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What Causes Black Stool?

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Posted on Mon, 30 May 2016
Question: My wife's bowel movement is black. She has taken a laxative called movantik.
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Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (38 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Black stools can indicate bleeding from the stomach:

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Some medications, such as Pepto Bismol (Bismuth) and supplements (such as iron) can give the stool a black color and this is innocuous. But if her stools are black and tarry, this can be from bleeding from the stomach. The acid in the stomach acts on blood that's present to turn it black and tarry. While none of the medications you listed are known to give stool a black appearance (although I do not know what "trap adobe" is that your listed), it is possible that the medications, such as the Movantik, could be causing bleeding.

When stools are black and tarry from bleeding, rather than passing obvious blood in the stool, it usually means that the bleeding isn't brisk enough to be passed through the digestive tract as XXXXXXX blood. However it still needs to be evaluated and treated.

So I advise that she go in to be evaluated.

I hope this information helps and that you can get this sorted out promptly.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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What Causes Black Stool?

Brief Answer: Black stools can indicate bleeding from the stomach: Detailed Answer: Hello, Some medications, such as Pepto Bismol (Bismuth) and supplements (such as iron) can give the stool a black color and this is innocuous. But if her stools are black and tarry, this can be from bleeding from the stomach. The acid in the stomach acts on blood that's present to turn it black and tarry. While none of the medications you listed are known to give stool a black appearance (although I do not know what "trap adobe" is that your listed), it is possible that the medications, such as the Movantik, could be causing bleeding. When stools are black and tarry from bleeding, rather than passing obvious blood in the stool, it usually means that the bleeding isn't brisk enough to be passed through the digestive tract as XXXXXXX blood. However it still needs to be evaluated and treated. So I advise that she go in to be evaluated. I hope this information helps and that you can get this sorted out promptly.