bleeding

sugar1956
sugar1956 Member Posts: 3
in Anal Cancer #1
I finished my radiation therapy three years ago. I have had bleeding on the toilet paper after wiping and urgency, but other than that no symptoms. Last Tuesday, and continuing since, I have had blood on the actual stool and in the toilet bowl as opposed to just on the tissue. On wiping, the blood is there immediately whereas before it was only after i had wiped that there was blood. I saw my local physician who consulted with my ro. They both think it is radiation proctitis and willl be doing a sigmoidoscipy in about ten days to see if its anything else and to confirm the diagnosis. I am scared to death as i am three years out and this is different in scope from the earlier bleeding. anyone have anything like this happen to them or any input?

Comments

  • RoseC
    RoseC Member Posts: 559
    #2
    Bleeding
    Hi Sugar,

    I'm three years out too. I still get bleeding that will last for several days. On the tissue, but sometimes in the bowl too. It usually happens after either a difficult bm or diarrhea. As a matter of fact, just a couple of weeks ago I had a few days of what was more blood than I'd had in a long time. It scared me too - but then went away after a couple of days of normal bms. I try not to wipe at all, I just blot. Still get the occasional bleeding though. My colo-rectal surgeon said it was ok, that the area where I was biopsied may always do that. Try not to worry. Wishing you all the best on the sigmoidoscopy.
  • z810840b
    z810840b Member Posts: 207 Member
    #3
    bleeding
    hi sugar- I am 3 years out too and still get bleeding on tissue and occasionally in bowl.It's from the radiation.But we always worry.....alyse
  • z810840b
    z810840b Member Posts: 207 Member
    #4
    bleeding
    hi sugar- I am 3 years out too and still get bleeding on tissue and occasionally in bowl.It's from the radiation.But we always worry.....alyse
  • z810840b
    z810840b Member Posts: 207 Member
    #5
    bleeding
    hi sugar- I am 3 years out too and still get bleeding on tissue and occasionally in bowl.It's from the radiation.But we always worry....sigh...Hugs.alyse
  • z810840b
    z810840b Member Posts: 207 Member
    #6
    bleeding
    hi sugar- I am 3 years out too and still get bleeding on tissue and occasionally in bowl.It's from the radiation.But we always worry.....sigh...alyse
  • tocar
    tocar Member Posts: 1
    #7
    Radiation Proctitis
    I finished my radiation in 2009 and started with the rectal bleeding over a year ago. I was diagnosed as radiation proctitis by having a colonoscopy. All of the medications I was given included proctofoam and several others. I continued to bleed and about 3 months ago I was bleeding about every 3 days and it would look like I had a blood bath and would last for several hours. I was referred to a gastroenterologist who treats radiation proctitis (one of his specialties). He did a sigmoidoscopy with an argon laser coagulation treatment which involved about 24 inches of the rectum / sigmoid colon. It has stopped the bleeding. The things I was being prescribed by prior doctors were only sort of cosmetic and would make me better for only a few days. Radiation proctitis is delayed damages from radiation and I was told that it can happen up to 20 years after an individual receives radiation. Hope this helps but the Argon Laser Coagulation Procedure has been wonderful for me because I was just before having to have blood transfusions had I stayed under the former gastroenterologist. He did not know about the argon laser procedure so I had to go out of town to find a specialist.
  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #8
    tocar said:

    Radiation Proctitis
    I finished my radiation in 2009 and started with the rectal bleeding over a year ago. I was diagnosed as radiation proctitis by having a colonoscopy. All of the medications I was given included proctofoam and several others. I continued to bleed and about 3 months ago I was bleeding about every 3 days and it would look like I had a blood bath and would last for several hours. I was referred to a gastroenterologist who treats radiation proctitis (one of his specialties). He did a sigmoidoscopy with an argon laser coagulation treatment which involved about 24 inches of the rectum / sigmoid colon. It has stopped the bleeding. The things I was being prescribed by prior doctors were only sort of cosmetic and would make me better for only a few days. Radiation proctitis is delayed damages from radiation and I was told that it can happen up to 20 years after an individual receives radiation. Hope this helps but the Argon Laser Coagulation Procedure has been wonderful for me because I was just before having to have blood transfusions had I stayed under the former gastroenterologist. He did not know about the argon laser procedure so I had to go out of town to find a specialist.

    Tocar is correct
    Radiation proctitis may take years to rear it's ugly head, and in other cases the onset is pretty soon after treatment ends. It just depends on the individual. After treatment, our blood vessels in that area are closer to the surface because the lining of the intestines has been damaged and thinned. Therefore, when stool passes by, especially hard stool, it rubs and causes bleeding. Thank you for sharing about the Argon Laser Coagulation.

    I know each and every one of us gets a scare when we see that blood--I know I do, even at 3 years post-treatment. It's always good to have it checked out if it is persistent and not related to bouts of constipation or diarrhea. Also, I think certain foods, such as spicy or highly acidic ones, can cause enough irritation on the lining of the intestines to trigger bleeding.

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