# Peppermint oil capsules



## Little Hedgehog (Dec 2, 2008)

My doc ordered me to take peppermint oil capsules to calm down my intestines a bit. Two weeks ago I had a stomach virus. At first, I was afraid it was C-Diff again since I had it in december.Luckily, the stool culture was negative.However, the doc did tell me that, even if C-Diff's gone, my colon didn't need much to be upset again because it's still pretty sensitive from the C-Diff episode I had. This explains why this viral stomach bug I just had upset my intestines for longer than it usually does.So she told me to take peppermint oil capsules (coated to resist stomach acid) to settle down my colon again. I've been taking 3 per day, an hour before eating for 2 days now and... as weird as this may sound, my poop now wmells like mint. And when it "passes", it feels ... cold on my butt. I know it sounds funny and weird, but is this normal?


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## faze action (Aug 6, 2009)

Yes, that's normal. I took enteric peppermint for a couple of weeks (didn't help me at all, but everyone is different) and I noticed this a couple of times. I've heard other people say this as well.


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## Matilda001 (Oct 18, 2011)

Ive tried peppermint capsules many times over the year. They irritated my colon, and it felt like it was on fire so had the opposite affect to calming it. On the plus side, it did 'freshen' up nasty odours


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## Dr Dani MD (Jan 20, 2012)

yes, this is normal and not harmful to you so not to worry! Your doc gave u good advice--there is good research proof that enteric coated peppermint oil will calm down the gut and symptoms of pain and bloating in IBS and also after a stomach virus. U won't have to take them forever--things should calm down in a few weeks and then you can wean off slowlyhope this helps ease your mindDr. Dani


Little Hedgehog said:


> My doc ordered me to take peppermint oil capsules to calm down my intestines a bit. Two weeks ago I had a stomach virus. At first, I was afraid it was C-Diff again since I had it in december.Luckily, the stool culture was negative.However, the doc did tell me that, even if C-Diff's gone, my colon didn't need much to be upset again because it's still pretty sensitive from the C-Diff episode I had. This explains why this viral stomach bug I just had upset my intestines for longer than it usually does.So she told me to take peppermint oil capsules (coated to resist stomach acid) to settle down my colon again. I've been taking 3 per day, an hour before eating for 2 days now and... as weird as this may sound, my poop now wmells like mint. And when it "passes", it feels ... cold on my butt. I know it sounds funny and weird, but is this normal?


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## natebrooce (Mar 14, 2012)

Yeah I often smell of peppermint capsule but they really help with food that you want to eat, that's probably not appropriate for ibs sufferersSay I want ice cream and crisps, I will eat some peppermint pills beforehand and im gassy but the pain is relieved!


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## Little Hedgehog (Dec 2, 2008)

It's strange. I have been taking these peppermint oil capsules for about 3 weeks now and I can have several days where my stools smell "normal", then suddenly I have a BM where they really smell like mint and where it feels "cold" and stingy when passing stools, and then it's normal again for several days.Is it normal that these minty smelling stools that feel cold and stingy just occur once in a while even if I take the capsules daily? Or does it mean something else's going on?


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## faze action (Aug 6, 2009)

It could possibly depend on when exactly you are taking the peppermint. When I was taking them someone on this board informed me that they should be taken about an hour or so before meals (like on an empty stomach). Otherwise, if taken with food, the enteric coating tends to be dissolved by stomach acid early, releasing the contents too soon (i.e. too high up in the digestive tract). I imagine if taken properly the oil would travel farther down the GI tract where it's supposed to be going and cause the minty stool you have. If you are taking them at varying times before/with meals maybe this is what's happening? Just a guess...


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