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Noticed Black Specks In Stool. What Could This Be?
Question: Hi. I have noticed these little black specs in my stool. They look like tiny pepper flakes and they are mixed all throughout my stool. My stool itself is a normal brown color. These little black specs are just mixed throughout it. I know that I have read blood would make the stool a unifom black. My stool is a normal brown but with tiny black specs( like tiny pepper flakes mixed in it). What could this be?? Could it be blood?
Hello, XXXXXXX,
I reviewed the medications you are on and as for Keflex, I don't
think it's breakdown products (Metabolites) have anything to cause
specks to appear in stool.
Zyrtec lists one of the gastrointestinal side effects as melena which
means black stools. It is possible you might be showing specks of
black mixed with your normal stool. However , I would advice you
to take a sample of your stool to a lab (Has to be a fresh sample)
and have them check it for hidden blood. If positive then you might
want to pursue further to find out where the blood is comimg from.
It could be small bleeding ulcers in the stomach.
Also get a blood count to make sure you are anemic.
Good luck,
wish you well.
I reviewed the medications you are on and as for Keflex, I don't
think it's breakdown products (Metabolites) have anything to cause
specks to appear in stool.
Zyrtec lists one of the gastrointestinal side effects as melena which
means black stools. It is possible you might be showing specks of
black mixed with your normal stool. However , I would advice you
to take a sample of your stool to a lab (Has to be a fresh sample)
and have them check it for hidden blood. If positive then you might
want to pursue further to find out where the blood is comimg from.
It could be small bleeding ulcers in the stomach.
Also get a blood count to make sure you are anemic.
Good luck,
wish you well.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you doctor for answering my question. I definitely plan on seeing my doctor to get a lab to check my stool.
I did read up on the cause of it being possible melena. Everything I read about it said that melena would cause the stool to look black and tar like. my stool however was a normal color ( light brown). It just had little black pieces or specs of stuff in it. ( it actually looked as if there was pepper sprinkled in my stool) I could actually see the little pieces when I wiped on the tissue paper. They came away from the stool, like not part of it, just mixed in it. Is this also considered melena??
I have had blood work done recently, last week and it was all normal, so no anemia.
I did read up on the cause of it being possible melena. Everything I read about it said that melena would cause the stool to look black and tar like. my stool however was a normal color ( light brown). It just had little black pieces or specs of stuff in it. ( it actually looked as if there was pepper sprinkled in my stool) I could actually see the little pieces when I wiped on the tissue paper. They came away from the stool, like not part of it, just mixed in it. Is this also considered melena??
I have had blood work done recently, last week and it was all normal, so no anemia.
Hello, XXXXXXX,
Techniically, by definition, melena means black stools.
If you have not been ingesting something that has XXXXXXX seeds which are black and can show up in
stool, I would still want to rule out slow bleeding.Hope this answers your concern.
Techniically, by definition, melena means black stools.
If you have not been ingesting something that has XXXXXXX seeds which are black and can show up in
stool, I would still want to rule out slow bleeding.Hope this answers your concern.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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