Not So Great News at My Ob-gyn Appt Yesterday!

Don't panic. It could be as simple as you were a little constipated in the last few days, and that caused a little bleeding. Take deep breaths.

I had some really weird things happen to me just over a year ago and I ended up seeing 6 specialists. None of them know what caused my issues. However, the first one my PC sent me to was the oncologist/hemotologist because my white/red blood cells were jacked up. I was also low on iron and a couple vitamins. I also saw the gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. But they had to clear the "c word" as they told me. Until then, yes, it is scary but I had to keep thinking, whatever it is, it's better to find out as soon as you can so you can start to fix it. So just try to relax. Besides cancer, there are a thousand less scary things it could be which it likely will be. It doesn't help you to stress about it. Good luck.

Colon cancer runs in my family. I've had colonoscopies for years.
When pregnant, you totally could have a hemorrhoid or fissure (small tear) which could cause blood in stool.
When my relatives had blood in their stool, it was very noticeable. They had lost weight and were very ill. It was not the first sign. So I would think since you've been receiving care through your pregnancy and they've been doing blood work it's something minor.
I have friends with irritable bowel and they've had blood in their stool from eating foods that irritated their bowels. It could be any number of things. I think the doctor would have covered all this with you, not just given you the worst case scenario. It's unfortunate if he did not.
My sister had hemorrhoids throughout her pregnancies. Internal ones. They caused her to worry too. They resolved after she had her babies. Good luck :)

Hemorrhoids or a polyp or a fissure or any number of other minor little things.
There's no reason to jump to the worst conclusion - although your doctor certainly helped with that.
Besides - catching anything in the earliest stage is always the best.
Relax.
Worrying isn't going to do you any good.

There are lots of reasons for blood in stool besides cancer...usually it's just something like hemorrhoids that are internal vs. external ones that you can see. Not having noticed symptoms yourself is a good sign, but even if you did, there is a good chance it's something else. I noticed a little blood myself a few years ago (I was 35 I think), had a positive stool test, and a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy came back healthy so it was just one of those things and wasn't an ongoing issue for me.

Hopefully you'll get results that ease your mind but know that even if you don't, colon cancer when caught early is highly curable. A friend actually did have colon cancer a few years ago, she had surgery, and is just fine. A scary time, for sure, but luckily, something that's in the past for her.

Best wishes to you! I know it's hard to not worry, but try your best to stay positive unless or until you are given information that you need to worry about.

It's WAAAAAAAAY more likely to be a fissure or hemorrhoid than cancer, but by all means, follow up as soon as you are able. In the meantime, chill - freaking out is going to help nothing. God forbid it is cancer, it sounds VERY early since you've not noticed symptoms.

I know it's so hard not to worry about these things. It's like an abnormal pap smear or a spot on a mammogram - you go nuts with worry while you wait for the next test or the next expert to look at the report and so on. I've had all of those things, once with the colonoscopy, and multiple times with paps and mammograms in the past. It's not fun but the worry is the greatest enemy of all!

Here's the thing - blood in the stool comes from a zillion things - it could be as simple as in internal hemorrhoid, or it could be a small polyp. Most of us have had something along those lines. It's almost NEVER colon cancer, but of course they have to tell you there is possibility because, frankly, too many people just put off a colonoscopy for years! And there are malpractice and liability issues. Same thing if you sing a consent form for surgery, or you take a class on natural childbirth - you have to hear about all the possible what-ifs. But we still get our tonsils taken out or have babies or get our tubes tied - and 99% of the time, everything goes well.

So what you do is you go get the colonoscopy - it will serve as a baseline test anyway for down the road, which you need anyway, and so now it will be out of the way! And, it will relieve your mind knowing that someone's actually checked in there while all the people who avoid the test have no idea what's going on inside! You will be ahead of the game.

Here's some advice: do the prep well and follow instructions! You absolutely do not want to get in there and find out you didn't clean out well enough and they have to postpone the test. That doesn't happen often but it has happened to a few friends of mine, so I'm just giving you a head's up. There are 2 types of liquid you can drink beforehand. Talk to your pharmacist and get the thin liquid that you don't need to darn much of! We've had questions on Mamapedia from women who just couldn't drink the thicker solution. So get some choices from the pharmacist and tell your doctor which one you want. I used the 3 small bottles of lemon flavored stuff - I'm hoping someone can remember the name because I'm blanking on it. But I think we've heard a number of complaints from people who were told to take something called Go Lightly. Both work - one is just easier. And do eliminate the recommended things from your diet for a few days ahead. A friend or relative will need to drive you. Take something with you to eat when it's over - anything easy on your gut, but enough to tide you over until you get home. When you get home, have something with protein that's easy to digest - scrambled eggs is a big one in our house.

Do not assume the worst - assume that it's some other annoying thing that may not even need any treatment. If you get a clean bill of health, you're done for 10 years!

I automatically thought hemorrhoid too and think they’re just being overly cautious.

A colonoscopy won’t hurt you so why not get the peace of mind to know for sure that it is not cancer?

I will tell you that the prep is the worse but it’s worth it to know that you are cancer free.

Most likely hemorrhoids. Breathe and relax. Make the appt today.

It could be as simple as an internal hemorrhoid. You won't know until the colonoscopy. Make your appointment. That way you will actually know.

Try not to go out of your mind right now - it won't help. If you are younger than 50, you have an excellent chance of being perfectly okay.

I've had a couple of colonoscopies because I have irritable bowel. Yes, each time my doctor listed several possibilities. Cancer was the least likely one to have. I chose to believe I'd be OK. Both tests came back clear.

I have had a cancer diagnoses. Yes, I was anxious while they did a biopsy. My doctor reassured me that surgery would be OK. I was anxious but not afraid. Perhaps in part because I'd come out of other surgeries OK. I've been cancer free for 14 years. I'm not concerned about cancer at all.

We really can choose what we worry about. You're feeling like you have a death sentence because you've focused on the one thing you least likely to have. You are making yourself frantic.

I suggest you focus on not having any condition at all. Everytime you start to think about the worst, remind yourself that this test is most likely going to show your colon is healthy.

I use positive affirmations all the time. I would repeat to myself "I'll be OK" over and over. I don't leave any space in my brain to worry.

I suggest you call the advice nurse to get help for your extreme anxiety. Ask her to remind you of other possibilities including having nothing wrong.

Sounds like doctor doesn't have a very good bedside manner. Something like this happened to (yes) my son. He had a colonoscopy in his early twenties to find that he had hemorrhoids
In the meantime while this was going on I was prepping for a hysterectomy because I had uterine cancer. I was upstairs in the hospital and he was downstairs same hospital. I was hysterical thinking he could have rectal cancer. Unfortunately a lot of times you get the scariest first case scenario before you know other answers. Try not to worry. There are a lot of reasons why blood is in the stool .

You stay sane by realizing that right at this minute there's nothing you can do to change the outcome of the test you've already had. Blood in the stool just means they need to check things out to see what's going on. Once that's done you'll have more information and be able to see if there's a next step.If you are able to see actual red blood in your stool then it means you are bleeding at the end of your colon probably from a tear or hemorids. Not seeing red blood means its coming from further up in your system.

You probably asked your doctor what could be causing the blood and he gave you a list of things that it could be but you focused right in on cancer because cancer is frightening. Just tuck it away in the back of your brain and don't obsess about it because right this minute there's nothing you can do.

please stop freaking out.
worst case scenarios by definition are only the WORST that something could be.
he didn't say the most LIKELY scenario.
blood in the stool is very common. could be a host of things, including internal hemorrhoids, or a little tear in the lining. maybe a polyp. of course it could also be cancer, but it's probably not. that's why your doctor wants you to have the colonoscopy.
it's natural to have some concern, but not to over-react and assume the worst.
calm down and schedule your colonoscopy and go on about your life. stressing yourself to this degree is pretty much the least healthy and helpful reaction to have.
khairete
S.

I had the same problem many years ago was told to get a endo/colposcopy everything came back fine they just chalked it up to stress yes stress it is bad for you like they say so don't worry okay I was betting it all that my outcome was gonna be horrible thought I for sure was gonna die lol but still here 6 years later no problems like that since. I pray for you to be just fine it will be hell until you get answers that's just how we are but just know finding out early which it would be if anything did come out of it and that will make all the difference but I don't think it's cancer okay stay positive!!

I understand your concern/worries. I've never had this kind of news but IF it were me, I'd start praying about it heavily. That's my go-to otherwise I'd be a wreck. I'd maybe google it and see what else it could be. I'm sure it could be a lot of things. The great news is that you've caught whatever it is early in that you have no other symptoms. Try to be positive. Blessings and cyber hugs!!!

Hi T., You stay sane by taking control of the situation. Get your colonoscopy as quickly as possible and track down the results. If you are dealing with cancer - being proactive and getting information as soon as possible is critical. I had DCIS (a type of breast cancer) diagnosed while I was pregnant with my last baby. I freaked out for a day and then set up a team to monitor me and baby and treatment. He is 5 and I am fine. If it is cancer - get at least two opinions and treat as aggressively as possible. The people who chose to not do chemo or radiation - for whatever reason - tend to be the ones who have a reoccurrence. My mother fought breast cancer with every weapon at her disposal in 1990. She finished raising her children, retired, has grandchildren and has done a ton of living since then. She has check ups every 6 months and is cancer free.

Be strong and if it is cancer - decide that you will not be a victim but rather that you will be in charge. Hugs, C.

There are things that can cause blood in your stool--an anal fissure (more or less a scratch or cut in the anus), external or internal hemorrhoids, passigna hard stool. I hate that doctors tell you the worst case senerios. But I think they do it to cover themselves. When I was pregnant with my first I went in for a ringing in my ear. I was told it could be an infection or a brain tumor. Nice.

I tested positive for blood in my stool a couple of years ago (which was pretty obvious to me before going to the doctor). When I called to make the appointment the nurse I talked to asked about 100 questions and told me to hang up the phone and call 911 for an ambulance to take me to the ER. I didn't. That seemed like overkill to me.

I had the colonoscopy which was really no big deal once I got through the prep the night before. They found some polyps in my colon that they removed, but they all came back clear for cancer. The size of the polyps was just over the size for concern, so now I have to have a colonoscopy every three years.

It is a little scary because one of my aunts has colon cancer. But, I don't worry about it. I know I'm being proactive. Number one thing to help you stay sane is to stay off the Internet. Don't Google colon cancer. If you feel like you have to get information on the Internet, please use a medically sound website like Mayo Clinic or John Hopkins. Don't go looking for more information that will only make you worry more. Trust your doctor. It will be OK.