Bleeding Veins

[seekerone]

Three and a half years ago a blood test revealed that I was severely anemic.  An endoscopy and colonoscopy revealed bleeding
from veins.  Several sores were in the stomach and one in the colon.  They were cauterized but when checked a year later, the sores were again bleeding.  The doctor said the condition must be hereditary because blood tests didn't show kidney or liver disease.  I cannot find any medical information on this condition, whatsoever.  I am worried about how this condition may progress and if there is a method of treatment that will sustain a patient with this condition.  If this is a hereditary condition, is there a name for it?

[Kevin Pho, MD]

One condition that may be considered is arteriovenous malformations - or angiodysplasia.  These are aberrent vessels in the GI tract and can certainly cause the symptoms you are describing.  This disease can occur in conjunction with blood disorders (like von Willebrand's disease) or kidney disease.

Treatment is normally endoscopic - using lasers, sclerotherapy, band therapy, or plasma coagulation.

Surgery can be considered if the symptoms are refractory to the endoscopic treatment.  

These options can be discussed with your GI physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b

[yoshi]

do you take aspirin or any medication or even food which thin out your blood??
whatever the substance is called in aspirin is used in rat poison-when the rat eats the poison,it thins out its blood.since rats will eat anything ,it would swallow hard substance like nails or small stones and it would slash its intestine  lining,since the blood has be thinned,it wont clot easily and the rat dies of internal hemoraphage(sorry cant spell it right).
Garlic is also known to thin blood,I have found chives to do so too,altho I cant find any research which mention chives having such attribute.

[kimbacat]

Yoshi,

I think you are referring to the blood thinner, warfarin (trade name Coumadin), and not aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).

[yoshi]

l

[yoshi]

back in the late 70s,I know a person with varicose vein and he took aspirin,back then that was what the doctor adviced.