# Frequency of yellowish stools



## Canaryscat (Sep 23, 2011)

Hi, all. First time poster. I received a diagnosis of IBS about two years ago. However, I probably had it long before that. It is in my family and I just thought it was inattentiveness to my lactose intolerance before this. In any case, over the last two months I've had consistently yellow-brown to brown-yellow soft stools (not the more normal brown for me). I've done enough research here to see that such stools may simply be stools that have spent relatively little time in the colon. I've had blood work done, fecal fat test and a full abdominal CT scan. All have come back normal. I'm still waiting to see the GI doctor about some esophageal issues (I think I have acid reflux - I'm on 20 mg omeprazole and it's not doing much to combat my burning throat, (sometimes) esophagus, and stomach). In any case, since so many folks seem to have IBS-D and that would seem to indicate little transit time in the colon, I was wondering how common such yellowish stools actually are for IBS sufferers. I have had them going on two months now with little variation. I'm certainly on the anxious side as well and have a hell of a last year and a half - so anxiety is probably in the mix for sure. However, I can't help but think my acid reflux may be causing some of this, as the changes and severity seem to coincide. Thanks in advance.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

usually the acid reflux is a separate issue from the stool color.However, some acid treatments (like antacids with magnesium in them or some acid supressors) can have diarrhea as a side effect so may make your transit more consistently fast enough for the color not to change.Stool starts out yellow (baby poop gold as they don't have enough bacteria to change the color to brown yet) or sometimes green, if your bile is more green than yellow. It takes time and enough of the right bacteria to change the color to brown in the colon.Also if the acid reflux is causing pain or other physical or mental stress (as some people find pain emotionally stressful or anxiety provoking) that increase in stress could effect the IBS.


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## Canaryscat (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks, Kathleen. I'm pretty sure my transit time is pretty rapid. At present, I'm one of the lucky ones. I don't have to run to a bathroom all the time. However, I do have a lot of the other nagging things, bloating, gas, some pain. I'm still trying to find out exactly what I can and cannot eat without throwing in beeno or taking gas-x. I sometimes begin to worry that my diet is going to lead to malnurishment since I've restricted it so much from what it was. On the plus side, I'm losing some weight I needed to lose. When you cut out sodas, alcohol, fatty foods, and a lot of sugars, you can lose some weight pretty quickly when you throw in some exercise as well. I'm glad I found this forum to converse with others.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Try putting some good bacteria back into your system via a good probiotic.


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## Canaryscat (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks! I had been doing that for a few weeks, especially since I had a round of antibiotics. However, I quit when I tried the Digestive Advantage stuff. I guess there is no harm in doing both.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

And if one probiotic doesn't seem to help.... try another one with different strains.


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## Canaryscat (Sep 23, 2011)

I just wanted to ask if light tan stools are to be judged differently. If my feces are light yellowish, they are light tan. Any reason for concern? I'm starting to get concerned about low bile production as a cause.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

No I would doubt you have any reason for concern. It may just mean it is going back towards brown. I would try to relax about it as stressing over it may only make you feel worse.


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## Canaryscat (Sep 23, 2011)

Thanks!


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## breakaway (Mar 18, 2011)

Kathleen M. said:


> Stool starts out yellow (baby poop gold as they don't have enough bacteria to change the color to brown yet) or sometimes green, if your bile is more green than yellow. It takes time and enough of the right bacteria to change the color to brown in the colon.


Hi Kathleen, is this bacteria in the small intestines or the large intestines? What would effect these bacteria to make an adult's poo come out consistently yellow/green?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

The yellow to brown bacteria are normal colon bacteria.If your stool moves faster than they change the color it stays yellow.I think some people just have fewer of these bacteria than others, but there doesn't seem to be any pathology associated with that. The colon is an ecology and depending on the balance in there you may have more, or less of any given bacteria at any given time. While there are similarities across healthy people there is a lot of variety as well.Now some people do seem to have more bile released than they recycle, which then irritates the colon and moves the stool faster, but usually people with that issue complain of "burning" diarrhea not just stools that are yellower than normal.


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