Question:
I am 12 days post op and last night I had ink black diarrhea.

What could this be from????    — Diane H. (posted on August 25, 2002)

August 25, 2002
Call you doctor ASAP. It could be a sign of a bleeding ulcer. I know when I had one last March 2001 that was the one thing the Dr got concerned about. Have you had other symptoms like light headedness etc. Please dont delay this even if I am wrong
   — snicklefritz

August 25, 2002
Do check with your doc! But iron pills can do that somewtimes... DO CALL YOUR DOC just to be sure!
   — bob-haller

August 25, 2002
Sounds like an Iron overdose. Check with your doctor. I'm sure all will be fine - once your iron dosage is adjusted. :)
   — Cyndi C.

August 25, 2002
black stool can be a sign of bleeding uselly when i work at the clinic in the vet hospital the doctors always tell us after an animal has had major surgery to watch for black stool which is a sign of bleeding internally. I suggest you take yourself to see any doctor imdetely in fact call the hospital and dial there emergency line and tell them what is going on especially if it persists. I hope you feel better soon and my prays are with you that nothing is really serousely wrong. like the other post said just be care full of an iron over dose. she is also right about that but its best to ask a profeesional first. sheri burke
   — sheri B.

August 25, 2002
I had black diarrhea about the same time post op. It was from the dark blue dye that they put in everything I drank at the hospital. My first few BM's were like this after surgery (which WERE about 10-12 days post op---I was miserable!!!) I hope this is the case with you rather than a bleed. Good luck.
   — A. S.

August 25, 2002
the third night after my surgery I had the same thing. I called my PA and she said it was from the bleeding from the surgery. She also said that if it didn't stop of its own accord, I'd have to come in to the ER. Well, it went on for a couple of days and then I began having regular bowel movements. Call your doctor!! Good Luck!!
   — Loretta E.

August 25, 2002
please call your doc right away. i had a leak and lost five pints of blood. i almost didn;t survive this surgery. i had surgery one year ago tomorrow. i would do it again in a minute, but this can be a VERY serious problem. Stop asking and caLL YOUR DOCTOR NOW!
   — michelle R.

August 26, 2002
As the others have said, the FIRST thing to do is call your surgeon. I was put on liquid ferrous sulfate 2 months post-op and it gave me severe uncontrollable black diarrhea (I was sick as a dog). Needless to say I stopped the ferrous sulfate and switched to chewable chelated elemental iron with vitamin C. It took a week for the black diarrhea to stop.
   — LLinderman