What Causes Severe Diarrhea Along With Mucus And Blood In Stool?

Posted on Sat, 18 Jul 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 18 Jul 2015 Answered on

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi there, hope you can help. I'm sick of being fobbed off with 'it's IBS' .. for several years I've had bouts of severe diarrhoea that lasts for weeks & weeks & explodes into the toilet. This along with feeling sick constantly, wind, blitzed tummy & pain & wanting to sleep all the time. Now when I feel I need to have a pooh I'm just farting out a load of mucus along with blood & what looks like period clots. What could it be?

Answered by Dr. Kathy Robinson (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
innflammatory bowel

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
It sounds more like inflammatory bowel than irritable bowel. Or it could be some sort of colitis. In any case you need to have a colonoscopy (lower endoscopy) with biopsies and possibly an upper endoscopy to make the diagnosis. Mucus and blood in the stool is not something that occurs with irritable bowel.
There are two types of inflammatory bowel disease Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. There are infectious types of colitis also.
The only way to get a good diagnosis is to get endoscopy done (upper and/or lower) and have biopsies done.
Until you get in to see the gastroenterologist here are some things to try. Add a probiotic twice a day on an empty stomach. Avoid all alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, gluten and dairy.
Drink plenty of water and exercise daily, at least walking for 30 minutes. Take a multivitamin daily and extra vitamin C.
Let me know if you have further questions,
Regards
Dr. Robinson

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