Do I need to contact a doctor if there is blood in my stool?

This question was asked in Irvine, California on 12/16/2011.
There has been blood in my stool for the past week, or at least I've been noticing it over the past week. I haven't contact my doctor yet and am trying to find as much information as possible. What should I do?

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Doctors Answers (1)

David Myles Nolan
Answered on: 12/16/2011

Absolutely! Blood in the stool can be a sign of many serious conditions within the GI tract including peptic ulcer disease or even cancers. It is important to have this properly evaluated early on to prevent damage from low blood levels to your body.