!!    

Just to provide more details:

I get traces of blood in my stool regularly once every 3 days or so.  It seems to be fresh blood that looks quite red, but it’s always attached to the stools.  So it can often also look like a dark or brownish red, and the toilet water doesn’t turn reddish.  This may only happen when I get diarrhea once in a while. The blood also very often appears to smear just in the outside part of the stools.  And finally, I also often see what appears to be fresh blood when wiping (but it can also look like a darker or a brownish red).

As for my medical history, I had my Gall Bladder removed 5 years ago.  I have no history of ulcers and I drink only socially.  

No, he did not find any signs of diverticulosis.  The only thing he found was an inflammation in my bowel area, everything else was normal.

AilingBlackLab, You said:

“The possibilitys are that after biopsy, he did not cauterize the area properly, he perforated an adjacent area with the tools used for biopsy or something not of his fault.”

Is it possible that such an error can resort to bleeding that can last even after 10 months later?  If this was the case, wouldn’t I have healed by now?

Thanks again everyone for such great help!

Best Regards,

Charles

PS. I will work on getting a post colonoscopy pathology report
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Try cortizone enemas,it helps stop the bleeding
Avatar universal
Charles, a diagnosis of IBS is one of exclusion - all tests turn out negative. And inflammatory patches are not found when a colonoscopy is done. The results conveyed to you by your doc suggests you should get a copy of the pathology report and find out exactly what the pathologist thought when he reviewed the biopsies.

I doubt the colonoscopy worsened any pre-existing condition you might have had. The blood is probably is the result of an on-going situation in your system. If the condition is a form of inflammatory bowel disease, you need to find out what you're facing and begin some form of treatment. When talking to your doc this time, you may also want to ask to have one of the 'newer' forms of blood tests run that can look for marker of IBDs. Consider asking for a test like the Serology 7 from Prometheus Labs.
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Avatar universal
You sound as if you believe your bowel has been perforated by your doctor...This is a possibility, the only real way to tell is to switch gastroenterologists and have an exploratory colonoscopy performed..sorry to say... The possibilitys are that after biopsy, he did not cauterize the area properly, he perforated an adjacent area with the tools used for biopsy or something not of his fault. Did he find signs of diverticulosis,  (a deepening of the tissue between the "ribs" of the intestine resulting in the effect of the intestine appearing like a flexible pool hose as opposed to being smooth inside) or hemaroids? In diverticulosis excrement or partially digested food (Depending on which end of the bowell is affected) collects and empacts in the depressions of the intestine, this could hide signs of weeping capilarys in the intestine wall and may have been cleared away by pre-colonoscopy prep and enema's.

How does the bleeding present itself?  Red blood coloring the toilet water? Black tarry stool? Blood only appears on toilet paper after wiping?
Also needed to actually tell you anything of value is your medical history.Would you describe yourself as a drinker? do you have any upper GI abnormalitys? acid reflux, hylatel hernia, duadnal ulcer , any signs of liver disease ect?
Unfortunately I have found from experience that unusual coincidences do happen in medicine, although they only appear to be coincidences...what ever presented itself as the reason for you to have this colonoscopy performed may have been connected to an underlying condition which would eventually lead to a GI bleed .the stress, anxiety you undoubtedly went through prior to the impending colonoscopy could have increased the potential for the bleed to rear it's ugly head at the time it did. (no one on this planet is comfortable with the idea of having a doctor shove a camera up their patootie while they're passed out and vunerable)

No... I have no medical backround, but am quite familiar with what you are talking about....Get a copy of the post colonoscopy pathology report and post the sections marked findings , and summary, also he will describe if there were any angular sections of the colon which would make passage of camera and tools difficult ...if there was a perforation it would most likely occur at these sites.... Hope this helps...
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