<s>[INST] I'm having a lot of left side abdominal pain, bloating, and gas. Recently, I noticed tiny black specks/pieces in my stool. What could this be? I've had an endoscopy a couple of months ago & the results were normal. I am scheduled for a flex-sigmoidoscopy soon. I've been having intestinal issues for awhile now, but this is the longest I've gone with stomach pain and the black specks are new. [/INST] Hi,Welcome to HCM.Black tarry stools is called melena which indicates gastrointestinal bleeding. I suggest you undergo the recommended investigation to find the cause of bleeding. For gastritis you can take Tab Pantop 40 mg twice daily before food. Drink lots of water and take a fluid diet to relieve the bloating and flatus.Thanks </s>