Flat stool with bright red spots

[Jazminsdaddy]

Hi all. First post. Happy to have stumbled onto this site.

I am 34 years old and I have had Crohn's for about 17 years. I had surgery when I was 19 and I must admit that I have been somewhat lucky since then. No major flare-ups just BM's 5 times a day at least, bad lactose intolerance.

Thus I pretty much neglected follow-ups with my specialist and I haven't had a colonoscopy since 21 years old or so. Well, recently I have seen bright red blood in my stool and the rare times when my stool is formed it is flat. My first thought is cancer.

I am scheduled to have a colonscopy the end of this month. In the meantime I started taking metamucil and it has helped a little bit in terms of more normal stool. My fibre intake in the past has not been the greatest and even though I have BM many times a day I still strain quite a bit.

Anyways, just hoping to hear from someone who has had similar experiences.
Great to be here and I plan on posting often.

 

[GoJohnnyGo]

Hi, you sound a lot like me -- I went though a prolonged period of minimal symptoms following my surgery. Five times a day is a good day for me -- my average is eight to ten.

Last year, I started getting the bloody stool (and anemia), losing weight, pains -- yup the Crohn's was back. I was prescribed Asacol and Entocort, which has helped me get back on track. My colonoscopy six weeks ago showed a few minor ulcerations, but I'm generally thought to be in remission.

Right now, I'm on three packets a day of Questran (Cholestyramine), after having minimal relief from over-the-counter remedies like Metamucil and Immodium.

Good luck with the 'scope. Let us know how it goes.

 

[imisspopcorn]

:welcome: :welcome: Good luck with the scope.

 

[My Butt Hurts]

Hi JD - welcome to the forum. Hope you get some answers with your scope. Keep us posted.

 

[Jazminsdaddy]

So I had the colonoscopy. The good news is no re-occurence of Crohns and no polyps. The doctor said it was remarkable that after so many years after surgery my Crohns hasn't come back.

The bad news is I have a small hole in my small bowel; a fistula. He wants me to have an x-ray and I have to follow up although he didn't seem to concerned about it.