Can peptic ulcers lead to one’s death?

Dear James, much as people worry about their stool being black, the cause may be as harmless as having eaten certain foods or taken iron supplements for lack of blood (anaemia).

Bleeding from the nose and or swallowing blood, bleeding in the alimentary canal (stomach and intestines) and that blood then undergoing digestion can lead to dark stools.

A bleeding peptic ulcer or forceful vomiting or bleeding from the gullet due to a sick liver and high blood pressure in the liver blood vessels can lead to excrement of black stool.

Black stool from blood is called maleana and from food supplements or foods like karo (atapa) is called false maleana. If one has black stools, which is not due to food or to iron supplements, he or she has to see a doctor as soon as possible for tests including x-rays, endoscopy, colonoscopy and general tests including for anaemia.

This should be done even if one has no other symptoms such as vomiting or acute abdominal pain.

Dear doctor, almost everybody teases me about my weight. I have tried so many things but they have not helped. My last resort is now lemon. Will it help?
Venance Opio

Dear Venance, many Ugandans are taking lemon for reasons like to lose weight, a common cold or even healing of wounds. Here the chief lemon ingredient thought to be a panacea to all the said conditions is vitamin C.Since it is also thought that the more bitter the pill the more medicinal value, the bitterness in lemon then is confirmatory to the medicinal value rumours. Lemon as a fruit is a good source of vitamin c important in balancing ones diet and if one shows signs of vitamin C deficiency is likely to be of medicinal value.. Whereas ones weight may be in his genes, too much food intake especially when it is fatty, coupled with sedentary lifestyle are responsible for much of the obesity in Uganda that has now assumed epidemic proportions. Therefore eating less especially of fatty and sweet foods and exercise whose regimen can be properly advised by your doctor is likely.

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