Is Rectal Bleeding Normal After Colostomy Surgery?

I woke up this morning with my stomach feeling hard as if it was full of gas. I have a colostomy. I'm about 5 weeks post-surgery. Anyway, I'm standing there and have the urge to pass gas through my rectum. That scared me, and a minute later I felt a little bubble come out. I went to the bathroom, and when I wiped, there was a brownish blood on my toilet paper. It seeped out of me all morning but seems to have stopped now. Do I need to go in and get checked, or is this sometimes normal?

To be on the safe side, I would go see your doctor.

I agree. It doesn't sound quite right. Let us know how it turns out.

Terry

Probably normal, but best not to assume... call your surgeon.

You will experience mucus passing through the anus. This is normal. Why does it happen?

The rectal stump continues to function, even though it is disconnected from the colon. Mucus is produced to help lubricate the colon, assisting with peristalsis to move stool forward.

Since the rectal stump will no longer have stool passing through it, mucus will accumulate. Thus, it will be expelled via the anus.

Our colon is efficient at removing water from stool. Thus, mucus can have its water removed, drying it out. Occasionally, a dried-out lump of mucus will be hard to expel, causing discomfort and pain, and a little bleeding.

After a couple of years with a rectal stump, inflammation occurs due to diversion proctitis. Stool passing through delivers vital short-chain fatty acids, which are a normal source of energy for the colon's lining cells. These SCFAs are produced by gut bacteria and are normally present in the fecal stream.

Since stool is no longer present, inflammation sets in.

This inflammation will cause bleeding, which will be expelled through the anus.

Visit your doctor. Get checked out. Never assume anything.

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Five weeks isn't a very long time, and this sort of thing is not uncommon in the early weeks. But as usual, always run this past your professionals for peace of mind.

I agree with everyone saying to get it checked out, but I wanted to add that I had a polyp in my colon that was bleeding. Try not to worry about it until you find out. 🙏

Sorry it took so long to respond. I went to the doctor, and they said that because my colostomy is reversible, I have staples holding my colon shut and that it is common for gas and even stool to sometimes slip through the staples. It hasn't happened again. I'm thankful because it scared me.