Question by Mike G: Can Celiac Disease cause blood in the stool?
I had a physical exam about 6 years ago that included 3 stool samples. Analysis indicated blood in all 3 samples though not visible to the naked eye. A colonoscopy did not indicate anything unusual and I was told not to worry about it. Last year one of my physicians suspects that I have Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder characterized by a food protein (gluten) that when ingested damages the inner lining of the small intestines. I wonder if that could be the source of minute amounts of blood loss in my stools? Anyone with a similar scenario or familiar with this?
Best answer:
Answer by biogal
Many things can cause blood in the stool. Celiac disease is one of them. Five years ago one of my three stool samples was questionable for blood. I was also anemic and had digestive problems for many years. The doctor sent me for an upper endoscopy and a colonoscopy. Everything looked fine, so they did not take any biopsies to check for celiac. I did not know about celiac disease then, and no one suggested that this could be the problem. Three years later I developed Dermatitis Herpetiformis (blistery rash) and was diagnosed with Celiac with a duodenal biopsy and blood tests. I believe the blood in the stool comes from the inflammation in the intestines due to the autoimmune reaction against the gluten.
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