# Black Bowels



## 21973 (Jun 28, 2005)

I went to the bathroom this morning, and after having some hard stools, it was followed by loose, water black stools, which floated on the top of the water. Im sorry this sounds disgusting, but i figured waht better place to ask this than the ibs board? Could be some internal bleeding?Please help me out. Because of this, im missing a bridal shower and had to call in sick from work today.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Did you take any pepto bismol recently or activated charcoal?Usually bleeding high in the GI tract is black and tarry, and other things like pepto can turn stool black.However, new symptoms like this should be run past the doctor sooner rather than later.K.


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## 21973 (Jun 28, 2005)

I didnt take any pepto bismol. ALl i know is that yesterday, i ate a salad and some cake. Usually id get a tummy ache, but never would i get black stools. im just wondering what it could be.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Dark cake like devil's food or light cake.Some foods like grape juice can cause a dark green color on the way out (or things with artificial purple dye) that can look pretty black.I would see the doctor just in case it is upper GI bleeding.K.


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## 21973 (Jun 28, 2005)

well, the last few days, ive been eating less and less. could that be the problem? maybe coz im not taking in enough food? Im not anorexic or anything, but its just that ive been somewhat depressed. please help out. thanks


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Usually eating a small amount won't cause it.I'd really feel better if you had this checked out by the doctor just to be sure.K.


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## 22058 (Jun 29, 2005)

I had chocolate cake the other day. The next 2 days my stools were also black. I just figured it was from the cake.


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## 21973 (Jun 28, 2005)

i dont have insurance and the only doctor i could see is the school doctor from the university i go to. do you recommend any kind of insurance?


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## 19301 (Jan 26, 2006)

I've learned from experience that chocolate cake, blue, green, purple or black icing (so basically any dark icings)will cause this for 2-3 days afterwards.


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## 17176 (Mar 31, 2005)

hello and welcome mich


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## Prudy (Jan 21, 2006)

Yep... I know if I ate anything like chocolate or red drinks... of tomato sauce..or green jello... my stools came out the color of the food I ate.. Hence... since I have a hx of rectal bleeding I stay way from food the will abnormally color my stools.... and also... most of these are my trigger foods as well... sooooo haven't eaten them in awhile...But Kathy is right... get the black stools checked out... you never know.. Actually I have occult blood test kits here at home... and I test my own stools at times... since I have that history....


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## Jimb (Jan 18, 2006)

if you eat lots of vegetable your stool will be darker toward black. if you eat lost of meat then the color of your stool should be brown.


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## joy81499 (Nov 11, 2004)

Spinach makes some people's stools black as well - you mentioned a salad - I thought it might have been spinach.


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## 23677 (Apr 29, 2005)

Beetroot can give you a scare too on its way out. Stools can be maroon & the urine redish. I once had what the doctor thought was a split gullet due to something I ate & the stools were black for a day or so. When I had an endoscope everything was fine again.If your condition is ongoing I would definately have it seen to because you may become anaemic.


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