Question:
Crystal Light - Kind of Gross Question

I have a question for all the post-ops. I am 13 days post-op and since I was getting sick of the water, I started drinking Crystal Light Strawberry Orange Banana. I've only drank about 20oz of it. I noticed twice last night and this morning that every time that I have a BM (I still am very loose) it comes out black and red. When I flush toilet all the water turns red. There is also red on the tiolet paper. How can I tell if this is blood or the dye from the crystal light (red 40 is one of the last ingredients but I didn't have this problem with red jello)? I did notice this morning that when I woke up I was quite weak. I go to see the surgeon on Tuesday to have my staples removed. Should I be concerned? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.    — Dawn P. (posted on July 27, 2003)

July 27, 2003
Call your surgeon immediately! Call his/her service TODAY. Tuesday is far too long to wait, if you are passing blood in your stool, which is certainly what it sounds like. (Especially because of the black part, which would indicate more than just torn tissues in the rectum, say. And certainly more than Crystal Light.)Or, if you just won't call, go to the drugstore and get a hemocult kit that checks for blood in the stool. They have them now where you don't have to get a stool "sample" - it's a pad-like thing you drop in the bowl (after you've gone and before you flush) and you will see a chemical reaction, if there's blood. I hope you will take action today.
   — Kim A.

July 27, 2003
hey, I had my surgery on 7-14. I thought the same thing. I drank sf red punch koolaid and in the morning i was scared to death. bright red in the potty.My surgeon said this was because we dont absorb the dye like we use to and i am still on liquids. I know it is quite a shock.Best of luck to you and your weight loss. Patty
   — patty L.

July 27, 2003
sounds like maybe it's the red dye to me but I'm not a Dr. but I would try not drinking the crystal light atleast for a day or so til your next BM and see where thats takes ya.
   — Stacy R.

July 27, 2003
As a nurse my first reponse is - call your doctor today. I'm sure you would rather be safe than sorry. It could be you are bleeding high up in the GI tract (intestines) that's why your BM is black or it could be from iron if you take it. Red blood in the toilet or on the toilet paper could be from a bleeding hemroid. In any case, I think your surgeon needs to be made aware, today. Let him decide if you should wait till Tuesday. Best of luck to you.
   — adeas

July 27, 2003
Just wanted to let you know..and I'm by no means a professional/expert..but my girls were drinking this new Hershey's syrup that came out when the movie The Hulk hit theaters. It's green. My 8 year old came out of the bathroom crying because her poop was green and she could really see it in the white potty! I think it's just the dye. I believe if blood is bright red, it's from a hemmorrhoid, or way down low in your colon. If it's black, it's most likely from higher up in your intestines. I know this because when my 12 year old was 1, he ate a ton of black grapes...and when he went for his 1 year checkup, the dr. noticed he had a black stool. She panicked and thought it was blood, til I told her he loves black grapes!
   — kathy B.

July 30, 2003
Original poster here... I went to see the surgeon. It seems as if the black BM and red in the toilet was blood. He took blood tests and it seems that my hemoglobin is lower than when I was discharged and he wants to keep an eye on it.
   — Dawn P.