Took 2 Naproxen yesterday and dark poop today, panicking

[fuckingstupidhealthfears]

Sorry for TMI but I lost a parent to horrific cancer a couple of months ago after several years of no respite, just constant awful and heartbreaking things happening to them, and I am completely strung out on red alert for bad news and terrible things happening. I have had a serious health issue myself which again is/ was scary, but am managing it.

I have bad period pain and doctors have advised to take naproxen which I do, maybe 3 tablets per month. I take 2 to kickstart the pain relief and it works well. Yesterday I took my 2 tablets and now today (apologies for TMI) I had a very dark poop and am so scared I have caused a bleed in my stomach. Or have an ulcer unknown to me after a very stressful few years and the NSAID has aggravated the ulcer. Or bowel cancer.

Anyway, I have no fucking idea what "tarry" stools are which seems to always feature in whether a stool is a bad sign or not, does it just mean unformed and loose?

I also don't know if what I had was actually black or just very dark brown. I read that blueberries can cause darkening but not sure if that means a huge amount would have to be consumed?

I am SO SICK of doctors and health complaints I feel like crying and just can't see if this is something I need to talk to the gp about I can't face it. I can't do any more time in doctors and hospitals for a little while, need a break from it all.

Am I being foolish to assume it's nothing? Or being overly anxious if I assume it needs checking?

You are fine, they do that. Check tomorrow and they eill be normal. Sorry you got a fright.

Tarry means black & sticky! Like tar. Literally.

Speak to your GP.

Caveat…. I have no medical training however If it was an ongoing medical issue I would have thought you would discover this issue was occurring more than once. I would also think you’d be experiencing other symptoms such as stomach pains, fever etc. If you feel well in yourself wait and see what tomorrow brings.

You mention blueberries. I can't imagine you'd mention those if you hadn't eaten some.

If you ate blueberries, that'll be what caused it.

Yes sorry for not being clear, I did have blueberries. But I eat them quite a bit and not noticed this before, but maybe I've just not noticed.

Can a smallish handful really have such a dramatic colouring effect?

Have you increased your iron intake? I did a few weeks back and almost black poo was the side affect which worried me to start with. I would say to put your mind at rest go see your GP. So sorry about loosing your parent in such awful circumstances. It's bound to have an affect on you. When my brother died suddenly many years ago I developed a health anxiety. Just put your mind at rest OP xxx