What Does Bloody Stools Look Like?

[athleet3]

   I know this sounds like  a dumb question, but what does a bloody stool look like? Yesterday I had soft stool that was bright reddish, however I drank a bottle of cranberry juice the day before and wondered if that colorred it.

   I'll give you a basic list of my symptoms in case anyone has an idea:
1. mild abdominal cramps that come and go from side to side.
2. rumbling and noise stomach especially after I eat or lie down.
3. Soft stool but not diarrhea.
4. Gas (sometimes with trouble passing it)
5. Feeling like I have to have a bowel movement (sometimes after I eat)
6. Lower back pain
7. Mild upset stomach
8. No diarrhea, nausea, severe or sharp pain or fever. None of those.

Nothing seems to match what I have. My docter diagnosed me over the phone to have H-Pylori. But after a week of antibiotics it hasn't gotten better. Some days are worse than others. I'm a worry wort, so I'm thinking the worst.

Any ideas?

[athleet3]

   I think it was the cranberry juice because I puposely didn't drink any after that and my stool returned to it's normal color. By the way, I'm on my last dose of antibiotics for my H-Pylori/IBS and I feel much better. Guess my doctor was right. I have noticed that my stomach will start to turn anytime I'm stressed or drink coffee which is more in line with IBS I guess. If things worsen I will go see my doctor. Thanks for your response....

[Morecambe]

Hi - I posted a question some time ago after a total colectomy and, amongst other comments, the kind surgeon said that it was possible for highly coloured foodstuffs (e.g. tomato soup) to impart a colouration/tint to one's stools.  I don't know specifically whether this is also possible with cranberry juice.

However, taking the opposite viewpoint, if the colouration is caused by blood then this must be investigated since blood in stools is never normal.  The causes could be relatively minor (such as an anal fissure) but there are also more serious possibilities such as the spectrum of lower/upper gastrointestinal diseases.  These should be detectable via both a colonoscopy and/or an endoscopy and, if there is any doubt, I would urge you to have these tests carried out for peace of mind.

In addition to free blood in your stools there is also the possibility of "melena" (check it out on medical websites) which presents as blackish tarry foul smelling stools.  This is caused by the mixing of upper/lower intestinal blood (from intestinal bleeding) becoming mixed with digestive juices.

Good luck
Morecambe