# Light Colored Stool



## elyag

I noticed on days when my IBS is flaring up and stool is looser that it's lighter in color.Does anyone know why this happens?


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## Kathleen M.

Lighter as in a yellow, tan or light brown orLighter as in pale, clay, ecru, off white?The first is just that the dark brown color comes from the color compounds in the bile slowly being turned dark brown by the bacteria in the colon over time.If the stool move faster (which it often does when it is loose) it won't have changed color as much so may look more like the stool enters the colon then how you expect it is when it leaves.If you mean without any of the yellow to brown color (or sometimes greenish to brown color) then you may not have released any bile, but that usually has other symptoms beyond just loose stools. Especially if you aren't releasing bile because a gall bladder stone is blocking the exit (usually that comes with severe pain lasting several hours)


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## elyag

Thanks.I guess by light..... I mean light brown or kind of a yellowish brown.


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## Glenda

Just a question out of my curiousity , Why should it matter What Color It Is ?Why should it matter if it is Firm , mush or straight water ?As long as it doesn't contain blood.I am starting to see that pople are getting quite worried about the colors and how it comes out (firm , mush , water )Atleast we are able to go to the bathroom.I am wondering if people are too focused on those above things things.As long as I go , who cares if it is off colored or mushey one day.We are still going.But if blood is seen , then YES it is a consirn.This is just how I feel about this.


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## Kathleen M.

What I've found is that people tend to look at the toilet more when the gut is bothering them and often have no clear idea of what the normal range of things are.Once you know it isn't something to worry about you can stop worrying about it, but seeing something you don't remember ever seeing before isn't usually a comforting thing.


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## Glenda

Hi Kathleen , I have noticed , so many are so worried about they way it looks , and again , it honestly shouldn't matter.Atleast we are going and not all plugged up.I use to check the toilet out too , so I would see what it looked like that day.But I quit doing that, because there is No reason for me to even remotely be consirned.Unless I know for a fact there is a serious problem and I am checking for blood.Which has never occured before. Thankfully.I think so many of us would improve greatly if they would stop worrying about the color and what state it's in (Firm , water , mush).It appears that , that is focused on too much.Yes I know and understand that people may not be use to seeing changes on a frequent basis , But , so what if it changes.That is just a part of normal bodily function. The food we eat and the beverages we consume play a huge role in it.I hope everyone feels better and doesn't let the IBS take charge too much.Sincerely , Glenda


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## TanaG

I was also scared because some of my stools were yellowish. But I was explained this depends on many things, including what you eat or the medicine you take. And it was true once I started to eat everything just like I was before the colour of my stool changed back to what it was. I think that many of us are so scared of what they're going through that we tend to analyse any bubble of gas going through our bowel. At least I know I tend to do so. I mean...how many times before you started to have IBS did you look into the toilet, carefully observing the colour of your stool? It might have been lighter in colour sometimes back then too...but you just didn't notice! Try having some red wine ... it will suddenly colour your stool dark brown


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## Kathleen M.

I wish it were easy for everyone to just decide to stop worrying. Unfortunately anxiety isn't that easy to handle for everyone. You really don't have any control over how prone you are to anxiety (it seems to be genetic/developmental).Some people can easily control the worry, but other people can't just turn it off light a light switch whenever they want to.For a lot of people finding out what is a "no big deal" sort of variation is helpful to controlling the anxiety. If people have a question about the body function I have no problem with them asking and I have no problem answering them. At least here you can ask the embarrassing questions.


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## Glenda

This board is an excellent place to come to ask all kinds of questions because we get some fantastic answers.And I mean this with deep sincerity , If people would just try as hard as they can , to NOT let this IBS over take them , they would start improving so much better.My IBS use to have hard conroll over me , but I was Fed Up with that situation , so I told myself to just Stop now.No part of it even enters my mind at all anymore , I have dismissed it out of my thoughts completely.If I need to use the bathroom , I just do it. I don't look into the toilet because I can basically tell how it is going to be by the way that it comes out. Another words you can feel if it's hard , or mushey , or water.This shouldn't even consirn a person unless you are gravely ill and need to look for blood in it.I really want to Help the people here on this board , because I know for a Fact , if I can change my life around , you guy's can too.As I said , it takes a great Will and alot of Determination to over come this.But it Can be beaten , it just takes hard work.Sincerely , Glenda


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## elyag

Kathleen M. said:


> I wish it were easy for everyone to just decide to stop worrying. Unfortunately anxiety isn't that easy to handle for everyone. You really don't have any control over how prone you are to anxiety (it seems to be genetic/developmental).Some people can easily control the worry, but other people can't just turn it off light a light switch whenever they want to.For a lot of people finding out what is a "no big deal" sort of variation is helpful to controlling the anxiety. If people have a question about the body function I have no problem with them asking and I have no problem answering them. At least here you can ask the embarrassing questions.


 Nicely put.


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## Southern Boy

I agree with you. I have decided pretty much the same thing. I am not going to worry about it. If I have to go, I have to go. Just like with my bladder and having to pee. I don't worry about the color of my urine or how many times I pee a day or if I'll have to pee if I go somewhere. I just go when I have to go. I guess there is some kind of stigma with having to go #2 in a bathroom outside your house. Maybe that's part of our 'problem'.


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## Glenda

I kind heartidly must press the issue , as long as there is NO Blood in it , Who Cares What It Looks Like !I don't care if it is Blue with orange stripes , as long as there's No blood , then WHY worry yourself sick over it !Same with How it comes out , so what if it is hard as a brick , or mush like oatmeal , or straight water.It shouldn't matter because , atleast we are still going , and not all plugged and bunged up.I just refuse to let this upset me to a point of anxiety taking over.I have better things to do with my day then flip out over this stuff.But , Yes , I agree , it can eat away at a person's sole , and really make you feel like Hell at times.I have been there and felt like death warmed over.But , Not EVER AGAIN .Taking a Whole new approach to this issue can be so beneficial if you make it your ultimate goal in life.I know the folks here are Strong as a rock when they Set their Minds to it.We will get past this. Bust your Rear trying , and I know you will succeed.I wish everyone good luck. I know you can do this too.But , if you fall , get up , and try again , and again, till you get it done right.Glenda


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## Kathleen M.

Just so we are clear.I am not suggesting anyone be overly concerned about what their poo looks like. NO ONE is telling people to start obsessing over it if they aren't already anxious about it.Although seeing if doing A or B makes the consistency easy to pass can be worth tracking as some consistencies are less likely to rip you open as they come out.I'm just saying some people are born with different abilities to just shrug off the anxiety and worry like it were nothing.For someone in the grips of disabling anxiety they aren't able to just so easily decide to never have another panic attack. I wish they could, but I know that "just stop worrying" is a lot easier to say than do for many of the people here.I'm glad you could will yourself into no worries. Some people aren't so lucky.For those that can't just stop worrying whenever they want to please seek the help that you need to do that. There are many effective treatments for crippling anxiety and you don't have to suffer or believe you are just too weak if you can't do alone.


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## Glenda

I want to be Really Supportive for all the members here.And I know in my heart and mind , if I can Get over this , many others will be able to do the same.You just have to make it your Ultimate Goal in Life.You can't let having IBS stop you from getting to that Special Point in Life where you can really enjoy yourself each day and Not have to be scared of what the day "Might" bring.Having anxiety issue's because of IBS seems to be a huge problem for many of our wonderfull members , and telling yourself to STOP WORRYING is easier said then done for a good portion of them.But , again I know in my heart , if you TRY , you can get beyond these. I fought like hell to get to this point in my life and it has Paid Off .Will it continue ? Boy I sure hope so. Will I relapse ? Who Knows. But I darn well intend to fight it all the way till I achieve the top of the mountain.Keep at it guy's , you'll do better each and every day if you Work hard at it.If I can do it , I know You Can Too.


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