# Started Citrucel, Have Yellow Diarrhea



## susie419 (Jul 14, 2009)

I started Citrucel this morning and had explosive yellow diarrhea a few hours later. I had diarrhea yesterday so I don't totally blame the Citrucel but is it common to get the runs initially until your body gets used to it? I know it's supposed to help the diarrhea in time. Also, has anyone else had yellow diarrhea like water? I had my gall bladder out a few years ago and this may be bile salt diarrhea but for those who didn't have their gall bladder out, is this yellow stuff common with IBS? I have had such cramps the past two days, my digestive system is so messed up. I just don't know what to do to put it back on track. I am following all the advice in the books, little insoluble fiber, the right foods, no coffee. I was tested negative for anything bad..just don't know why this is happening so strongly all of a sudden. The yellow diarrhea is scary. Any similar stories or advice would be appreciated and also if anyone here is on Citrucel.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

You know Susie... this may not be the BEST time to start adding fiber to your diet. The yellow stool may in fact be from the Citrucel (especially if it is lemon or orange flavored).Perhaps you need to allow your system to calm down a bit before attempting fiber therapy. I would definitely skip the Citrucel tomorrow and move towards a more bland .. low residue type diet for a couple days to give your gut a chance to calm itself.Here is a link to info on a low residue diet: (Now obviously if any of the foods listed there give you trouble.. skip them. Like it says fruit juices are ok and I cannot really tolerate many fruit juices at all... so use your judgement about what works for you and what doesn't.)http://www.healthcastle.com/low-residue-fiber-diet.shtmlAnd if you still are having severe D..you could revert back to a BRAT (Bananas Rice Applesauce Toast and of course you could add any clear fluids like jello or broths etc) diet for a day or two.Please keep us posted and I'm so sorry that the Citrucel may have caused you more trouble.. but it _does_ happen to some of us.All the bestBQ


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

Susie,I still have my gallbladder and yellow, watery explosive D is very normal for me or at least it was before I got it semi under control.Thai


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## susie419 (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks for that info, BK and Thai. Thai, I am wondering how you got your IBS under control. BK, I will do the BRAT diet for now but what happened every time I did was nothing! When I went back to regular harder foods like meat, the diarrhea would clear up. I don't think the Citrucel caused the diarrhea to be yellow because I do get the yellow when it's really bad. I am upset that the dr. didn't address the gall bladder removal issue and possibility of a relation between that and the diarrhea...although it hasn't been bad until recently and the gb was removed 3 years ago. I also don't necessarily want to be on a drug for the rest of my life if something more natural can help. Maybe he feels the same so suggested Citrucel as a first step. I want to keep taking it, not twice a day yet as he recommended, just in the morning. I'll see what happens in a week or so while I am careful with my diet and will follow the low residue...thanks for that!


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

Susie,My improvement has taken a considerable amount of time but in the end has been very worth it.I started with a food and symptom journal and discovered what my triggers were.And these are foods that don't always cause me problems but do so enough of the time, that I avoid them.I also undertook to find a fiber supplement that did not cause more problems than it solved.I tried 4 before I found one that agreed with me and actually improved my symptoms.Because of how one should start on fiber this step took a considerable amount of time!I now take a flavanoid supplement that again improved my symtoms enough for me to add it to my arsenal on a permanent basis.As well, I take a probiotic as part of an improved quality package of supplements.I have taken supplements for many years just because I thought that I should but since upping the quality of what I take, I have noticed improvement not only in my IBS, but in my Fibromyalgia and arthritic jaw, neck and lower spine.And last but not least I take Calcium Carbonate as per Lindas protocol at the top of the index board on this forum.AND, when and if I have a day when all this fails, I take out my trusty bottle of Immodium and take what I need to, to control the symptoms.Hope this helps you and I wish you luck in your search to improvement.Thai


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## susie419 (Jul 14, 2009)

Thanks Thai, may I ask which fiber supplement and which probiotic helped you? I'm trying to see which brands help the most although I know that it differs from person to person. Good to hear you found relief.


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## 13540 (Aug 18, 2005)

I just started the same stuff two days ago g.i doc says start with one glass a day for a few weeks but it seems to be working and help bulking up my stool! But best of luck with it and give it time!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

When stool comes out of the small intestine and enters the colon it usually is a yellow or sometimes greenish color.These colors come from the bile and even with a gall bladder your release enough bile to color the stool.The yellow and green colors are changed to brown over time by certain species of bacteria that live in the colon. If the diarrhea is moving fast enough through the colon it will come out before the color has changed.


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## Glenda (Aug 15, 2000)

You can aquire some great reading material about Yellow Stool by going to :www.wrongdiagnosis.com , and typing in Yellow Stool , and it will provide you with up to 83 possible causes for this conditions.Worth going to their site , and reading all of it.


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## faze action (Aug 6, 2009)

I started Citrucel last week and the first thing I noticed is that my stool color changed to a very light orange/ yellow, so I suppose this is somewhat normal. It didn't make my diarrhea worse though, but actually bulked up my stool so that it now seems to be (somewhat) normal.Also, just FYI, if you have problems with bloating do NOT take Metamucil! I was on that brand prior to the Citrucel and the M. gave me TERRIBLE bloating problems (much worse than the bloating from my IBS!)... my doctor told me to switch brands straight away and the bloating is much better now. Just FYI, in case...


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## Thai (Aug 22, 2007)

Your welcome Susie,My fiber supplement is called Fiberwise and contains 12 gr of fiber per serving, 10 of them being soluble (that's a good thing).The probiotic is called Florify and it contains 2 strains of probiotic.Both are from the same company and overitnow (Mark) is the one to talk to about this.I might add that the fiber supplement is so very easy to take and never caused me a moment of distress as did the others.Gas, bloating, and pain are neonexistant for me with this brand.Hope this helps you and Mark, are you there?Thai


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## bride2be (Jul 31, 2009)

Citrucel never really worked for me, so I am currently taking Psyllium Husk fiber. It comes in powder and capsule form, powder form has been proven more effective in studies but sometimes the capsule is just more convenient. Maybe if the citrucel doesn't seem to help the explosive D you should try this kind!


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## Flyers10 (Nov 17, 2010)

Citrucel definetely causes yellow stool. I was on it for months and my stool was thinkened but yellow. It worried me thinking it was traveling through my system too fast, but it looks to have actually been the Citrucel. Didn't put two and two together until I started Calcium Caltrate supplements (which are awesome for IBS-D by the way) and calmed my Citrucel intake. Bowel color returned to normal brown. Yay!


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