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What Causes Dark Green Stools After A Course Of Clindamycin?
Posted on
Fri, 1 Aug 2014
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 1 Aug 2014
Answered on
Fri, 22 Aug 2014
Last reviewed on
Question : About a two months ago I was on a 5 day course of clindamycin. Then about a month ago I was on a 10 day course of Macrobid. My stools have been formed but a dark green color. No diarrhea or cramping or other signs of illness. I have been taking OTC probiotics since the Macrobid course. Should I be concerned?
Brief Answer:
No need to worry.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Stool is brown thanks to intestinal bacteria which digest yellow bile to brown stercobilinogen. If there is less intestinal bacteria (what is present during antibiotics intake), not every bile part can be digested by bacteria. So as a result you get mixture of yellow and brown. This mixture is usually green.
As you have no diarrhea, please start taking probiotic again and the color of the stool should become brown.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
No need to worry.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Stool is brown thanks to intestinal bacteria which digest yellow bile to brown stercobilinogen. If there is less intestinal bacteria (what is present during antibiotics intake), not every bile part can be digested by bacteria. So as a result you get mixture of yellow and brown. This mixture is usually green.
As you have no diarrhea, please start taking probiotic again and the color of the stool should become brown.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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