What Causes Dark Stool In An Elderly Person?

Posted on Wed, 13 Jan 2016

Question: I have been experiencing dark stools accompanied by general debilitation for three days. I am 73 and active, and I follow a rather lean diet. Last friday I took someone to a restaurant and ate things that I never eat. By Monday night I felt poorly enough to skip supper, and Tuesday and Wednesday have been pretty much both poor. Tuesday night I ate some applesauce, and I had a miserable night as a result. How can I restore my stomach using the plain things I have at hand?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Muhammad Sareer Khalil (40 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Melena should be excluded

Detailed Answer:
Hello and Welcome

I appreciate your concern

In case of dark stool, melena should be excluded. It occurs typically with dark black stool due to an upper GI bleed. Blood loss chronically can lead to anemia thus leading to lack of energy, fatigue and weakness. Blood counts and ESR should be done. If its indeed melena then an upper GI endoscopy would be required to locate the bleeding site and treat it accordingly based on the cause. If its not melena then stool routine exam plus ova and parasite should be done to look for other causes. In the meanwhile, try to avoid any restaurant based complex diet and take simple meals.

Wishing you best of health

Thanks

Let me know if you have any query

Please consult your doctor before deciding on any further course of action.

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Dr. M.S. Khalil

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar