As you saw from the pictures of my colonoscopy, I have hemorrhoids. They're on the inside of my asshole--they are internal hemorrhoids. Those are the good kind. I didn't even know I had them until my colonoscopy 5 years ago. They can be scary sometimes because they can bleed. That's what happened last November when I had obvious blood in my stool three times in a week (yep, I blogged about them). So what's the takeaway here? Blood in your stool is not a reason to go to red alert. If it's bright red blood (in your poo), there's a pretty good chance it's due to hemorrhoids (if you're older, that is).
External hemorrhoids are the kind you don't want. They are in the outside of your asshole. Those can be really painful and itchy. My father had external hemorrhoids so bad once the only relief he could get was by sitting in a tub of warm water.
So, I still have hemorrhoids--5 years later. I probably always will. Most people develop hemorrhoids at some point in their lives. But it isn't a disaster (unless you're unlucky enough to get the external kind). IMO blood in your stool doesn't automatically mean a medical emergency. (Once again, I remind people I'm NOT a doctor, and this isn't meant to be medical advice.) Now, if you're bleeding profusely from your anus, for a long time, go see a doctor. If you're really concerned about something in your poo, go see a doctor. Otherwise, just enjoy your poo.
