Question:
Kind of an embarrasing question re hemmoroids

OK I have never had hemmoroids before. My pre-op colonoscopy showed I had a hemmoroid inside but that was the first I ever heard of it, as I had never had any symptoms that I knew of. Now I am 4 weeks post op and lately have been a bit constipated. This week whenever I have a bowell movement the toilet is full of blood. SCARY! Is that a hemmoroid? I sure hope so! I hope I don't have colon cancer on top of all this. I suppose I don't since my colonoscopy was fine, but is there something I should be doing? HELP!    — [Anonymous] (posted on June 15, 2001)

June 15, 2001
i have internal hemoroids and when they are "active" there shure is blood on my stool and in the toilet... i will ask my pcp on june 26 because i see her then. i hope its realy hemoroids and not polyps. :( good luck and talk to your doctor :)
   — carou1313

June 15, 2001
I had a colonoscopy and was diangosed w/ that.. I take a stool softener and that helps.. I don't have problems very often anymore. Funny thing is I don't know if it ever really bugged me.. it didn't hurt.. the blood on occassion was odd.. but I was told if its bright red blood its fresh and caused from that. Good luck.
   — Dawn R.

June 15, 2001
Don't be embarrassed by hemorroids! The stigma of not discussing issues like hemorroids, blood in stool, etc. must end if we are ever going to stop colo/rectal cancer. Don't misunderstand...I don't think you have cancer since your colonscopy was fine. Hon, this is a very true accurate way to determine if there is a problem. Did you have any polyps in your colon? If so, I am sure the colonscopy got rid of them. I have a history of colon cancer in my famiy--both mom and dad so I have to stay on top of this at all times and have regular screening. It was probably the internal hemorrhoid since you say you were constipated. Keep checking regularly and if this continues see your doctor. It could be an ulcer but most likely just the hemorrhoid and the fact you were constipated. If constipation continues, try Ducolax suppositories or a stool softener to help. The Ducolax brings on a bowel movement within an hour and no cramping. Just a natural like bowel movement. I used to have internal hemorrhoids too but since surgery I haven't had any problems with that. The wt loss and less pressure on the rectum apparently relieves this too. Please see your doctor if the blood in stool continues or if the stool is black. Good luck!
   — Marilyn C.

June 15, 2001
I'm no doctor, but I have had colon polyps and colonoscopy. If you aren't experiencing pain, and the blood is bright red, it's likely the internal hemorhoid they saw finally burst. That happened to me once and scared me half to death. Shortly after, I had a colonoscopy with no problems reported. If the blood is brownish in color, it might be old or from highter up in the colon, which could mean trouble.
   — Amy K.

June 23, 2001
I have had hemmoriods for years. I am pre-op and hope to have the hemmoriods taken care of at the same time as my WLS. To be sure you should have a sigmoidoscapy from a GI specialist. If you have a family history of GI problems then you might need a colanoscopy. Hemmoriods are harmless but quite annoying. You can have them banded off or burned off with a laser by a colon/rectal sugeon.
   — Chris H.

August 18, 2003
I had a hemorhoidectomy 3 months following my open Rny - probably lack of fiber - I had previously surgery following a birth over 25 years previously. Now 4 months and no problems jla
   — Jana Lynn A.