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What Causes Dark Greenish Stool Followed By Reddish Stool?
Question: Hi,
I have been eating a lot of salads and had three roasted beets in the past few days. This morning I had a large bowel movement which half of it was dark dark sort of green ish colour and the other half was red-maroon-ish. I've had a few small bowel movements since then and they were brown-reddish. Less red and more brown each time. I'm fairly healthy and in my early 20s. Should I be seeing a doctor?
I have been eating a lot of salads and had three roasted beets in the past few days. This morning I had a large bowel movement which half of it was dark dark sort of green ish colour and the other half was red-maroon-ish. I've had a few small bowel movements since then and they were brown-reddish. Less red and more brown each time. I'm fairly healthy and in my early 20s. Should I be seeing a doctor?
Brief Answer:
Detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Reddish stool always causes some discomfort as it might contain a blood. If the blood is mixed with the stool, the problem should not be left alone. It may indicate some bleeding from hemorrhoids (most common reason), bacterial infection or even inflammatory bowels disease. The last one is more possible if you have also had some weight loss, bloating, abdominal pain.
Salads intake is rather not the reason of reddish stool.
So I suggest you to consult your doctor (this is not an urgent issue). Stool test should be done to see if there is any blood out there.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Reddish stool always causes some discomfort as it might contain a blood. If the blood is mixed with the stool, the problem should not be left alone. It may indicate some bleeding from hemorrhoids (most common reason), bacterial infection or even inflammatory bowels disease. The last one is more possible if you have also had some weight loss, bloating, abdominal pain.
Salads intake is rather not the reason of reddish stool.
So I suggest you to consult your doctor (this is not an urgent issue). Stool test should be done to see if there is any blood out there.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I was thinking the very maroon coloured stool would be a result of the beets since this would usually happen if i ate a lot of beets. i was more concerned with the dark green stool because i don't know if that would count as being dark because of blood. the stool before and after that have been fairly normal in colour.
Brief Answer:
.
Detailed Answer:
Dark green stool is fine. Bleeding from upper gastrointestinal tract (stomach mostly) give black like a tar stool. Not greenish. Its as black as its possible. And it smells kind specific (like an iron). So this is not the case for sure.
If your stool was more maroon than reddish, please try to avoid beets for some time and see if this will help.
Green stool can be made yellow if you put some intestinal bacteria in your diet. So please try also probiotic intake and see if all this together will help. If not, stool test is necessary.
.
Detailed Answer:
Dark green stool is fine. Bleeding from upper gastrointestinal tract (stomach mostly) give black like a tar stool. Not greenish. Its as black as its possible. And it smells kind specific (like an iron). So this is not the case for sure.
If your stool was more maroon than reddish, please try to avoid beets for some time and see if this will help.
Green stool can be made yellow if you put some intestinal bacteria in your diet. So please try also probiotic intake and see if all this together will help. If not, stool test is necessary.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
okay, thanks so much!
Brief Answer:
.
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
.
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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