Hemorrhoids :: Chronic Rectal Bleeding

I am a 23 year old male.

I've been having periodic rectal bleeding for some time now, and I haven't gone to a doctor because I can't muster the courage to do so (I'm just too ashamed to present this problem to my doctor and family), and the amount of blood is small enough for me to be calm about it and my overall health is good.

So I decided to ask a question here before I go to a MD. Also, I informed myself on this issue from various sources on the Internet.

I first experienced rectal bleeding back in the summer of 2013. I was shocked initially, but then I regained my calmness, and on the next day there was no blood in my stool. Then I had another bloody stool a month after that, then it went away after 2-3 days.

So for 2 years, the rectal bleeding is periodically appearing then fading away. Each time the rectal bleeding occurs a few seconds after I pass the stool. So when I pass the stool, the feces are perfectly normal, not mixed in with blood or looking tarry. The way I understand it, that when I pass the stool, it somehow manages to hurt my anal area and causes a small wound, which explains why several drops of blood fall on the toilet several seconds after the stool passes and goes into the toilet bowl.

After doing some research online, I (in my humble opinion) suspect that I have hemorrhoids. Each time I experience rectal bleeding, it's only a small amount. 2-4 drops of blood, rarely more, unless in cases when I pass a hard stool. Sometimes I experience minor anal pain, which fades away in a few hours.

I don't match the symptoms of colon cancer, and if you leave out the rectal bleeding, my health is great. So it was something serious, I'd be in real trouble by now, right?

So right now, I have normal stools for 1-2 weeks, then I have one bloody stool for 1-2 days, then again followed by 1-2 weeks of normal stools. It's been like this for nearly one year out of the 2 years.

Also, I am an athlete, and I already eat a green vegetable with almost every meal - a cucumber, a piece of lettuce, cabbage, etc.

What can you tell me based on what I've told you? Have I took a serious risk to my health by ignoring this issue for so long?

Also, I am thinking of finally going to my doctor, but I wanted to ask online first. What should I expect of my doctors visit? What kinds of questions? What kinds of exams? Treatment options?

I understand that what I'm doing is really foolish, but the shame of going to the doctor and explaining this issue to my family greatly outweighs the fear I have of this issue. I hope you understand.