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Suggest Treatment For Black Stool
Question: I've had black stools for two days.
Brief Answer:
black stools should not be ignored.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to health care magic,
I have read your whole query and understand the concern.
Certain foods (beets, licorice) and some other medications can also turn stool black, (including iron, bismuth pepto Bismol, loperamide).You may check if you have consumed any one of these for the past couple of days.
Black stools could also be a worrisome symptom since it may be indicative bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract, most often the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. Red blood cells from the blood are broken down by digestive enzymes and turn the stool black.
These stools tend to be tarry and foul smelling. This may need a medical attention and so black stools should not be ignored.
You should continue to take probiotics with some dietary change and would suggest you to wait for at least 1 day.Your stool color may return back to normal.
However,in case your dark stool remains persistent (for more than 3 or 4 days or if you develop clinical symptoms) then,I would advise you to see gastroenterologist who will take complete medical history with thoroughly clinical examination and advice you to undergo upper GI endoscopy.
Hope this will help you.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra
black stools should not be ignored.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Welcome to health care magic,
I have read your whole query and understand the concern.
Certain foods (beets, licorice) and some other medications can also turn stool black, (including iron, bismuth pepto Bismol, loperamide).You may check if you have consumed any one of these for the past couple of days.
Black stools could also be a worrisome symptom since it may be indicative bleeding into the gastrointestinal tract, most often the esophagus, stomach or duodenum. Red blood cells from the blood are broken down by digestive enzymes and turn the stool black.
These stools tend to be tarry and foul smelling. This may need a medical attention and so black stools should not be ignored.
You should continue to take probiotics with some dietary change and would suggest you to wait for at least 1 day.Your stool color may return back to normal.
However,in case your dark stool remains persistent (for more than 3 or 4 days or if you develop clinical symptoms) then,I would advise you to see gastroenterologist who will take complete medical history with thoroughly clinical examination and advice you to undergo upper GI endoscopy.
Hope this will help you.
Regards,
Dr.Sandip Kabra
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
Answered by
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