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Blood In Stool After Eating Cheese. Have Borderline Diabetes, Atrial Fib And Overweight. Reason?

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Posted on Wed, 27 Jun 2012
Question: Why do I get red blood in my stool after I eat cheddar cheese?
diabetes boderline
atrial fib
overweight
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (37 minutes later)
Hello,

Thanks for the query.

I would like to make it very clear at the outset that eating cheddar cheese would not have caused blood in stools unless you are lactose intolerant. Although late onset lactose intolerant is known but it is a very uncommon disease. But I must add here that stools tend to become reddish because of foods items like beetroot, artificial colouring, spices, etc.

In this circumstance, I think the more likely cause would be bleeding secondary to the warfarin you are taking.
Please do not ignore the issue and consult your physician for a work up on the site of bleeding.

Hemorrhoids and other lower gut pathologies are to be considered next if warfarrin induced bleeding is ruled out by your physician

I encourage you to consult your treating physician. The initial work up for you should include complete blood count with peripheral smear, prothrombin time and INR, stool for occult blood.

I hope I have answered your query, if you have no further queries please accept my answer.

I wish you good health

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (10 hours later)
I have had the bleeding with the cheese for a few years before I started taking warfarin.

As a child I refused milk and cheese. I did start eating it only when my doctor told me I must because I was pregnant in my twenties and thirties.

Could it be just lactose intolerance that for some reason is worse with cheese than it is with ice cream or milk?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (14 hours later)
Hello,
Thanks for replying.
Since you give a typical history of avoiding dairy products it is quite possible that you are lactose intolerant.
Please approach a gastroenterologist for a hydrogen breath test and a stool acidity test. In your particular case, it is worth doing a colonoscopy and an endoscopy to know the cause of bleeding.
Please avoid cheese and other milk products until you XXXXXXX your doctor. I would still suggest that a prothrombin time (international normalized ratio) PT/INR level be done to rule out a warfarin related complication.
Regarding the issue of cheese causing more symptoms of lactose intolerance, the converse has been found to be true. The fermentation process reduces the lactose content and actually causes fewer symptoms as compared to milk.
I wish you good health

Regards
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Aparna Kohli
doctor
Answered by
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Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha

Nephrologist

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 4364 Questions

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Blood In Stool After Eating Cheese. Have Borderline Diabetes, Atrial Fib And Overweight. Reason?

Hello,

Thanks for the query.

I would like to make it very clear at the outset that eating cheddar cheese would not have caused blood in stools unless you are lactose intolerant. Although late onset lactose intolerant is known but it is a very uncommon disease. But I must add here that stools tend to become reddish because of foods items like beetroot, artificial colouring, spices, etc.

In this circumstance, I think the more likely cause would be bleeding secondary to the warfarin you are taking.
Please do not ignore the issue and consult your physician for a work up on the site of bleeding.

Hemorrhoids and other lower gut pathologies are to be considered next if warfarrin induced bleeding is ruled out by your physician

I encourage you to consult your treating physician. The initial work up for you should include complete blood count with peripheral smear, prothrombin time and INR, stool for occult blood.

I hope I have answered your query, if you have no further queries please accept my answer.

I wish you good health

Regards