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I Am Only 25, Have Been Struggling With IBS For
Question: I am only 25, have been struggling with IBS for over 13 years, and have had my stool tested, and blood work etc etc etc for much more serious things and everything comes back negative and the doctors always chopped up to just IBS. I need to eat better and stop stressing about everything in life. My boss got me using metamucil about a month ago and I still haven't decided if it makes me feel better or worse yet. I know for sure I did not eat anything red yesterday. Since last night into today I have have been a bit more than usual uncomfortable, with my abdominal pain, that I usually feel. Now I have 4 times this morning gone to the bathroom and had what I suspect is mucus-y bloody stool. I went down the Google rabbit hole and everything says it is blood and it is cancer. The attached pictures are my actual stool from this morning. I need to know is this blood, is this my IBS acting up with new symptoms, or is this just an orange XXXXXXX from the metamucil, or do I need to get to the ER asap????
Brief Answer:
Metamucil may contain colorants that may affect the stool color
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to 'Ask A Doctor' service,
I carefully read your query. Unfortunately, there is no image attached/uploaded here yet.
I understand your struggles with IBS as this can quite often be very difficult to treat. IBS does not cause blood with stools though.
As for Metamucil, there are some products that have colorants and certain tastes and some that are plane. You can check in the ingredients of your Metamucil package if colorants are present.
If there are colorants present very likely the change in the color of your stools is due to Metamucil. Metamucil is normally not absorbed in the bowel so it transits through the bowel, gathering water and generating soft stools.
It is expected that colorants would also go through and may change the stool color. This is the case especially if the color is yellow or orange. Blood is generally red (lower gastrointestinal bleeding) or dark black (tar color, indicating upper gastrointestinal bleeding).
To conclude:
- Some Metamucil packs may have colorants which may change the color of the stools
- Bleeding is not something that can be attributed to IBS (bleeding is due to hemorrhoids, infection, tumor or inflammatory bowel disease)
- Blood in the stool would be red or tar color depending on the location of the bleeding (orange or other nuances of red are not typical of bleeding).
- If you can upload an image it would be very helpful so I can evaluate the color (you can ask assistance from management). In some cases, tests are needed to make sure if blood is present or not.
Hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj,
General and Family Physician
Metamucil may contain colorants that may affect the stool color
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to 'Ask A Doctor' service,
I carefully read your query. Unfortunately, there is no image attached/uploaded here yet.
I understand your struggles with IBS as this can quite often be very difficult to treat. IBS does not cause blood with stools though.
As for Metamucil, there are some products that have colorants and certain tastes and some that are plane. You can check in the ingredients of your Metamucil package if colorants are present.
If there are colorants present very likely the change in the color of your stools is due to Metamucil. Metamucil is normally not absorbed in the bowel so it transits through the bowel, gathering water and generating soft stools.
It is expected that colorants would also go through and may change the stool color. This is the case especially if the color is yellow or orange. Blood is generally red (lower gastrointestinal bleeding) or dark black (tar color, indicating upper gastrointestinal bleeding).
To conclude:
- Some Metamucil packs may have colorants which may change the color of the stools
- Bleeding is not something that can be attributed to IBS (bleeding is due to hemorrhoids, infection, tumor or inflammatory bowel disease)
- Blood in the stool would be red or tar color depending on the location of the bleeding (orange or other nuances of red are not typical of bleeding).
- If you can upload an image it would be very helpful so I can evaluate the color (you can ask assistance from management). In some cases, tests are needed to make sure if blood is present or not.
Hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj,
General and Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Brief Answer:
It is very likely related to Metamucil- further details below
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
Thank you for the uploaded images, I was able to access them.
It seems to me the stool is gelly like in consistency and yellow-orange in color. Both of these characteristics can be due to Metamucil.
Blood would be bright red in the tissue (not so yellow) or very dark black.
To make sure though, I would recommend you to stop Metamucil for a few days and see if you notice any improvement in the color. Normally, Metamucil may still be in your bowel the next 3-4 days so if the color lasts for another few days it is understandable but I would not expect the color changes to last more than 4-5 days after stopping Metamucil.
If the stool color does not turn to normal after 4-5 days of stopping Metamucil you will need to see your doctor and have some stool tests to rule out the presence of blood.
If your stools turn back to the norm, then it is obvious Metamucil is the cause and you may restart the treatment to take the full course as your doctor has recommended you.
Hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj,
General and Family Physician
It is very likely related to Metamucil- further details below
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome back,
Thank you for the uploaded images, I was able to access them.
It seems to me the stool is gelly like in consistency and yellow-orange in color. Both of these characteristics can be due to Metamucil.
Blood would be bright red in the tissue (not so yellow) or very dark black.
To make sure though, I would recommend you to stop Metamucil for a few days and see if you notice any improvement in the color. Normally, Metamucil may still be in your bowel the next 3-4 days so if the color lasts for another few days it is understandable but I would not expect the color changes to last more than 4-5 days after stopping Metamucil.
If the stool color does not turn to normal after 4-5 days of stopping Metamucil you will need to see your doctor and have some stool tests to rule out the presence of blood.
If your stools turn back to the norm, then it is obvious Metamucil is the cause and you may restart the treatment to take the full course as your doctor has recommended you.
Hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.
Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj,
General and Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FMZxyXfH7o6JN8Ri8 I think the app is not working at uploading the pictures. I am trying to upload again and including a link of the pictures from my drive as well Incase it doesn't upload properly.
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