# \ Rectal Bleeding \ **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924 "2004-05-19T05:30:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kivvik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/cdc98d/32.png) [@kivvik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kivvik)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/1 "2004-05-19T05:30:17Z")
Alrighty… kind of an embarrassing question to ask. When I go to perform #2, the initial… deposits rather hurt coming out. When finished and beginning to wipe down, some of the feces is noticeably reddened. Also, blood is all in the first several wipes. Is this blood coming from the tearing of the rectal tissue by overly large/not soft enough stool? Or something much worse? =x ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/2 "2004-05-19T05:55:04Z")
This is a question you you really should ask your doctor. I can’t emphasize enough that getting advice from well meaning folks off the web isn’t a good idea where your health is concerned. If it hurts to poop you should probably get some more fiber in your diet but see your doc ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/3 "2004-05-19T06:02:46Z")
> [@Padeye](#): > > This is a question you you really should ask your doctor. This is the most important answer. Beyond that I’d say you probably have hemrhoids. My doctor once told me that most of the dangerous bleeding happened high enough up that it didn’t look like blood anymore by the time it came out. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/4 "2004-05-19T06:30:47Z")
I’m not a doctor, but a major hypochondriac, and the general rule about butthole bleeding is that if it’s red, it’s most likely happening “freshly at the moment of pooping” - you’re freshly tearing some tissue, or have hemhorroids that are bleeding and the blood is getting mixed in. If the blood is black or dark, that means it’s happening somewhere farther up and you should seriously freak out and get to a doctor immediately. ---
**Author:** ![suezeekay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@suezeekay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suezeekay)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/5 "2004-05-19T06:40:27Z")
When I had major GI bleeding from taking NSAIDS it was dark red; it would look red on the toilet paper, but in the toilet it was very dark red. And it wasn’t IN the bowel movement. My bowel would fill up, and I had to go, and it was just blood. sounds like hemorroids, but go see the doc just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/6 "2004-05-19T08:05:12Z")
…and it was helped by a warm sitzbath, but I too freaked out and got my ass to a doc ASAP. Quasi ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/7 "2004-05-19T12:36:41Z")
IANAD… One of my exes had that problem and it turned out to be polyps. Thery were removed and everthing was fine. There are probably a number of things that could be causing the bleeding. Even if it’s something as simple as a hemmoroid, the fact is, _you’re bleeding_ Please please please call a doctor. I cannot emphasize that enough. Waiting could turn something simple into a serious problem. Hope everything turns out well for you. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/8 "2004-05-19T13:11:42Z")
> [@kivvik](#): > > Alrighty… kind of an embarrassing question to ask. When I go to perform #2, the initial… deposits rather hurt coming out. When finished and beginning to wipe down, some of the feces is noticeably reddened. Also, blood is all in the first several wipes. Is this blood coming from the tearing of the rectal tissue by overly large/not soft enough stool? Or something much worse? =x It likely is blood coming from small tears inside the rectum, but even if it’s nothing more serious than that you should consult a physician. That way you can get advice about any necessary dietary changes. But since polyps or hemmoroids may be the cause and there’s a slight chance of some even more dangerous problem, you really need to speak with a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/9 "2004-05-19T13:18:22Z")
Seeing a doctor is probably not a bad idea, but, as was stated above, it sounds more like its occuring near the anus. For starters, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to try a higher-fiber diet for awhile. I usually eat pretty well, but recently after a week of eating essentially nothing but junk food, I stopped being able to poo. Minor bleeding, some pain when pooping, but raisin bran and dried apricots got everything back to normal pretty quick. Not to contradict the advice above, and don’t listen to people on the internet when it comes to health, but I’d probably rather try a week of prunes and Fruit ‘n’ Fiber than head straightaway to the assologist. ---
**Author:** ![brix11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@brix11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brix11)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/10 "2004-05-19T15:10:03Z")
Another possibility…anal fissure. Not pleasant, but treatable (at least in my case). Learn more here: [http://www.boardsailor.com/jack/af/](http://www.boardsailor.com/jack/af/) ---
**Author:** ![Bibliovore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Bibliovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bibliovore)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/11 "2004-05-19T15:28:43Z")
> [@CURIOUS\_GEORGIE7](#): > > IANAD… > > One of my exes had that problem and it turned out to be polyps. Thery were removed and everthing was fine. There are probably a number of things that could be causing the bleeding. Even if it’s something as simple as a hemmoroid, the fact is, _you’re bleeding_ > > Please please please call a doctor. I cannot emphasize that enough. Waiting could turn something simple into a serious problem. > > Hope everything turns out well for you. What the hell are polyps? ---
**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/12 "2004-05-19T15:35:05Z")
[What I need to know about colon polyps](http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/colonpolyps_ez/index.htm#4) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/13 "2004-05-19T21:53:49Z")
Fissure or hemorrhoids are the two most likely diagnoses, but as has been said here before already: **See your doctor!!!**. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tmi-rectal-bleeding-tmi/245924/14 "2004-05-20T00:21:09Z")
Damn right see your doctor!!! If you’re bleeding, you’re smooshing _germ laden SHIT_ into a wound! :eek: