strange symptoms of BMs, please help.

[Rachael855]

Hi, I am a 16 year old female. I've been having strange, on-and-off symptoms for a few weeks.

I've had 2-3 cases of blood in my BM (like a little area of reddish blood in or on the stool), then diarrhea, excessive gas and abdominal discomfort, slight fatigue, a cases of constipation, and all BMs have been very dark brown/ sticky looking. Just recently, I had a small BM with a strange-looking white, sticky lining covering it, but I had to look closely to see it. Just today, I've had diarrhea all day and was feeling fatigued and tired-- but the tiredness may be due to stress.

However, the blood was the first thing that caught my attention. I've also had what I've heard are called "ribbon stools" constantly, and many times have difficulty when I feel like I need to have a BM. My stomach has felt slightly bloated and gas-y most of the time, and sometimes I feel a strange ripple of pain (not terrible pain--more like discomfort or surprise) deep in the lower half of my stomach.
Please help, I am scared as to what this all means. I do not eat very unhealthy, but haven't had too much of an appetite lately. I do eat Slimfast every single morning, but eat lots of bananas and apples. However, it doesn't really seem to me that my symptoms depend on what I eat, but they are very inconsistent and frequent.

Thank you for your help!

[NadiaL]

Hi ! I just read this post, and it's almost a year later. Rachael, did you get any answers? The symptoms are certainly serious and should not go unchecked. I hope all is well with you.    
NadiaL

[RubyWitch]

You certainly have a "stew" of symptoms! I don't mean to make light of them........I'm sure you are a bit scared about what all this could mean. The fact that the blood you are seeing is actually "on" the stool itself is a far better sign than having black, tarry stools. That would indicate that there is substantialy more blood. A bit of blood on the stool can be caused by several things. One being 'roids. Do you know if you have any? Is this the first time you've noticed blood on your stool or the toilet paper? You could also have rectal polyps that could bleed. You go on to state that you also have diarrhea and constipation and feel gassy and bloated, that your stools have a "sticky" looking film which was white at one time, you say you have "ribbon stools" and pain in the lower quandrant of your belly. Rachael, I really have no idea what is going on with you, but this has been going on longer than it should. You need to talk to your parents and see a doctor about all these symptoms. If you can't talk to your parents, see the school nurse or an adult you feel comfortable with. You must not ignore this any longer. I don't want to alarm you...........much of this could be caused by the stress of being 16 years old! It could be caused by something you're eating or drinking. Or NOT eating or drinking for that matter! But that is why you must see a doctor. If you're like me and most of the world, we are scared of the unknown, of what "might be," all the possible "what if's." Please trust me when I say it is a hundred million times better to know than to sit around like you are this very minute and worry and stress yourself into a total meltdown! I'm sure the worry of colon cancer has crept in. Be assured that young people your age seldom, if EVER, have colon cancer! I hope someone else with more knowledge will respond to your post. But I think even if an actual doctor read this, he or she would also tell you to go to your doctor and get to the bottom (sic) of this. Bite the bullet my young friend, get your answers and then get on with your life! Keep us posted. We are always here and we care. It's gonna be just fine.
Greenlydia