Occasional blood in diarrhea

[Dexky]

Hi all, for those who don't know me, my 10 yr old son has crohn's. Lately (last couple of months), EJ has been feeling mostly well but will have bloody diarrhea still from time to time. He is currently on 6mp and Asacol.

I know it isn't normal but is it "normal" for crohn's? Our GI says not to worry about it, ...but he doesn't have a son with crohn's nor does he have crohn's. I trust you guys' opinion more than his!!

 

[Keona]

Hi Dexky,
I can only imagine how scary it would be to have a 10 year old son with Crohn's. I can't help answer your question but I am sure there are many on here who can, I am still in the process of being diagnosed and so am not on any medication for it.
I hope your son starts to feel better on his medication.
How can your GI tell you not to worry??
Wendy

 

[butt-eze]

I trust my doctor 100% and he has said more than once that those of us with Crohn's are "entitled" to have bloody stools now and then. I'd say I'm in remission but I have my entitled days.

I have a four year old son and would be asking the same questions. It's good to be educated and cautious.

I'd say keep track of the frequency but chalk it up to our "normal".

 

[Jennifer]

Everyone who has crohns is different. For some people its normal and for some people its not. My GI would constantly make sure that I wasn't bleeding. He'd tinker with my meds or do a scope to find the cause of the bleeding and then fix it. He never said to me, "Don't worry about it" and leave me on the same dose of meds. That makes no sense to me unless the bleeding becomes "normal" to that particular patient and I guess one would only get concerned if it became more frequent or out of the "norm." I don't know your son's situation but I know my mom took me to the doctor every time I was bleeding, which for me wasn't often but when it did happen, my GI would make it stop.

 

[Astra]

Hi Mark
an EJ

I agree with Crabby on this one, only cos if it's not his normal bowel habits and has only just started, then I wouldn't ignore it, and go and question the doc again, maybe the mercap isn't suitable for EJ, I know it didn't work for me. and everyone is different, some bleed, some don't, I've never had bleeding, but if it started, I wouldn't just put it down as the 'norm'
hope you get something sorted, but try not to worry
xxx

 

[Dexky]

Thanks all, we are still waiting for word from the GI about EJ's latest bloodwork. We've called twice and e-mailed. I know he's busy but it'll be two weeks on Tues. next.

 

[My Butt Hurts]

Hi Dekxy, I'm glad that you found us.
Normal is very different than the word common. Bleeding out your butt is never normal, but it is common and in most cases for Crohnie's nothing to worry about. I never had bleeding for the first several years that I was diagnosed. I have bleeding now occassioanlly, even in remission, and since it never seems severe and doesn't last more than a few days, I don't let it worry me. I believe that it is more worrisome if it is darker in color, meaning that it is coming from higher up in the body. If it is bright red, that is usually less to worry about. Go with your gut though.
Sorry you have to be here, but glad that your son has you. My son is 10 also, but thankfully he has no signs of IBD so far.

You've found a place with a wealth of info. Welcome to the forum!

 

[Dexky]

The GI finally e-mailed my wife, he was quite pleased w/ the liver numbers but said the 6mp was high but is going to leave it as is until our next appt. which I think is June 8th.

He mentioned Remicade IV. What can you tell me about that?

Crabby, I think we'll take a play out of your Mom's book. How old were you when Dx'ed?

My BH, his blood this morning was dark and mucousy. He doesn't feel bad but he does have an upper resp. thing going on and is on some liquid anti-histamine. Could that explain the blood? I know no one can say for sure but I'm just grasping at straws.

 

[Astra]

Hi Mark

loads of info on the Remicade Club thread, people have fantastic remissions with it, and call it 'liquid gold'
xxx

 

[Jennifer]

The GI finally e-mailed my wife, he was quite pleased w/ the liver numbers but said the 6mp was high but is going to leave it as is until our next appt. which I think is June 8th.

He mentioned Remicade IV. What can you tell me about that?

Crabby, I think we'll take a play out of your Mom's book. How old were you when Dx'ed?

My BH, his blood this morning was dark and mucousy. He doesn't feel bad but he does have an upper resp. thing going on and is on some liquid anti-histamine. Could that explain the blood? I know no one can say for sure but I'm just grasping at straws.

June 8th isn't that far away. Many times it takes months to be seen by anyone unless its an emergency. I've never taken Remicade before so I can't help you there.

I was 9 years old when I was diagnosed.

You don't always feel bad while having a flare. I personally don't think his upper resp. sickness nor taking the liquid anti-histamine is causing his bleeding. It sounds like he was bleeding before he got sick and that the bleeding is still occurring. Dark blood can mean that its from higher up as has been stated but it could also mean that he didn't go to the bathroom right away and held it in for a little while like overnight making the blood sit there and get darker. What it sounds like to me is that he may need another scope done. Both upper and lower to find out where the bleeding is coming from. When was the last scope he had?

Whenever I had bleeding and they did a scope soon after, they found large visible sores near my ilium that weren't under control by the medication. Now if they don't find anything when they do a scope then chances are its in an area that the scope camera can't reach in the small intestine. There are other tests that can show where the inflammation is coming from. During this time before the scope is even done, my GI would up my medication, for me it was usually Prednisone. This was also back when they were prescribing Azulfidine (most docs don't use it today because it makes their patients sick) and when newer drugs were coming out in the US like Asacol. So I was switched to Asacol and put on 6MP. Every time I had a flare they would go straight to Prednisone. Your son is lucky if the Remicade works and he doesn't have to go on Prednisone.

Keep a log of how your son is doing, his activity level, any pain, his stools and whatever else you feel is important for the doc to know and tell the GI everything when you go to see them in June. It's important to ask your son these questions because I know when I was that age I never volunteered information unless I was really sick.

 

[Dexky]

Crabby, thanks for the great reply. EJ has a serious liver condition too so I wonder if pred may be off the table. His first and only scope, upper and lower on same day, was late Nov. 09.

Joan, I did start reading the Rem. club thread. It's almost unanimously positive so I feel a little less apprehensive about the possibility. Thanks for the heads up.

Mark

 

[Chuck2008]

I am on low doses of prednisone (6mg/day) and just started 6MP a week ago to get off the prednisone. I consider myself in remission from chrons. I haven't had any diahrea at ALL, not once, in over a year. I get a brief upset stomach once every day or so, but it usually lasts only a few minutes. Regular bowel habits, EXCEPT I do get a little blood sometimes. Maybe once every 4 or 5 days.

Its something I've learned to live with and don't think about it anymore. Hopefully the 6MP will fix that up in the long run, but after reading the posts on this board I am happy thats the only symptom I have.