Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDiarrheaConstipationBlack or Tarry StoolClay-Colored StoolGreen StoolRed StoolOther Stool ColorsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Diarrhea
Constipation
Black or Tarry Stool
Clay-Colored Stool
Green Stool
Red Stool
Other Stool Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
Diarrhea aftersurgeryis common. You may also experience other stool changes after your procedure. Most of these changes are not serious.
If you have had surgery, you may have made major changes to your diet. Surgery can also affect your stress level and your medication routines.These changes can lead to a different bathroom pattern. Usually, these changes resolve as you recover. For many people, bowel function returns to normal just after a few days or weeks, depending on the condition.
This article will discuss some common stool changes that can happen after surgery. It will also explain which changes are likely to go away on their own and which ones may need medical attention.
Verywell / Hilary Allison
Diarrhea is defined as three or more loose stools per day.Diarrhea can happen if your diet or medicines changed before or after surgery. Diarrhea can also happen if the amount of fluid in your body changes, either because you are drinking more, or you received intravenous (IV) fluids in a vein.
It’s a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider if you have diarrhea, especially if you also have:
Clostridioides difficile(sometimes calledC. diff)is a type of bacteria that live in the digestive tract. If you have taken or are still taking antibiotics, these bacteria could build up in your body. Too muchC. diffcan lead to foul-smelling stools and painful cramping.If left untreated, it can lead to serious health issues.
For that reason, it’s best not to ignore diarrhea after your surgery, especially if you are taking antibiotics. To check for bacteria, your doctor may want to perform astool culture.
Chronic diarrhea can also result from abdominal surgery. This includes an operation on the appendix, gallbladder, large or small intestine, pancreas, liver, stomach, or spleen.
Depending on what’s causing your diarrhea, treatment may include antibiotics or other types of medications. The following may also be helpful in managing the condition:
Diarrhea lasting for more than 24 hours during the first few days of recovery should be reported to your surgeon immediately.
Going to the bathroom less often doesn’t necessarily mean you are constipated. Constipation means you’re having fewer than three bowel movements in a week. You may also be constipated if your stools are dry or hard.
Some pain medicationscan cause constipation, such as the opioids hydrocodone,oxycodone, morphine, and fentanyl.
You could also become constipated if you eat less or eat different things than you normally eat. When your eating habits return to normal, your bathroom habits should, too.
To keep you from becoming constipated, your healthcare provider may recommend a stool softener, a medication that adds water to stools and makes them easier to pass. If prevention doesn’t work, a gentle laxative may help.
To relieve constipation you might try:
Constipation is considered severe if it causes pain, or if it lasts longer than three weeks. If you have severe constipation, you may need more than one medication to treat the problem.
If you had surgery on your rectum, colon, or digestive tract, don’t use an enema without talking to your surgeon.
Call your surgeon if you have not had a bowel movement orpassed gasfor more than five days. (Passing gas is a sign that your bowel movements are starting to return to normal.)Also, if you have pain, fever, vomiting, or unusually foul-smelling stools, it’s very important to talk to your healthcare team right away.
Call your surgeon if you have not had a bowel movement orpassed gasfor more than five days. (Passing gas is a sign that your bowel movements are starting to return to normal.)
Also, if you have pain, fever, vomiting, or unusually foul-smelling stools, it’s very important to talk to your healthcare team right away.
Black or Tarry Stool
To find out what’s causing black stool, your healthcare provider can perform afecal occult blood test.
If you have black or tarry stools, it is important to seek medical care even if you have no other symptoms.
Verywell / Gary Ferster
Why Is My Poop Black and Tarry?
Your stool may be white or clay-colored if you hadbarium, a chalky liquid, as part of a medical test.Very light stools can also happen if you have taken antacids.Some babies on milk-only diets also have very light stools.
If your stool is white, very light, or clay-colored, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about it. Stools with little color can sometimes be a sign of a liver condition.Some liver conditions can be dangerous if left untreated.
Call your surgeon if you have white or clay-colored stools and there is no clear explanation for the lack of color.
Causes of Pale or Clay-Colored Stool
Stool that is very dark green (almost black) is still considered normal. If you are not sure if the stool is dark green or black, smear a tiny amount on a piece of paper.
Red Stool
Red stool is most often the result of diet. Beets, cranberries, tomatoes, and brightly colored foods such as candy and Jell-O can cause red stool. If you’ve eaten something bright red, a red stool is normal.
If you want to be sure red stool is related to something you ate, you could cut out that particular food to see if the stool color changes.
This bleeding may show up on toilet paper rather than on the stool itself. If you notice this kind of red in your stool, you may want to try a stool softener to keep you from straining.
Bright red stool is sometimes a sign of a serious health condition such as colorectal cancer.For that reason, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider if you notice red in your stool, on toilet paper, or in the toilet.
Call your surgeon if you experience rectal pain, rectal bleeding, lightheadedness, high fever, nausea, or vomiting.
Causes of Red Stool
Most changes in stool color are not medical issues.
Food dyes or brightly colored fruits and vegetables can change the color of your stool. In some cases, yellow/orange stoolcan be a sign of high fat content in the stool and may indicate that the pancreas is not able to do its part in helping the body to digest food.
“Rapid transit time” is also a common culprit. Rapid transit time means food moves through the body quickly and may not be fully digested. Diarrhea can cause rapid transit times andvisible color changes in stool.
Summary
Surgery can change how often you go to the bathroom. Most of the time, your body will return to its usual patterns in several days. But if you experience diarrhea for longer than 24 hours or constipation for longer than five days, it’s important to check in with your healthcare provider. If you have cramping, fever, vomiting, or pain, don’t wait to talk to your healthcare team.
Surgery can also change the color of your stool. After surgery, the most important stool colors to notice are black, red, and white. If you see these color changes, talk to your surgeon to find out whether there is cause for concern.
Yes, anesthesia can cause constipation after surgery. When under anesthesia, muscles are paralyzed and intestinal tract movement stops.
21 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Health Utah.Constipation after surgery is normal.Finnerty CC, Mabvuure NT, Ali A, Kozar RA, Herndon DN.The surgically induced stress response.JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2013;37(5_suppl):21S-29S. doi:10.1586/17474124.2014.911659American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.MedlinePlus.Diarrhea.Haran JP, Hayward G, Skinner S, et al.Factors influencing the development of antibiotic associated diarrhea in ED patients discharged home: risk of administering IV antibiotics.Am J Emerg Med. 2014;32(10):1195-1199. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2014.07.015University of Michigan Health.Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) colitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.Müller-Lissner S, Bassotti G, Coffin B, et al.Opioid-induced constipation and bowel dysfunction: a clinical guideline.Pain Med. 2017;18(10):1837–1863. doi:10.1093/pm/pnw255Harvard Health Publishing.Laxatives: what to know about choosing the right one.MedlinePlus.Constipation.American Family of Physicans.Management of constipation in older adults.MedlinePlus.Black or tarry stools.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Barium swallow.Beacon Health System.White stool: Should I be concerned?Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.UnityPoint Health.What the color and consistency of your poop says about you.Sutter Health.Blood in your stool.Penner RM.Patient education: Blood in the stool (rectal bleeding) in adults (beyond the basics). In: Lamont JT, Gover S, eds.UpToDate. UpToDate Inc; 2023.American Cancer Society.Colorectal cancer signs and symptoms.Lee TH, Lee JS.Ramosetron might be useful for treating diabetic diarrhea with a rapid small bowel transit time.Korean J Intern Med. 2013;28(1):106. doi:10.3904/kjim.2013.28.1.106Additional ReadingChildren’s Hospital Colorado.Stools - unusual color.
21 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.University of Health Utah.Constipation after surgery is normal.Finnerty CC, Mabvuure NT, Ali A, Kozar RA, Herndon DN.The surgically induced stress response.JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2013;37(5_suppl):21S-29S. doi:10.1586/17474124.2014.911659American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.MedlinePlus.Diarrhea.Haran JP, Hayward G, Skinner S, et al.Factors influencing the development of antibiotic associated diarrhea in ED patients discharged home: risk of administering IV antibiotics.Am J Emerg Med. 2014;32(10):1195-1199. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2014.07.015University of Michigan Health.Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) colitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.Müller-Lissner S, Bassotti G, Coffin B, et al.Opioid-induced constipation and bowel dysfunction: a clinical guideline.Pain Med. 2017;18(10):1837–1863. doi:10.1093/pm/pnw255Harvard Health Publishing.Laxatives: what to know about choosing the right one.MedlinePlus.Constipation.American Family of Physicans.Management of constipation in older adults.MedlinePlus.Black or tarry stools.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Barium swallow.Beacon Health System.White stool: Should I be concerned?Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.UnityPoint Health.What the color and consistency of your poop says about you.Sutter Health.Blood in your stool.Penner RM.Patient education: Blood in the stool (rectal bleeding) in adults (beyond the basics). In: Lamont JT, Gover S, eds.UpToDate. UpToDate Inc; 2023.American Cancer Society.Colorectal cancer signs and symptoms.Lee TH, Lee JS.Ramosetron might be useful for treating diabetic diarrhea with a rapid small bowel transit time.Korean J Intern Med. 2013;28(1):106. doi:10.3904/kjim.2013.28.1.106Additional ReadingChildren’s Hospital Colorado.Stools - unusual color.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
University of Health Utah.Constipation after surgery is normal.Finnerty CC, Mabvuure NT, Ali A, Kozar RA, Herndon DN.The surgically induced stress response.JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2013;37(5_suppl):21S-29S. doi:10.1586/17474124.2014.911659American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.MedlinePlus.Diarrhea.Haran JP, Hayward G, Skinner S, et al.Factors influencing the development of antibiotic associated diarrhea in ED patients discharged home: risk of administering IV antibiotics.Am J Emerg Med. 2014;32(10):1195-1199. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2014.07.015University of Michigan Health.Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) colitis.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.Müller-Lissner S, Bassotti G, Coffin B, et al.Opioid-induced constipation and bowel dysfunction: a clinical guideline.Pain Med. 2017;18(10):1837–1863. doi:10.1093/pm/pnw255Harvard Health Publishing.Laxatives: what to know about choosing the right one.MedlinePlus.Constipation.American Family of Physicans.Management of constipation in older adults.MedlinePlus.Black or tarry stools.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Barium swallow.Beacon Health System.White stool: Should I be concerned?Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.UnityPoint Health.What the color and consistency of your poop says about you.Sutter Health.Blood in your stool.Penner RM.Patient education: Blood in the stool (rectal bleeding) in adults (beyond the basics). In: Lamont JT, Gover S, eds.UpToDate. UpToDate Inc; 2023.American Cancer Society.Colorectal cancer signs and symptoms.Lee TH, Lee JS.Ramosetron might be useful for treating diabetic diarrhea with a rapid small bowel transit time.Korean J Intern Med. 2013;28(1):106. doi:10.3904/kjim.2013.28.1.106
University of Health Utah.Constipation after surgery is normal.
Finnerty CC, Mabvuure NT, Ali A, Kozar RA, Herndon DN.The surgically induced stress response.JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2013;37(5_suppl):21S-29S. doi:10.1586/17474124.2014.911659
American College of Surgeons.Medication and surgery: before your operation.
MedlinePlus.Diarrhea.
Haran JP, Hayward G, Skinner S, et al.Factors influencing the development of antibiotic associated diarrhea in ED patients discharged home: risk of administering IV antibiotics.Am J Emerg Med. 2014;32(10):1195-1199. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2014.07.015
University of Michigan Health.Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) colitis.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diarrhea.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Constipation.
Müller-Lissner S, Bassotti G, Coffin B, et al.Opioid-induced constipation and bowel dysfunction: a clinical guideline.Pain Med. 2017;18(10):1837–1863. doi:10.1093/pm/pnw255
Harvard Health Publishing.Laxatives: what to know about choosing the right one.
MedlinePlus.Constipation.
American Family of Physicans.Management of constipation in older adults.
MedlinePlus.Black or tarry stools.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Barium swallow.
Beacon Health System.White stool: Should I be concerned?
Mount Sinai.Stools - pale or clay-colored.
UnityPoint Health.What the color and consistency of your poop says about you.
Sutter Health.Blood in your stool.
Penner RM.Patient education: Blood in the stool (rectal bleeding) in adults (beyond the basics). In: Lamont JT, Gover S, eds.UpToDate. UpToDate Inc; 2023.
American Cancer Society.Colorectal cancer signs and symptoms.
Lee TH, Lee JS.Ramosetron might be useful for treating diabetic diarrhea with a rapid small bowel transit time.Korean J Intern Med. 2013;28(1):106. doi:10.3904/kjim.2013.28.1.106
Children’s Hospital Colorado.Stools - unusual color.
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