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What Casues Dark Bowel Movement?

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Posted on Mon, 29 Sep 2014
Question: I had one dark bowel movement. Rather decent size bowel movement. Normal in texture and size, but it was the darkest brown (Not sure if I would call it black) that I had ever seen. No foul smells. This was in the evening. Earlier that day, I had a large coffee for breakfast, a pumpkin latte alittle later, than for a lunch I had a piece of my son's b-day dairy queen blizzard cake (has dark fudge and dark cookie crumbles in the middle). Then mac & ch along with meatloaf at dinner. After that bowel movement, all has been back to a normal color.
I had a colonoscopy 3 years ago. Everything normal- no pulips. Some hemrhoids. Which I do get some bleeding with once in a while (bright red). I also had a upper scope done 3 years ago due to my dad having esophaugus cancer (a hereditary kind). But I was fine. No barrets , or no acid reflux issues other than a small hiadle hernia. (spelling this stuff is not correct, lol). I do take prilosec to help that though 3 times a week.
Should I watch to see if it would happen again. I kinda think it was my diet.
p.s. the entire bowel movement was the same dark color

doctor
Answered by Dr. Saumya Mittal (27 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Get stool for occult blood

Detailed Answer:
Hi
I have read your query
I dont think you need to worry
I feel that the colour must have been dark, probably due to the food pigments.
Black stools are due to a bleed in the upper GIT
Red blood in stools is due to the lesion in the lower GIT like the rectum/anus eg hemorrhoids.
So those two conditions are different. And you should not associate them

However I feel it would be a good idea to give a test- stool for occult blood. I will agree that it will probably be negative. But that will only confirm that there is nothing wrong. So a test should be planned

Best of luck
Feel free to ask a related follow up query
Dr Mittal
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Saumya Mittal

Diabetologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 2897 Questions

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What Casues Dark Bowel Movement?

Brief Answer: Get stool for occult blood Detailed Answer: Hi I have read your query I dont think you need to worry I feel that the colour must have been dark, probably due to the food pigments. Black stools are due to a bleed in the upper GIT Red blood in stools is due to the lesion in the lower GIT like the rectum/anus eg hemorrhoids. So those two conditions are different. And you should not associate them However I feel it would be a good idea to give a test- stool for occult blood. I will agree that it will probably be negative. But that will only confirm that there is nothing wrong. So a test should be planned Best of luck Feel free to ask a related follow up query Dr Mittal