What Causes Loss Of Appetite And Mucus In Stool?

Posted on Mon, 9 Nov 2015

Question: I have been having stomach issues for the past year, it first started off with loss of appetite for a couple of weeks, with ongoing muscus stools. I went to the Dr and he gave me some viles for occult blood tests, whick came back normal. I then went to the ER and had blood work done everything also came back normal so I brushed it off. A few months later I got the same symptoms, and had occult tests done and an abdominal Xray's which came back normal. Today a year from the last time I went to doctor, I just let out a stool and had traces of blood on the stool and toilet paper, i am nervous can it be cancer, and wouldnt have cancer showed up in Xrays I have read the bowl cancers take years to grow. I dont have insurance so I cant go to dr, I cant afford it. Could it be a internal hemorhoid? Here is the picture of my stool it was redder then the pic but my camera is not good.

Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Not cancer. Work up for common causes of blood in stools needed

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for asking

I read your question and i understand your concern. Blood in stools has multiple possibilities other than cancer and more common. But it should always be worked up for the cause. so go to a doctor, let them have a look, your stool exam is normal except for the slight blood, let them have a digital rectal exam and if need be plan a colonoscopy etc to sort out the cause of this blood in stools. With no family history of colon cancer , bleeding per rectum should be considered for benign causes first.

Common things first like anal fissure, haemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, chronic constipation, hard stools etc should be considered first followed by wok up for rare causes .

I hope it helps. take good care of yourself and don't forget to close the discussion please.

Regards
Khan

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (9 minutes later)

This is the first time i have encountered blood, wouldnt the abdominal xray have showed blood?

Im sorry wouldnt the abdominal xray shown a mass

Answered by Dr. Shafi Ullah Khan (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Not cancer so no mass

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back to me

With this as a first episode only, that makes it more benign. I want you not to worry about it. Regarding x rays showing mass, as i mentioned earlier its not cancer not even remotely possible so the odds of something showing up on x ray is unlikely. Commonest causes like hemorrhoids, impacted stools, anal fissure, hard stools and chronic constipation and even something recent in diet like red wine, beet roots, pomegranate etc can mimic blood and should be considered.

I hope it explains.
Regards
Khan

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar