CC..hemorrhoids? Unsure!

Hi guys. I had recently posted on another site but forgot my password so haven’t been able to check anything after posting and it really isn’t active much. I hate to bring this topic up again but my anxiety has just been spinning out of control with it. I’m super grateful for anyone choosing to read this all! Much appreciated as my husband doesn’t really get health anxiety so i’m feeling rather alone.

I had my daughter in March of this year. I’m 26. I did not have any hemorrhoids AS FAR AS I KNOW. At 8 weeks postpartum, I noticed a good amount of bright red blood streaking my stool. I immediately panic and this is where my health anxiety journey began. I googled which was a mistake and stumbled upon a post that i’ll spare the details of. I called my doctor and she did a digital exam stating that she didn’t feel an internal hemorrhoid or fissure. Great, more panic. She suggests a quick FIT test and it came up negative. This was just the one done in office, not cologuard. I was able to let go of the fear as I did not see the blood again.

Fast forward to about two weeks ago and I see blood again. Granted, it was a small amount. Ever since then, I’ve been on a spiral. I also noticed the blood again yesterday. Two weeks ago, I called the local GI doc and I have an appointment for this Tuesday. I’ve now fully convinced myself this is CC and it couldn’t possibly be anything else. I’m rather new to having health anxiety and a few months ago started therapy and started Luvox (anti anxiety) in the middle of October.

Is it possible to have an internal hemorrhoid and it not be able to be felt? I am 26 years old. On seer it says that the incident rate for colon cancer in my age group is 3.0…3.9 if I combine colon and rectal. I believe that’s a 1 in 33,333 (100 / 3.0) chance IF i’m doing the math correct? I don’t believe I have any other symptoms besides occasionally loose stools and that happens when i’m overly anxious so i’m not even including that as a symptom. That seems like IBS. Also, I did not push during child birth which I know is notorious for giving you hemorrhoids; I had a c section.

The media makes it seem like everybody and their brother are at high risk for colon cancer recently. I get making people aware of the symptoms but the articles upon articles of it increasing in young adults make it seem like everyone is totally doomed. I did know of a girl who got colon cancer in her late 20s but I try to remind myself that I am not privy to her medical history OR family history!

MATD said:

You are doing what one should do which is to see a doctor. There are other reasons for rectal bleeding besides cancer as I’m sure you are aware. Did you also know that just being pregnant can cause hemorrhoids? Even if you didn’t have a vaginal birth. These HA issues stem from a lack of confidence, pure and simple. Research Dr Claire Weekes’ work on acceptance therapy. It’s simple in theory and requires nothing but patience, persistence and time. You are young and seem to have intelligence. You would be a great candidate for the method. I’m a much older person with a lifetime of anxiety under my belt. I’ve been using this method for close to a year now and I’m doing so much better. I highly recommend this method. You are so young right now and I can tell you that any anxiety issues will follow you the rest of your life if left un dealt with. It’s a simple matter of confidence/self doubt and the method is simply a way to change the way we think and gives us alternative ways to think and react. It’s highly effective, give it a go for your own sake and for that beautiful baby.

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That’s very true. I feel like it could be likely that it is just an internal hemorrhoid that couldn’t be felt? Makes sense even if it wasn’t from childbirth but from just being pregnant for 9 months. Thank you for the recommendation, i’ll be sure to check that out. I’ll give anything a go as I’ve been so worried about this scare that I’m losing precious time with my baby.

Phillies Phan said:

Some call me the stats guru. Your math is correct! Here’s what I do. Think of a packed stadium that sits 33,000 fans. Visualize that. If you like baseball, think of a Yankee-Red Sox game at Fenway that seats just about that amount. Now imagine all fans are your age. 1 of those 33,000 has CC/RC. Plus, and this is important, people who get this at such a young age typically have a congenital disease called Lynch Syndrome. Don’t worry, if you had this, it would have been discovered in your childhood years.

My guess is a tiny cut from a large BM. It’s healing now, but not 100% thus the small blood episode. Bright red is direct at the opening of the anus. You will have full peace of mind after Tuesday.

Bob

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That’s a great way to look at it, imagining a stadium. That really helps put things into perspective sometimes I think! I remember your posts from another site and all your stats information. Can’t thank you enough for providing all of that information.

Now when the media says CC rates are rising for young adults… is it still rare for a 25/26 year old
to be diagnosed with it?

It’s just so hard, at least for me, to figure out what’s an actual issue and what is the media just doing what they do. They make it seem like people younger than 45 should even be getting scoped? I have to admit that all those news articles is really what sent my anxiety into a spiral and the fact that they say your diet has a huge impact on getting CC. I grew up in a large family with very little money so processed food was a given..this was up until I moved out and got married around 23. I’ve changed my diet completely now but fear i’ve already caused damaged to my colon by eating the processed food growing up.