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Black, tarry stool last night (sorry for the graphics)

This is a discussion on Black, tarry stool last night (sorry for the graphics) within the Spine Patient Support: Body, Mind & Spirit forums, part of the Social and Support Forums category; Well, I had a very black, tarry stool last night right before bed, so that was a little concerning. I ...

  1. #1
    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
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    Default Black, tarry stool last night (sorry for the graphics)

    Well, I had a very black, tarry stool last night right before bed, so that was a little concerning. I haven't gone in days, since all my diarreha (sp?) on Sunday. I did have a fruit drink for dinner last night that had some blueberry flavor, so I'm wondering it that could have been the culprit. You think Justin? I don't want to be an alarmist. Anyway, sorry for the graphic details! Gonna wait it out till my next bowel movement and see if it looks ok.
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
    • August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
    • March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
    • April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
    • September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
    • December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
    • December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
    • February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

  2. #2
    Moderator KBear's Avatar
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    Could have definitely been the berries.

    I bought some colored sugar cookies from my daughters fundraiser a couple of years ago. They were primary colors, red, yellow, and blue. We made some of the red one's. The next day, my daughter goes and her poop is bright red! I freaked out, then realized it was the cookies. When we made the blue one's, they made it blue.... tons of food coloring apparently.
    31 years old- 1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler at 25 years old; 6/06- Head on collision on Interstate, both wrecks other drivers fault. Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc at 29 years old. Pain and medication free as of October 2010!Mommy to Emma- 8 years, Ava- 6 years & had baby Eli after ADR, via c-section on March 25, 2011 , completely pain free still!

  3. #3
    Founder / Administrator Justin's Avatar
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    CL, I sent you a PM.

    Justin Averna
    Founder & President, Spine Patient Society™
    www.SpinePatientSociety.org
    A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization


    • 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
    • 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
    • 3/7/1997: Laminotomy L4/L5
    • 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
    • 11/15/2003: 2-Level ProDiscฎ L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    • 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
    • 5/14/2009: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    I'm here to help.
    Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, etc.?
    justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org


    Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.

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    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
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    Sorry this is such a gross posting. At this point I am still having the "you know what" kind of stools, so the GI doc called back today and scheduled me for an upper endoscopy a week from today. I think if the changes back to normal, possibly I can cancel the endoscopy, but that is how it stands right now. I also was able to get in at the last minute this afternoon and get a trochanteric injection in each hip bursa. I am hoping this will relieve my back pain (as well as the bursas, of course) because I am really on the downward slide here, pain wise. The doctor (due to my extenuating circumstances and surgeries) recommended a lifetime of physical therapy.
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
    • August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
    • March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
    • April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
    • September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
    • December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
    • December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
    • February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

  5. #5
    Founder / Administrator Justin's Avatar
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    No worries about the post CL. We are here to support Spine Patients unconditionally. I'm glad that you are having this looked into. I hope the injections work and a lot of the physical therapy, once learned, can be implemented at home. The techniques are usually very basic, as I'm sure you know by now.

    Keep us posted.

    Justin Averna
    Founder & President, Spine Patient Society™
    www.SpinePatientSociety.org
    A 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Nonprofit & Charitable Organization


    • 1994: Football Injury, Severe Hyperextension
    • 1997: Snow Skiing Injury
    • 3/7/1997: Laminotomy L4/L5
    • 1999 & 2003: Motor Vehicle Accidents (not at fault both times) --> Grade V Annular Tears L4/L5 & L5/L6
    • 11/15/2003: 2-Level ProDiscฎ L4/L5 & L5/L6*, *lumbosacral transitional vertebra --> Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    • 4/2008: 4.5 years pain-free before "new" leg pain
    • 5/14/2009: Dynamic Stabilization System L4/L5, Dr. Rudolf Bertagnoli
    I'm here to help.
    Questions? Suggestions? Need help with registering, creating a signature, etc.?
    justin (at) spinepatientsociety.org


    Disclosure: I have no financial relationships with any surgeons, spine clinics, device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, etc. -- the SPS Board of Directors serve without compensation.

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    Moderator KBear's Avatar
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    Oh, CL- I'm sorry that things aren't looking great right now. I'm praying for better days for you!
    31 years old- 1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler at 25 years old; 6/06- Head on collision on Interstate, both wrecks other drivers fault. Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc at 29 years old. Pain and medication free as of October 2010!Mommy to Emma- 8 years, Ava- 6 years & had baby Eli after ADR, via c-section on March 25, 2011 , completely pain free still!

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    Senior Member daveinaustin's Avatar
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    Cindylou,

    One of my sayings is "that we're all in this together." It's important to share symptoms, because each of us are taking way too much medication than God intended. It's good to know if symptoms, since it helps each of us to note if it's something to be worried about or not.

    One and a half years ago, I had blood in my urine. It was a bit scary, and I was too shy to open up. The blood was due to me taking twice the Mobic than I should have, and it went away when I returned to 7.5 mg. If I opened up back then, I probably could have saved my wife and myself quite a bit of anxiety!


    -Dave
    Discectomy/Laminotomy, 1999
    L4-S1 DDD, 10/06
    Stalif Fusion L5-S1, 3/07
    Intrepid Fusion L4-L5, 7/08
    Increasing pain since solid fusing, 1/09
    Bilateral Transforaminal Injections 3/09
    Facet Joint Injections (L3-S1) 4/09
    RF Ablation (Medial Branch) 5/09
    CT Scan, MRI w/ contrast (no new info) 5/09
    Latest:
    - I wake up with no pain
    - Stand/sit for 15 mins., pinching pain begins
    - Pain at center, core L4-L5
    - Lying down, pulsing/throbbing pain for 2-3 hours
    - Taking 6-8 Norcos/day
    SCS Implant 8/31/09

  8. #8
    Moderator KBear's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by daveinaustin View Post
    Cindylou,

    One of my sayings is "that we're all in this together." It's important to share symptoms, because each of us are taking way too much medication than God intended. It's good to know if symptoms, since it helps each of us to note if it's something to be worried about or not.

    One and a half years ago, I had blood in my urine. It was a bit scary, and I was too shy to open up. The blood was due to me taking twice the Mobic than I should have, and it went away when I returned to 7.5 mg. If I opened up back then, I probably could have saved my wife and myself quite a bit of anxiety!


    -Dave
    Completely agree, I don't think there is ANYTHING to graphic for this board!
    31 years old- 1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler at 25 years old; 6/06- Head on collision on Interstate, both wrecks other drivers fault. Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc at 29 years old. Pain and medication free as of October 2010!Mommy to Emma- 8 years, Ava- 6 years & had baby Eli after ADR, via c-section on March 25, 2011 , completely pain free still!

  9. #9
    Moderator Cindylou's Avatar
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    Thanks you guys. Now it appears my stools are just turning the bend from the black to a very dark brown. Am wondering if I should cancel the endoscopy?
    • January 2000 MVA passenger, used jaws of life to retrieve me, neck injury and months of PT
    • June 2001 Bicycle accident, 2 compression fractures at T12/L1, Vertebroplasty Sept. 2001
    • April 2006 right hip, labral tear and repair
    • April 2007 3 level ProDisc @ L3/4, L4/5 & L5/6✷ ✷Lumbosacral transitional vertebra; Dr. Rudolph Bertagnoli
    • July 2, 2008 ALIF & Laminectomy @ L6/S1
    • July 30, 2008 re-opened 28 days later to remove bone cement that had leaked onto S1 nerve root
    • August 2008 Pulmonary embolism, double pneumonia, collapsed left lung, re-hospitalized 1 week
    • March 10, 2009 Right SI Joint Fusion
    • April 27, 2010 2nd right hip arthroscopy to remove adhesions and release psoas muscle
    • September 30, 2010 lumbar facet rhizotomy
    • December 9, 2010 12 bilateral lumbar trigger point and steroid injections
    • December 23, 2010 12 more bilateral trigger point injections w/o steroid
    • February 15, 2011 ESI bilaterally in lower lumbar...relief only for few days. Considering 1 more.
    Did Spinal Cord Stimulator trial from 5/11/11-5/17/11 with excellent results; Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery is Monday,
    July 18, 2011

  10. #10
    Moderator KBear's Avatar
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    I'd probably go ahead and do the endoscopy, just so you know. That way, if the black ever comes back, you at least know what's going on.
    31 years old- 1/06- In wreck with 18 wheeler at 25 years old; 6/06- Head on collision on Interstate, both wrecks other drivers fault. Numerous MRI's, PT, chiropractic, acupuncture, TENS therapy, massage therapy, facet injections, epidural injections, Nerve study, Discogram, confirms pain in L4/5, IDET, decompression, Bi-lateral neurotomy L3/4/5, denied by insurance twice, in Active L clinical trial, had surgery March 17, 2009 in Miami, FL- received Active L disc at 29 years old. Pain and medication free as of October 2010!Mommy to Emma- 8 years, Ava- 6 years & had baby Eli after ADR, via c-section on March 25, 2011 , completely pain free still!

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