PLEASE HELP What do I do ? GP ? NHS24 ? A&E?!

[Watercolourpencils]

Posted yesterday but posting again sorry

for the last day I’ve been passing stools that are very dark- possibly black- and extremely sticky. It started randomly yesterday (without any cramps or vomiting) and has continued again this morning and this afternoon.

I don’t have any other symptoms but for context, I have IBS and get bad diarrhoea a lot. I sometimes get bleeding but it’s usually red. I’m on the waiting list to see the hospital for this. My blood tests and poo tests and piles/fissure exams were all normal.

I very rarely get black stools but for the last day it’s been really bad. It’s extremely dark, strange looking texture (possibly gritty but im not sure) and very sticky.

I have absolutely no idea what to do. I tried to contact my GP earlier but couldn’t get through. Im worried that im starting to seem like an attention seeker with all these symptoms yet my tests are all normal, but I know im not imagining this poo. It’s definitely black.

what do I do in this situation? Do I keep trying to get through to the doctors? Or do I call NHS 24? I don’t want to make it a bigger deal than it is but im starting to get worried about it because it’s still black today and not just a one off last light.

I spoke to my parents who insisted on NHS24 but I don’t want to be a timewaster when I don’t have any other symptoms

I’ll keep trying to get through to the GP for an appointment today but im starting to get worried in case I can’t get through. It’s a good surgery but just really busy but that’s not their fault so I’ll keep trying to call.

Has anyone been in this situation before or have any advice?

I'd grab a sample and head to A&E. 111 will only send you there anyway ime.

You need to speak to a medical professional in real life OP. Call 111, speak to a pharmacist, anyone really. It sounds like you need looking at ASAP.

The NHS advice here is to contact 111.

I'd go to NHS24 (or whatever its called these days).

You're not an attention seeker, it's literally rather it says on the NHS website to do in these cases!

All 111 or a pharmacist will say is to head to A&E.

I genuinely don't know why people recommend speaking to a pharmacist for things like this because it's not in their remit and they can't help.

Have you been taking iron tablets OP? I had this when I was prescribed them for anemia and got the shock of my life!

If you can get a sample I would definitely do that too.

Does it look like coffee grounds? You need urgent medical attention if so, go to A&E

definitely get it checked out. My mum had this when she was experiencing liver failure.

Photograph your stools!

You aren’t taking iron supplements, are you?

I agree that you need to be seen asap.

As above - iron tablets give you black hard poo.

i meant to say in my original post, I haven’t eaten liquorice or blueberries, but on Saturday afternoon when it was hot weather I drank a large coke from McDonald’s (didn’t get anything to eat, just the drink). I originally thought maybe that had caused the blackness, but it was almost 2 days ago now and I’ve drank cola loads of times before (not loads but I drink it on nights out or when out for dinner etc) and I’ve never had black poo after drinking it before so I discounted that but I’m not sure at this point! Just in case it’s relevant

No I’m not on any iron tablets and I’m not on any other medication at all.

ive been on my period for the last week but it’s 100% not period blood- I was using a tampon and my period has just finished anyway so it’s not that

i was taking feminax for period pain but only on the first day which was last week x

You need emergency appointment with GP. Take a photo of black stools.
NHS 24 is for out of hours when GP is shut. Your GP should have same day emergency appointments

Black sticky poo can be a sign of bleeding within the stomach… I would go to A&E, you’ll most likely be sent there anyway so don’t wait around. Good luck! X

It’s not Coke, coke doesn’t cause black stools.

blood can cause black stools but there are other causes. Just get to a HCP that will investigate the cause.

I stupidly didn’t take a photo or sample before flushing the toilet, I’ll try to get a sample or get a photo of it if it happens next time

Melaena (blood in stool) doesn't look like coffee grounds. Vomit due to gastric bleeding looks like coffee grounds.

Black, tarry, smelly stools are characteristic of bleeding from the bowel.
You need medical advice asap. IMO that would be 111 or equivalent - would that be NHS24 in your area. Failing that, go to A&E with a sample as suggested by pp.

Whichever you think is quicker.
They will ask you whether you have been taking any medication, so make sure you know exactly what/if anything you have been taking and take it with you.

If the stool is black, but not tarry/smelly and you have been taking iron, that might be the reason. That isn't an emergency but nobody can figure that out over the internet.

I would go to A&E. GP likely to send you there anyway.

Meleana also stinks to high heaven.... I get it quite a lot in my colostomy bag.
My poor friend phoned me once in tears thinking she was bleeding from bottom and it was beetroot :/
I do think as it's ongoing it's better to get checked.

I had symptoms like this last year. I called 111 who sent me straight to A&E.

Call your GP and see if you can get an emergency appointment.
You do need to be seen today, so if the GP can't see you, 111 or even A&E. It could be nothing, it could be something, nobody here can tell, you need to be seen by someone qualified ASAP.

quick update - phoned up and spoke to someone at my GPs. Unfortunately they didn’t have any appointments left for today but they said if I call tomorrow morning they’ll try and book me in for a phone call tomorrow, they were really understanding about the problem though and I feel better after calling (and I didn’t feel like an attention seeker which I was worried about!)

They said I could get some immodium from the pharmacy for in the meantime, I’ll go and pick some up now.

This is an A&E job.

BTW Meleana DOES look like coffee grounds. My partner had it recently after he suffered internal bleeding after an op and it looked exactly like someone had thrown old, wet filter coffee down the toilet.

You don’t have diarrhoea, do you?

Why would you need Imodium? It will possibly constipate you unless you are having runny stools. The last thing you need is to stop bowel movements before you get photographs of them!

Did they say why they recommended Imodium?!