green stool

Connie43
Connie43 Member Posts: 44
in Colorectal Cancer #1
For three days now I have had a green stool. I didn't know for sure until today as I usually throw in the paper and flush without checking the toilet first. I see my oncologist Friday, as I had a PET scan last week due to a suspicious spot on my liver. I cannot think of any green food I ate. Do I need to be concerned? The color reminds me of the stuff I puked up while I was in the hospital, after the colon surgery. I have eaten green grapes, purple jello, and chicken. I didn't think I ate that many grapes.

Comments

  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #2
    Hi Connie
    I just got over C-DIF and it made my stool green. Now its gone and stool back to brown. You should ALWAYS look at your poop...always. It can tell you a lot. I'm sure others will chime in with opinions. Let us know what doc says. You take care.

    Jennie
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    #3
    idlehunters said:

    Hi Connie
    I just got over C-DIF and it made my stool green. Now its gone and stool back to brown. You should ALWAYS look at your poop...always. It can tell you a lot. I'm sure others will chime in with opinions. Let us know what doc says. You take care.

    Jennie

    Green stool does not mean nothing wrong
    just very dark or white are the suspicious ones!.......I think ! But you better check it with your onc.
    Hugs!
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #4
    If diarrhea
    If it is green foamy diarrhea, there is usually bacteria involved. That is a concern.

    Green stool if it is formed and normal otherwise, is no cause for concern. (My oncology dietician just told me this three weeks ago.)

    Dark stool (black and tarry) is a concern for probable bleeding. And bright red with the stool is bleeding. Both of these need to be reported to your doctor immediately.
  • RickMurtagh
    RickMurtagh Member Posts: 587 Member
    #5
    Green stools
    Connie,
    If you are at all concerned calling your doctor is always a good choice. I don't have a colon, so my stools are never formed, but many foods make my output green, blueberries for example. Some meats turn my output green. The key to knowing when green output is good or bad is to pay attention to what you eat and what your stool is after. That way you have a better idea of when to be concerned.
    I hope by now you have contacted your doctor if you still have green stools and have ruled out some food as the source.
    Best wishes,
    Rick
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #6
    some ideas
    Hi,

    I have been told that sometimes if you have diarrhea or just semi loose stools, that they may have not had enough time for the bile to turn them completely brown. Stools that are loose are have not had enough "bile time" can be yellow, orange, or green- supposedly it goes through those color phases before turning brown.

    Another thought is that I have noticed when I take Pepto Bismal pink chewable tablets, that my stools turn a blackish green color. Also, excessive iron will turn your poop green (as well as will any green drinks, green supplements, etc).

    If you are suspecting that you could have a bacterial infection, however, get it checked out. But just wanted you to know that there are other reasons that could be valid as to why it's that color.

    Take care-
    Lisa
  • Connie43
    Connie43 Member Posts: 44
    #7
    lisa42 said:

    some ideas
    Hi,

    I have been told that sometimes if you have diarrhea or just semi loose stools, that they may have not had enough time for the bile to turn them completely brown. Stools that are loose are have not had enough "bile time" can be yellow, orange, or green- supposedly it goes through those color phases before turning brown.

    Another thought is that I have noticed when I take Pepto Bismal pink chewable tablets, that my stools turn a blackish green color. Also, excessive iron will turn your poop green (as well as will any green drinks, green supplements, etc).

    If you are suspecting that you could have a bacterial infection, however, get it checked out. But just wanted you to know that there are other reasons that could be valid as to why it's that color.

    Take care-
    Lisa

    Saw onc today, and he thinks
    Saw onc today, and he thinks it is nothing to worry about, probably food related. It started 2 days after PET scan, so I wonder if it is related to that stuff you get injected with. My drinks have all been purple.
  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #8
    Connie43 said:

    Saw onc today, and he thinks
    Saw onc today, and he thinks it is nothing to worry about, probably food related. It started 2 days after PET scan, so I wonder if it is related to that stuff you get injected with. My drinks have all been purple.

    Connie....

    My family in Italy would send their green stools to Ireland for St. Patty's day.

    Just sayin'...

    Green stool can be the result of an antibiotic acting on our system,
    but yes, a PET with it's radioactive glucose can act like an antibiotic,
    since the "low level" radiation can have that effect (killing/damaging cells).

    If it "goes away", forget about it. If it continues, go to a different
    physician.... like a gastrointestinal specialist.

    But do watch what goes "in"; it can be the making of a rainbow!

    "POO Rules!"

    My best,

    John
  • marqimark
    marqimark Member Posts: 242 Member
    #9
    Learned a lot
    Reading this post has taught me a lot about Pooh.

    I will have to watch my stools more closely now.

    Thankfully I still have two thirds of my colon left and still have 'normal' stools to this point.

    Hope all is well

    Mark
  • Connie43
    Connie43 Member Posts: 44
    #10
    Connie43 said:

    Saw onc today, and he thinks
    Saw onc today, and he thinks it is nothing to worry about, probably food related. It started 2 days after PET scan, so I wonder if it is related to that stuff you get injected with. My drinks have all been purple.

    Finally brown today. I do
    Finally brown today. I do celebrate the strangest things now.
  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #11
    Connie43 said:

    Finally brown today. I do
    Finally brown today. I do celebrate the strangest things now.

    Brown stools!!!
    Brown stools!!!

    Hallmark has a card for that:

    "Green today, brown tomorrow,
    we watch our stools through
    happiness or sorrow;

    Today we worry,
    tomorrow brings hope,

    But one thing is certain,
    we're no dope.

    With bowels and feces,
    we do our bit.

    Day after day,
    we watch our ****.

    HAPPY STOOL DAY"

    ($4.99 at Walmart)

    Be well, dammit.

    John
  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    #12
    John23 said:

    Brown stools!!!
    Brown stools!!!

    Hallmark has a card for that:

    "Green today, brown tomorrow,
    we watch our stools through
    happiness or sorrow;

    Today we worry,
    tomorrow brings hope,

    But one thing is certain,
    we're no dope.

    With bowels and feces,
    we do our bit.

    Day after day,
    we watch our ****.

    HAPPY STOOL DAY"

    ($4.99 at Walmart)

    Be well, dammit.

    John

    Brown Stools
    My Brown stools
    Oh how they rule!!
    But when they turn green
    I have to ask,
    what does that mean?
    It could be weird bacteria
    or something I ate
    Was it the blueberry muffins
    that I did bake?
    Or that pistachio ice cream
    that tasted like a lovely dream?
    In my world it could be
    many dire things, you see
    colon cancer sure changes things
    like pooh watching around that toilet
    ring.
    American Greetings
    KMart Special

    Yes, it is a thing our "pooh" that we need to keep aware of. Glad yours is back to normal. I never thought that every time I did Number 2, I would end up looking at it, even OMG even studying it, wondering if it looked normal. Ahhh, colon cancer indeed does change things a bit doesn't it? Glad yours "turned" out well.
    Winter Marie
  • marqimark
    marqimark Member Posts: 242 Member
    #13
    marqimark said:

    Learned a lot
    Reading this post has taught me a lot about Pooh.

    I will have to watch my stools more closely now.

    Thankfully I still have two thirds of my colon left and still have 'normal' stools to this point.

    Hope all is well

    Mark

    YIKES
    So, I have to thank you guys for um um

    Do you think reading about something can cause it????

    Had a bright green BM today and I am blaming you guys!!!!

    Seriously, I cannot believe I read about green stools and VIOLA I produce green stools.

    I totally am stunned by the power of suggestion!!

    Mark
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #14
    marqimark said:

    YIKES
    So, I have to thank you guys for um um

    Do you think reading about something can cause it????

    Had a bright green BM today and I am blaming you guys!!!!

    Seriously, I cannot believe I read about green stools and VIOLA I produce green stools.

    I totally am stunned by the power of suggestion!!

    Mark

    Green Stools
    Another cause of green stool can be eating foods (like frosting on a cupcake) that is blue in color.

    Take care - Tina

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