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hi red i know just how your feeling as ive been to the docs and had my lower bowel checked out because ive had blood on my stools sometimes. that was clear but now hes sending me to hospital in 6 weeks for a more in depth look and im feeling very down just as you describe with worry. did you explain to the surgery why you wanted to see the doc? the surgery i attend will get the doc to give you a ring even if you cant get an immediate appointment, perhaps you could try that at your surgery and see what they say.
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Hi,
My close friend has told me meat can make stools black, is there any truth in this?
Red
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i have seen on several threads that a number of things can alter the colour of stools but it doesnt mean its serious, it can be what youve eaten as you say but its better to get it checked out
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anxious is my middle name. the test i had at the doctors was where he inserted his finger in my back passage to feel for lumps , that was only about a minute at most and then on my 2nd visit they inserted a flexible tube up my bottom which has a camera on the end so the doc can see anything there that needs sorting, again it only seemed a short time and it felt a little strange but nothing to get up tight about and believe me it doesnt take a lot to get me going. the tests were clear so now hes sending me to hospital where there going to insert a longer tube to look higher in the bowel and they give you relaxants etc for that. cant say i much like the idea of that but my wifes had this and many other tests done in the recent past without getting to upset. its just im such a wimp but it needs to be done so ive got to accept it.
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Hi,
I did not go to the doctors as my stools appeared to look normal Thursday and Friday and then my anxiety lifted from me, I was happier.
But today (Saturday), I went to the toilet, thought I would just check once more and bit's of black in there again.
I'm starting to ask myself is it down to food or is it something serious?
Yesteday was my birthday so I had the day off work and had a cooked breakfast in the morning up town (bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, mushrooms and black pooding) and I went out for a meal late last night (chicken, chips, peas and gravy) and two pints of beer.
Could any of yesterdays food cause any black parts in the stools?
Red
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Erm, yes, the clue's in the name and ingredients, in black pudding!! This is just blood after all, so it makes sense that there would be balck bits in your stools! Are you actually in any pain at all? I think if there were something very serious going on, you would have black sludge/jelly in your stool and be in quite a lot of pain. Sorry, don't mean to sound rude, but I really don't think you have anything to worry about. try cutting meat out of your diet for a week and see if that helps!
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Hi,
I don't have any pain when going and I think I will try cutting out meat for the next 7 days, see if things go back to normal again.
Red
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Hi,
I have had an interesting time of late.
Some days, my stools are just normal brown and other days like today there appears flakes of black in the stool.
Last night i ate a balti and this morning my stools looked ok but this afternoon there are flakes of black in them.
Can this be normal as stools are 95% brown?
Red
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HELLO,
I'M SURE BLACK STOOLS ARE CAUSED BY IRON DEFICIENCY.
SOMEONE I KNOW HAD DARK BLACK STOOLS AND HAD BLOOD TESTS, TURNED OUT SHE WAS ANEMIC. LACK OF IRON CAUSES DARK STOOLS
LAURA
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I'm sure they are completely normal - I've wasted many hours analysing mine and worrying myself silly! Probably most people have this but don't bother looking too closely!
My nurse friend assures me that if I had blood in my stools, I would know about it. She also told me that I need to stop looking for proof that I am ill, because I'm not!
My advice would be to see your GP if you are really worried, and maybe get a blood test or stool sample (just to put your mind at rest, not because I think there's anything wrong) or, if you can cope without this, then to stop looking. I started making myself go to the loo in the dark because I was getting so stressed out about it!
Caroline