I am a 43 year old woman that is considered to be fairly healthy. I have been experiencing periods of constipation and diarrhea for approximately 6-8 months. Recently, I have been experiencing changes in my stool, with mucus present almost always and sometimes, very faint red swipes of blood on the toilet paper. I am having mild pain in the lower left part of my stomach and feeling bloated and gaseous. At times, I am fearful to be very far away from the bathroom. Doctor ordered labs for stool samples in the past week and a half. She called and has referred me to see a Gastroenterologist (the appointment is this week). I am very anxious to find out what is causing the problem and to find some sort of treatment. What do you think could possible be going on?