I have a colonoscopy and endoscopy scheduled for june. I have a bad upper GI BLEED and they are doin more test. They are afraid cancer. Does it sound most lukely?

Hi Tanja. Hopefully you are consulting with a doctor about these symptoms. There are several conditions, some of which may bery serious, that could be causing these symptoms. If you look at the symptoms collectively then this could be due to conditions like hypothyroidism. Do not be fooled by the slight weight gain. Contrary to popular belief, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid gland) only causes moderate weight gain. However, the change in bowel habit with bloody stools can also occur with serious conditions like colorectal cancer. These are just some of the possibilities and you need to relay all of this information to your doctor. Further tests and scans are definitely warranted based on what you report.

Hi Allergy Parent. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. We are definitely not inferring that food intolerances are imaginary conditions. Food intolerances are very real conditions. However, as you may have noted the article discussed both intolerances and malabsorption syndromes as well as food allergies. So the food intolerance in quotes is being used as an umbrella term. For example lactose intolerance is a food intolerance where the body cannot digest lactose. Fructose malabsorption is not a problem with digestion but rather with absorption. Celiac disease is a reaction to gluten. So an allergy or malabsorption is not a food intolerance like lactose intolerance but people find that they cannot tolerate these foods for the other reasons mentioned. Hence we used the quotes to say that while you may find that you cannot tolerate certain foods its not always a typical food intolerance as we would look at lactose intolerance. Hope that clarifies the issue.

I do have a complaint about the article, however, that would be easily corrected. Under the large topic heading of Mucous Diarrhea there are several subheadings, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Food Poisoning, and “Food Intolerances.” By listing food in tolerances in quotes, when none of the other subheadings are, this article gives the impression that the things in that category, which include food allergies and Celiac disease, are imaginary or not something to take seriously. I am sure your site does not intend to give that impression since both conditions are very serious and food allergy in particular, is often life threatening. People with these conditions spend a lot of time trying to convince those around them to take their conditions seriously, they do not need educational sites such as this fighting against them.

Hi Iggy. There may be several reasons for mucus in the stool as you can see from the article above but one of the concerns in your age group is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It must not be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). You need to see a doctor as soon as possible and possibly undergo further investigations like a colonoscopy. While your symptoms may not be severe right now, IBD is a serious condition and sometimes may hold significant risks as your doctor will explain to you. However, with early diagnosis and proper treatment it can be managed well. Of course there could be other conditions causing this symptom so your doctor will advise your further.

Hi Joe. Most of these symptoms are present in a number of different conditions so the question is whether this is a single condition or multiple conditions. Some diseases can affect multiple systems simultaneously, like diabetes, HIV infection, autoimmune diseases and so on. The simultaneous weight loss is a cause for concern especially with constipation and mucus in the stool. These days one has to be attentive for early signs of conditions like colorectal cancer but do not be too concerned just yet. Rather see your doctor and have this checked up.

Hi Shaheed. As you can see above there are many possible causes. It depends on what other symptoms are present. Hemorrhoids is one of the more common causes for small amounts of mucus in the stool. Inflammatory bowel disease may be another relatively common cause. The accompanying symptoms like diarrhea, anal itching and so on can be helpful in identifying the most likely condition.