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Does Excessive Fluid Intake Cause Rectal Bleeding?

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Posted on Wed, 19 Jul 2017
Question: last week I was worried that i had messed up the sodium in my blood by drinking too much water. I had been drinking about a gallon in like 10 minutes everyday for a month. I didn't want to go to the doctor so I put a LOT of salt in a little water and drank it. I almost couldn't breathe. Once I was able to regain control over my breathing, when i coughed I thought I tasted blood. I didn't see any and it went away. Tonight, a week and a half later, I had some very hard stool in my rectum and I wanted to get it out, so I used my finger to get it out and a lot of red blood came out into the toilet. Am I bleeding internally?


how long is it going to take to get an answer? I am not currently bleeding. The only blood was when I used my finger to get the stool out. I do not feel faint or dizzy and my color is fine.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (47 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Rule out bleeding disorder

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for trusting HealthcareMagic

Bleeding you experienced is unrelated to sodium levels. Drinking too much water can cause a decrease in sodium levels which is characterised by confusion,seizures, vomiting etc but not bleeding. You need to drink more than 5 litres of water a day to develop such symptoms, otherwise your body will regulate sodium levels by itself.

Since you are complaining of bleeding from multiple sites the probable causes could be medications like aspirin/warfarin , bleeding problems like decreased platelets, coagulation factor deficiencies.
You will need stool analysis, sputum analysis and culture, complete blood count, bleeding and clotting time, coagulation factor levels .

Another possibility is that if you had bled only from rectum, then likely cause is hemorrhoids or anal fissures due to constipation.
A proctoscopic examination can rule out these conditions.

Please be advised to follow up with your primary care provider for further evaluation and management.

Hope this answers your question
Please address further questions here
Regards
Dr.Lekshmi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (29 minutes later)
how urgent is this. can I wait to make an appointment with my primary care next week?

thank you so much for your response. How urgent is it that I get this testing done to rule out a bleeding disorder? Can I wait to be able to make an appointment with my primary care next week? Like I said, I'm not even sure if I did taste blood in my cough and I certainly didn't see any.

I think it is only rectal bleeding from hemorrhoids or fissures. I haven't had any other taste of blood except for that one time a week and a half ago, and I'm not even sure I tasted it.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (58 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Follow up answer

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

You're welcome

If it was only rectal bleeding then hemorrhoids, anal fissure are likely possibility.
This is not an urgent situation.Yoh can follow up with your primary next week.

Meanwhile, drink plenty of water and include fiber rich food like oat XXXXXXX veggies,fruits to avoid constipation.
You can also take Psyllium based laxatives .

Hope this answers your question
Please address further questions here
Regards
Dr.Lekshmi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (4 hours later)
yes thank you so much!!! I feel much better.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
You're welcome

Detailed Answer:
And thank you for trusting HealthcareMagic for your health concern
We are always here to answer you queries
If you do not need further clarification, please rate and close this discussion.
Wishing you good health
Dr.Lekshmi
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (14 hours later)
if it is a bleeding disorder, how urgent is it that I get to the doctor?

also, I am not having any further symptoms of tasting blood and haven't had any in a week and a half. It was just the one time and I'm not even sure if i tasted it. I don't know about blood in my stool because I have not had a bowel movement yet. I am still very constipated
doctor
Answered by Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal (14 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Follow up answer

Detailed Answer:
Hello again,

Since you do not have active bleeding right now, it is not an emergency even if it is a bleeding disorder.You can follow up with your doctor next week as scheduled.

And here are few things to try to relieve constipation
-Drink plenty of water
-avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks
-Exercise daily
-Diet rich in fiber like oat, XXXXXXX fruits and vegetables
- You can try dulcolax and Psyllium based laxatives

Try these for next few days and follow up with your physician next week as scheduled.

Hope this answers your question
Please address further questions here
Regards
Dr.Lekshmi
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2012

Answered : 3808 Questions

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Does Excessive Fluid Intake Cause Rectal Bleeding?

Brief Answer: Rule out bleeding disorder Detailed Answer: Hello, Thank you for trusting HealthcareMagic Bleeding you experienced is unrelated to sodium levels. Drinking too much water can cause a decrease in sodium levels which is characterised by confusion,seizures, vomiting etc but not bleeding. You need to drink more than 5 litres of water a day to develop such symptoms, otherwise your body will regulate sodium levels by itself. Since you are complaining of bleeding from multiple sites the probable causes could be medications like aspirin/warfarin , bleeding problems like decreased platelets, coagulation factor deficiencies. You will need stool analysis, sputum analysis and culture, complete blood count, bleeding and clotting time, coagulation factor levels . Another possibility is that if you had bled only from rectum, then likely cause is hemorrhoids or anal fissures due to constipation. A proctoscopic examination can rule out these conditions. Please be advised to follow up with your primary care provider for further evaluation and management. Hope this answers your question Please address further questions here Regards Dr.Lekshmi