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Taking Nexium For Reflux. Diagnosed With IBS. Have Chest Infection And Coughing Blood. Should I Go To ER?

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Posted on Wed, 6 Feb 2013
Question: Hi, I'm 33 year old male and for the last year I've had thin stools pretty much constantly. Maybe 4 times over the last year have they been full and solid. My doctor sent me for full blood tests and said it was IBS as I suffer with reflux also and take nexium for same. Over the last couple of months I've had a really bad chest infection on and off and lately I have been coughing up blood (I also have asthma). I was sent for a chest x-ray this morning, but somebody had said blood in saliva can be a cause of colon cancer. Should i go to A&E?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Mayank Bhargava (53 minutes later)
Hi XXXXXXX,
Welcome to XXXXXXX forum.

Let me know the associated features along with coughing and IBS.
Have you undergone colonoscopy previously? What was the report?
What was report of chest x ray?
Do you have altered bowel habits?
Do you have history of blood loss?
What was the color of blood? whether red or black.
Are you a smoker?
What was the amount of blood?

With the described symptoms and diagnosed disease, blood during coughing appears to be a separate entity.
Colon cancer could be associated with blood during coughing only when the cancer has already been spread to lungs.
With diagnosed history of IBS, there is least chances of colon cancer and blood coming out in coughing appears to be due to lung pathology.
Asthma is rarely associated with blood in cough.

With presence of chest infection, there may be some sort of edema in respiratory tract mucosa and excessive coughing may cause bleeding.
You should consult with XXXXXXX medicine specialist/ chest physician and should go for thorough check up.
If chest x XXXXXXX is normal then you should go for bronchoscopy (endoscopy of respiratory tract) to find out the cause of bleeding.
Meanwhile, you should take hemostatic medicine along with cough suppressants for relief.

Hope that helps.
Let me know if I can address any more concerns.
Take care,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Mayank Bhargava (17 hours later)
Hi Dr,
Thanks for your reply.
I went to ER last night and had 6 blood tests done, with one out of my main artery and Chest X-Ray done. All came back "crystal clear" according to nurse. and I may have 'ruptured' something. I have been taking creatine as I play sports and weight train, and was advised that creatine can inflame asthma and also irritate IBS and play havoc with your bowels etc.
My bowel habits are inconsistent to say the least. Most of the times my stools are large but flat/thin and on a rare occasion 'full'. The only times they have been 'full' is when I drink Guiness the night before. I rarely drink alcohol, don't smoke, and when I do drink, I'd have a few Guiness' just to be social.
The amount of blood was a teaspoon each time, maybe.
So far today I haven't coughed up blood in my sputum or otherwise, but in saying that, it's 10am in XXXXXXX and the day is young.
I am an awful worrier though, so apologies for the long winded XXXXXXX

Cheers XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Mayank Bhargava (38 minutes later)
Hi,
Serum creatinine is a renal function test and raised creatinine shows dysfunction of kidney and may be a cause of respiratory distress.
Clinically it resembles just like asthma.
If you are getting bowel movements daily then it should not be considered as constipation.
There appears to be high possibility of upper respiratory tract infection and you should consult with XXXXXXX medicine specialist.
Best regards,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

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

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2003

Answered : 1658 Questions

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Taking Nexium For Reflux. Diagnosed With IBS. Have Chest Infection And Coughing Blood. Should I Go To ER?

Hi XXXXXXX,
Welcome to XXXXXXX forum.

Let me know the associated features along with coughing and IBS.
Have you undergone colonoscopy previously? What was the report?
What was report of chest x ray?
Do you have altered bowel habits?
Do you have history of blood loss?
What was the color of blood? whether red or black.
Are you a smoker?
What was the amount of blood?

With the described symptoms and diagnosed disease, blood during coughing appears to be a separate entity.
Colon cancer could be associated with blood during coughing only when the cancer has already been spread to lungs.
With diagnosed history of IBS, there is least chances of colon cancer and blood coming out in coughing appears to be due to lung pathology.
Asthma is rarely associated with blood in cough.

With presence of chest infection, there may be some sort of edema in respiratory tract mucosa and excessive coughing may cause bleeding.
You should consult with XXXXXXX medicine specialist/ chest physician and should go for thorough check up.
If chest x XXXXXXX is normal then you should go for bronchoscopy (endoscopy of respiratory tract) to find out the cause of bleeding.
Meanwhile, you should take hemostatic medicine along with cough suppressants for relief.

Hope that helps.
Let me know if I can address any more concerns.
Take care,
Dr. Mayank Bhargava