This topic is about someone who has been living with a colostomy for 17 months and is experiencing some unexpected symptoms. They are dealing with strong "phantom" rectal urges and pain in the remaining bowel segment. Recently, they noticed blood coming from the rectal stump for the first time and are concerned about whether this is normal, especially since they are planning to go on holiday soon.

Here are some helpful insights and advice:

1. It's common to see clear or cloudy-white mucus from a rectal stump. However, if the mucus is pink-tinged or bloody, it might indicate an infection or inflammation, such as pouchitis, recurrent ulcerative colitis, or a small anal fissure.

2. Infections in the rectal stump can make phantom bowel-movement pain worse. If pouchitis is suspected, a short course of antibiotics is often prescribed.

3. If infections keep coming back or don't go away, doctors might suggest removing the rectal stump completely.

4. For pain and inflammation relief, Anucort HCl 25 mg suppositories can be very effective for phantom rectal pain and are usually more affordable than Cortifoam hydrocortisone products.

5. It's not unusual for phantom urges and occasional bleeding to continue for years after surgery, even if there are no serious complications.

6. If you notice bleeding or changes in the color of the mucus, it's important to seek medical advice promptly, especially before traveling.