Hey, guys! I am hoping someone here might be able to put my mind at ease. I'm 28, male, and for a while now I have been suffering from this dull ache in my lower left pelvic area. Now, I am currently awaiting word to attend hospital for a colonoscopy (not a full one, though, just a partial one... I forget its name, it's called, like... a sigmoidoscopy?) because a stool sample showed slight traces of blood. Now, doctors say I have no cause for concern, as I am too young to be at risk, the blood is bright red, and my blood tests are strong (my doctor said, usually, anyone with any kind of colon cancer lose so much blood they're borderline anaemic) and I am not losing weight. So, I am not too frightened, but this discomfort in my lower left pelvis is starting to get annoying. I notice it most when I am sitting upright, but here's the funny thing... if I lay flat on the ground, and actually lay on my left side, meaning the left hand side of my body is pressed to the floor, I hardly feel any discomfort at all.
Does anyone have any idea at all what this may be? I appreciate any information that can be given to me.
Are you having any change in bowel habits? Does any food/stress set it off? Does the pain move around, change in type or intensity? If you are straining to pass stools or having diarrhoea, you maybe have a haemorrhoid or a fissure. It could also be IBS. Blood is not a symptom of IBS but some people get it with change of bowel habit.
Blood could also be a sign of IBD. A fecal calprotectin test will show if there is any sign of inflammation. Keep a food diary to check for intolerances, ask for an ultrasound, CT, endoscopy, celiac and get tested for h pylori.
There have been changes, Philippa, yes. My bowel movements are very unpredictable. Sometimes, I go as normal. Sometimes, I have diarrhoea. Sometimes, I hardly go at all. Sometimes, I go and it's painful and there is some bright red blood on the toilet paper, though I know that is from straining.
You could try Movicol laxative when you are constipated or fruit if it doesn't cause irritation. Imodium is also good for diarrhoea. Hopefully, the sigmoidoscopy will be clear.
I actually think fruit may be one of the main culprits. I'm hoping that's not the case, though, as fruit is the only healthy part of my diet, haha.
If you have IBS, eating healthy foods paradoxically may make you ill as well as eating processed/junk food. Stress is the trigger for me; I can eat any food.
I do suffer from anxiety, so that could be what's doing it for me too.