# very dark stools



## elvesrock (Nov 21, 2003)

is this a thing to be concerned about? i barely ever have yellow or brown stools, just very dark brown. not black, dont get me wrong just darkish. im constipated so does this have anything to do with it or just the food i eat? im worried.


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## BBDM (Oct 17, 2003)

I also find that when I've been constipated my stool gets very dark. Could be something you are eating. It'd probably be best if you call the Dr and see if he wants a sample.


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I wouldn't think there would be anything to worry about. Tarry black is what you have to watch out for or, on the other hand, pale (clay) colored.


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## rickoshea (Nov 23, 2003)

Hipjan - what's wrong with pale stools ? , is that a gallbladder thing ?


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## murky_waters (Feb 10, 2004)

Yes, what is pale clay colored indicate? I think I might have this and am concerned.Thanks, ~~murky


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## elvesrock (Nov 21, 2003)

then that means i am ALWAYS constipated


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## jbaz (May 9, 2001)

This could be simply from what is in anyvitamins you may be taking, for me severalincluding iron, magnesium etc will do this


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

I had very pale (almost white) stools after gallbladder surgery, then they turned to yellow-tan. Very pale means that little if any bile has gotten into your intestine for digestion. I think yellowy is supposed to mean you might not be able to digest fats well.


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## xxfakeasmile (Jan 23, 2004)

so, dark stools don't have anything to do with constipation?i thought yellow stools were supposed to be good. does that mean people that have dark stools are more likely to be fat because they digest fat well? hmm??


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## HipJan (Apr 9, 1999)

no, yellow does not equal "good" (but not necessarily that bad either). dark stools, as long as they aren't black, are not abnormal. if you digest or deal with your fat well, it's a good thing! e.g., I'd think you'd have lower cholesterol in the blood, etc., etc.never heard about the theory of dark stools and constipation - but who knows? until my gb surgery, I had darkish stools most of the time and I certainly wansn't constipated.


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## BearNecessities (Aug 9, 2003)

I agree with HipJan. Unless your stools are black, you do not have anything to worry about.Dark brown stools are completely normal. It is the black stools that I would be worried about.


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## SpAsMaN* (May 11, 2002)

elvesrock,i just saw on tv that black stools maybe attributed to blood in the stools cause by an ulcer or others worst things.If this continued,you should get a breath test for ulcer and see your doc.


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## m_m_forth (Oct 21, 2003)

stool colour can be a simple indicator of how long your stool has been in your intestinal tract. Yellow means a short time (as the colour comes from bile) while dark brown means a longer time (largely because the bile is removed). Also, the longer a stool is around the firmer it will be because one of the jobs of the large intestine is to reabsorb fluid. DOn't worry about your stool colour unless it is BLACK. Yes this can mean Ulcers or stomach cancer (the blood turns balck when it interacts with bile and stomach acid).


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## xxfakeasmile (Jan 23, 2004)

i knew i was always constipated. i have very dark brown stool that is really firm, and looks like pellets stuck together. how long does this mean my stool has been in for?


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## m_m_forth (Oct 21, 2003)

Hard to know. I think you can do a test on this at your Doc's office (a transit test?). They use a marker and track it I think.


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