Question:
My mom went through surgery on Friday and she is having problems with blood

in her stool. She passed bloody stools on Saturday but they were black so the surgeon thought the bleeding had stopped. Yesterday she had her leak test and passed and she started the liquid phase of her diet plus walking. This morning I called to see if she was coming home and she said that now she is passing red blood in her stool. Has anyone else experienced this or know what it is? I am quite concerned and I feel so bad, I had this in April w/o complications and now my poor mom is going through this. Please let me know what you think. Thanks in advance.    — Robin B. (posted on August 26, 2002)

August 26, 2002
Hi, I thought this information might be helpful to you. Upper GI bleeding is evidenced through "tarry (black) stools". Frank blood is a sign of lower GI bleeding. Also can be from hemmorhoids...It is good that she is in the hospital so they can figure out why and where the source of the bleeding is. I am sure that you are frightened out of your wits, but she is in good hands (right?) and they will hopefully identify the source of the bleeding soon and that will take care of that. Take care, don't despair! She will be home before you know it.
   — Ann B.

August 26, 2002
I had my proximal RNY on 8/5/02. I experienced the exact same thing as your mom. I had my surgery at 8am on Monday morning and had my first bloody stool on Tuesday evening (by the way, they looked more like runny "bloody clots," similar to what you see during your period, than traditional stools). When they ran my labs on Wednesday, everything looked normal, so my sugeons let me go home on Thursday afternoon. It wasn't until Sunday that the bloody clots finally went away. I had my first normal bowel movement (with more "normal-looking stool) on Monday. But until then, I felt a bit uncomfortable (i.e., gassy/crampy). I saw my surgeons this morning for my 3 week post-op appointment. They think that I might have had a very mild bowel obstruction that caused the initial clots. In any case, I feel fine now, and have done quite well. Hope that helps!
   — Julie K.

August 26, 2002
Hi I had my lap RNY on 5/17/02. I also had bloody bm's with bright red blood. I needed a scope to repair a leak medically. Then I neede 7 pints of blood till my blood crit came back up to acceptable numbers. I also had a second scope to check it out. Went home in 7 days. No problems with any bleeding since then. Just make sure they check her out. I am sure she will be OK. Good luck to her and May G-D walk with her always.....Phoebe Kane aka Pheebs of The Oldies of WLS ( 50 and older Yahoo support group)
   — BOOMASMOM