My story and Dark Stool questions? - Bowel Disorders Message Board

Chloesmomof1 · 10-09-2006, 09:03 AM

Hi everyone,

I am new to this board and new to having bowel problems....And I have some questions...

My story: I have been having stomach pain for around 12 months now, ever since I had a baby. The pain has been right underneath or around my zyphoid process. My zyphoid process sticks out now (ever since my pregnancy). I carried my daughter very high and I think she (and the doctor agrees) was pushing on this bone and has caused it to stick out now. Anyhow...I have extreme pain there and we orginally thought that the muscles around there were irritated. So for months they did nothing about it except told me to take aspirin and put hot pads on it whenever it hurt. Nothing helped. So he thought that it could be GERD. So he then put me on Nexium. I felt okay for a couple days, then the pain got worse than before! So, then after ruling out GERD, the doctor thought it could be my gallbladder. I had an ultrasound (no stones present) and a HIDA scan (this was abnormal - functioning at 12%). So I met with the surgeon and I am going to have it removed within the next week and a half. I felt relieved, but then I started having additional symptoms that do not seem to be related to my gallbladder. I have pressure on my bladder and darker stools. This just started within the last couple weeks. I have been reading about darker stools...and they said that tar like stools mean you have blood in the stool. Mine aren't black...but a darker brown and sometimes it's mixed with a light brown. Does this sound like it could be blood? I am going to go to the doctor to have it checked out...but I now have anxiety over it. Can this be associated with the pressure I feel on my bladder? Please help!!

Thanks!
-Pam

Harry · 10-09-2006, 02:17 PM

Pam,
There is a big difference between dark stools and black stool.The color of your stool is greatly determined by the food you eat--- A black of course can be blood but also be caused by Iron supplements and Pepto Bismol.

The pain sound more like that of a hiatal hernia.
Have you had an endoscopic exam yet?

The pain could be caused by muscle spasms and cramping in that area.
There is a Sticky Thread at the top of the Digestive Disorders board -- by bluepumpkin -- GERD Sufferes -- I Feel Good Let Me tell You Why---
I suggest you read the first several pages of it.
Bluepumkin had a hiatal hernia for 9 years before he found he was Magnesium deficient.

You could have the same besides your gallbladder problem?

I wish you well ~~~Harry