# stool change with activa - liver or gall problem?



## cleung (Feb 14, 2009)

I have severe consipation for a long time. Anyhow, I started trying having Activa yogurt, with fibre. I realized it changed my stool color changed from very dark brown to very light brown. I am still having pellet like stool and rabbit poo few times a day. I have been on them for almost two weeks now and my stool has been very light brown color. I start taking the Total One for women multi-vitamin and mineral from swiss herbal a few days ago, that seems to do nothing, so I started taking acidophillus supplement, now my stool is floating. And of course I read a lot of different 'theory' about stool floating, but one that said if my stool looks "pale or clay-colored", it means minimal amounts of bile are being exreted, and maybe that is caused by problems with gallbladder or liver. Anyone has any thoughts? Experience with Activa and changing stool color?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Stool starts out a light yellow brown color, sometimes a light greenish brown color.When they say clay colored they mean like the beige older computers used to always come in.Stool turns dark brown only when the bacteria have enough time to change the stool from light brown to dark brown. Activia is supposed to speed things up.Floating vs sinking has to do with how dense the stool is packed and how much gas is trapped inside. If it is moving a bit faster and isn't as dense it might let the gas in it float. Also mos fibers are fermentable so that means more gas trapped in the stool.Are you maintaining weight? Bile is used to help absorb fat so if you were dropping weight and the stools were really pale I'd get seen ASAP. For what it is worth, most of the time the gall bladder stops pushing out enough bile because of stones. Do you have 6-8 hours of excruciating pain on the upper right going up into your shoulder blade on that side when you eat a fatty meal? That tells you a lot more than the stool comes out about the color it starts. There may be some other reasons but usually it is gall stones and if they are blocking things enough to change stool color you would be having some serious pain.


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

ahhh hell, dont get me started on activia.cheersIan


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## cleung (Feb 14, 2009)

Thank you very much Kathleen. See all the information from the web just get me even more confused, most of them are trying to sell me something like some supplements or some detox kits that I dare too try any. Ok, my stool is not that pale, so I guess the activia explains it. Yes I do lost weight, well I cannot really eat much. Any fatty food would make me really sick, it is good that you mention about gall bladder stones. My gut just cannot handle anything fat, if I do I would have severe pain, and my right shoulder hurts. It is funny because I never take into account my shoulder issues, I know something is weird, I did mention to my family doctor once, but she didn't seem pay attention to that so I didn't bother mentioning it again. I am going to see her again tomorrow, this time I should mention if she can check me out for gallbladder stone.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Fat can be a problem even if you "just" have IBS.The stomach sends signals to the intestines during/just after a meal so it can prepare. How much fat the intestines have to deal with is one of the bits of information passed on and that "I ate something greasy" signal can sometimes cause diarrhea and cramping even in people that never have problems at any other time. There is a reason some very greasy food is called sliders as they slide right down and slide right out in most everyone.If you get the upper right sided pain that goes up to the upper back on the right side it probably is worth finding someone that will do a scan to check the gall bladder. IBS post fat pain usually is more of an hour or so (and if the part of the colon next to the gall bladder is going off pain wise it can radiate to the back as well). GB pain usually is for many hours on end. It isn't a firm difference but the GB pain goes on a lot longer than the increased colon activity from eating fat goes on. GB pain is also more likely to be so bad you can't possibly do anything else but writhe in pain. IBS pain can vary a lot in intensity. It can be that severe, but it tends to have more range both in one person as well as from person to person.


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