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Experiencing Pain And Abdominal Cramping. Suffer Diarrhea And Nausea. Stools Light In Color And Noticed Black Stones In Stools. Cause?
Question: I have been experiencing GI upset for the past several weeks. Pain, burning and abdominal cramping in my upper left abdominal area extending all the way to my back. The pain moves around and sometimes goes to my middle abdomen around my belly button and lately the pain has been mainly in my right abdominal area, centrally and lower part. The pain and discomfort does ease up at times, but has been for the most part pretty steady. I would qualify it in the mild to moderate range of intensity except when I am having extreme cramping and diahrea. Then it is severe. I have been also having diahrea and nausea at times depending on what I eat. My stools are very light in color, a light, light yellow and the past two days I have been passing small black stones. I am about to make an appointment with a gastroenterologist but due to the small black stones I am not sure it is something more serious needing immediate attention. What do you think might be the problem? Should I wait to see the GI doctor or go immediately to a walk in center or emergency room?
Hello
Thanks for your query.
Your history is very suggestive of gallstones.
These are stones in the gallbladder, leading to obstruction of the bile passage at times.
It can cause light coloured stools, passage of bile stones in the stool and pain and indigestion as described by you.
You have not mentioned history of jaundice ( yellowish discolouration of urine, eyes and stool ) which is very suggestive, and also history of fever.
Rarely the stones can impact in the passage and lead to pancreatitis and other complications.
If fixing an appointment with the gastroenterologist would take more than a couple of days, please visit the Walk in or the ER, and insist on an abdominal ultrasound ( ultrasound of the whole abdomen ) and necessary blood tests to rule out this condition.
Take care.
Thanks for your query.
Your history is very suggestive of gallstones.
These are stones in the gallbladder, leading to obstruction of the bile passage at times.
It can cause light coloured stools, passage of bile stones in the stool and pain and indigestion as described by you.
You have not mentioned history of jaundice ( yellowish discolouration of urine, eyes and stool ) which is very suggestive, and also history of fever.
Rarely the stones can impact in the passage and lead to pancreatitis and other complications.
If fixing an appointment with the gastroenterologist would take more than a couple of days, please visit the Walk in or the ER, and insist on an abdominal ultrasound ( ultrasound of the whole abdomen ) and necessary blood tests to rule out this condition.
Take care.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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