Bloody or Dark Stool

Gastrointestinal Bleeding/Anemia

Anemia from gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding can have multiple causes. Upper GI bleeding is caused by ulcers, inflammation of the stomach lining or stomach cancer. Bleeding in the lower GI tract can be attributed to intestinal polyps, abnormal blood vessels, colorectal cancer, hemorrhoids, infectious diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease.

The symptoms of GI bleeding.
Gastrointestinal bleeding has a number of symptoms, including blood in the stool or on toilet paper as well as stools that are black or very dark. Sometimes, slow GI bleeding can be "silent," without any noticeable change in bowel movement or stool. These people are often anemic and display pale skin color, shortness of breath and weakness.

Anemia can have serious consequences.
Losing blood means losing red blood cells, which contain the substance hemoglobin that carries life-giving oxygen. A deficiency of hemoglobin leads to a lack of sufficient oxygen to the organs and other tissues, which can have a wide range of consequences to your health. So gastrointestinal bleeding must be identified and diagnosed so it can be treated and stopped.

At Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants, our board-certified GI specialists provide comprehensive diagnosis of suspected gastrointestinal bleeding and anemia backed by years of advanced training and hands-on experience. We offer these and other diagnostic procedures:

• Upper endoscopy to evaluate the esophagus, stomach & duodenum

• Capsule endoscopy to diagnose problems in the small intestine

• Colonoscopy to evaluate for bleeding in the lower digestive tract

We perform most scope procedures in our state-of-the-art endoscopy center, where we can get you in quickly, cater to your comfort and protect your privacy and give you the specialized, compassionate care you deserve. Call us today.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call your doctor or call us today at 978-459-6737.