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Yellow stool - Asacol?

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Posted 7/15/2009 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

For the last month I have yellow stool and was wondering if anyone knew if this is normal with Asacol tablets? I started Asacol just over a month ago due to my Crohn's as a trial to see if it suits me. However apart from nausea, I don't seem to be digesting the tablets as they are coming out just as they went in.

I called my GP and she said she wasn't sure what to do so will write to my Gastro Doc and to call her in a few weeks!

Brief background: - Diagnosed with Crohn's 3 years ago after a small bowel resection, just diagnosed with cystic fibrosis and also have bronchietasis.

I would appreciate if anyone had any advice.

Thanks in advance
Posted 7/15/2009 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
I take Asacol myself and I do not have yellow stools. Are you having frequent diarrhea? Sometimes it will turn yellow when you have been having alot of diarrhea and after awhile all that comes out is the yellow bile.

Also, it is very normal to see the "shell" of Asacol in your stools. Even though it looks like it, its not the whole tablet, just the outside shell. I freaked out about that too, but the doctor told me its very normal. Hope that helps.

Hugs
Gail*Nanners*
Posted 7/15/2009 5:28 PM (GMT 0)
I have taken asacol for a long time and it is normal to see the pill in your stool, even sometimes wholeish ones. It says it in the pamphlet when you get the medication I think and also, my GI doctor did warm me about that and told me not to get freaked out by it. But, just to make sure, you should def ask your GI. I wouldn't expect your GP to really know all about that med bc it is pretty specific to Chrohns I think.

Good luck...hope that helps.
Posted 7/15/2009 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you both for the replies.

My bowel movements are more or less the same as it were before which is going mainly 4 times a day. I am a little concerned about the yellow stool. Every bowel movement is yellow since a month ago.

Regarding not digesting the pill, it's not a capsule I take. It is a large oval shaped hard pill. I find it in the toilet still with the numbers on it! I just think if I am not digesting it properly, I won't be getting the benefits.

You are right, my GP is not specialised in this area, I guess I thought she would have suggested something I could take in liquid form maybe or advise me about the yellow stool.

Thanks again :-)
Posted 7/15/2009 7:07 PM (GMT 0)
Yellow stool could indicate liver issues. I would get that checked pronto.
Posted 7/15/2009 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
No, Kim my Asacol pills are just like you described, they are NOT capsules. The medicine is made to not break down until it gets to the intestines. It is covered with a hard outer shell and when the medication gets to the right area the medication seeps out leaving the outer shell.. Very normal to see what looks like a pill in your stool. I see them all the time and I suffer with more constipation than I do diarrhea.
Posted 7/15/2009 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Rider Fan and Nanners.

Rider Fan: - I will be next at the doctors in 2 weeks so I think I should mention the yellow stool again and the length of time I have had it.

Nanners: - Sorry I am new to Asacol. I noticed both the pills in the toilet bowl after I had flushed the toilet, so I didn't notice them in my stools. With gloves on, I picked them out from the flushed toilet (gross I know, sorry but I had to be sure) and they were rock hard and looked exactly how I had swallowed them along with the identification numbers. I should have explained myself clearly earlier but was a bit embarrassed sorry. Do you mean there is a substance inside the pill that seeps out into the intestine? If so, that would be ok.

Thanks
Posted 7/15/2009 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
No I have found them exactly the same way. And mine were hard too. Yes the medication seeps out from them. I don't have it everyday, but I frequently see them. I notice them more when I have looser stools on my bad tummy days.
Posted 7/15/2009 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
That's great to hear and has reassured me. I feel bad for my GP now as she wrote to my Gastro Doctor about it. redface

Thanks for taking the time to explain this to me (I learn something new every day)! :-)
Posted 7/15/2009 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
I would have your liver check out I agree with Rider Fan. I had liver problems and my stools and urine were yellow
Posted 7/15/2009 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Littlemissmuffet (love the name)!

Yes I am concerned about the yellow stool as it is unusual for me to have this and for this amount of time also. May I ask if you had any other symptoms when you had a problem with your liver? What prompted you to ask your doctor to check it out? I can see you also use asacol. Do you think it is asacol which causes the liver problems and did they start shortly after you first used it? I had nausea for the first week. I hope you are feeling much now.

Thanks for the advise :-)
Posted 7/15/2009 8:54 PM (GMT 0)
I have heard that Asacol can affect the kidneys, but nothing about it affecting the liver. Could any of your newly diagnosed issues have medications that could cause liver problems? Maybe try googling them and see if there is chances of liver problems.
Posted 7/15/2009 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
It was azaithiroprine that affected my liver, been on ascaol 4 years - no problems, except when I took 8 a day and ai got a lot of indigestion.

My liver problems also showed themselves by severe itching, yellowing of the white of my eyes, l was never hungry (and Im always hungry) I also threw my food up every on regular occasions on an evening
Posted 7/15/2009 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
kim27,
Perfectly normal to see the outer shell of Asacol, I had to ask my doctor too. It freaked me out at first probably because there red! CD people are always freaked out by red in our stools!vWhy couldn't they make it like rainbow or something:) My biggest side effect from Asacol was feeling like I had a mouth full of pennies. I carried jolly ranchers around with me during that time...it did get better.
Yellow stools .....My sister who is a nurse has always told me that yes, it's because your going alot but, could also be a sign of gullbladder. Have you had your out? or checked? just a thought!
Good luck !
Posted 7/15/2009 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
Nanners: I am not on any other medication until I see the lung specialist 29th of this month. I have been thinking more about it and it must be the asacol, it started shortly after I started taking it. I have had Crohn's since a child (only diagnosed 3 years ago though) so am not new to bizarre stool motions. Just the yellow colour for a month and continuing is strange for me and the only different thing is starting the asacol. No change in diet etc. However, if it was due to asacol, surely others would have experienced the same which is why I posted this thread. It is reassuring in a way that no-one has, so maybe it's something else.

Littlemissmuffet: That is good to know you have no problems with asacol. Your experience with aza doesn't sound good and I am glad you are no longer on it. I don't have the symptoms you mentioned thankfully and thank you so much for listing them.

When I posted this thread, I guess I was kind of hoping someone else came along and says that they too had yellow stool and it's connected with the colouring maybe of the asacol. Silly I know, just wishful thinking. I did do a google search and that brought up gallbladder issues etc and I couldn't seem to connect the asacol with yellow stool.

Thanks for helping :-)
Posted 7/15/2009 9:40 PM (GMT 0)
Hi flowery,

I missed your post there, I haven't had my gallbladder out or checked. If this continues as it seems to be, I guess there is no harm in requesting blood tests to check both liver and gallbladder if the doctor will allow me too. I dismissed gallbladder issues as my partner was in so much pain when he had gallbladder problems so much so we thought he was having a heart attack! He had his removed and I am not in pain like he was.

Good to hear you have no major symptoms with asacol. I am glad I posted here now as it has been somewhat reassuring and everyone has been helpful. :-)
Posted 7/15/2009 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
My stools turning yellow is one of the first signs of a flare up for me, and they usually remain yellow throughout the entire flare. My GI does not seem concerned about it, but he does monitor my liver/kidney functions via blood work. For me, it's just a regular part of having Crohn's. However, since it's new for you, it is a good idea that you are checking with your GI.
Posted 7/15/2009 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi catpower,

I am in a flare at the moment and have been for a while now, but yes, as it's new for me and going on for a while, I will get it checked.

Thanks
Posted 7/15/2009 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
i get the "shells" every so often myself. sometimes i even pass little black'ish balls that float. these are the innards of the pill. i was told this is also normal.
Posted 7/15/2009 10:35 PM (GMT 0)
Good to know J. I am glad I didn't pass those little blackish balls though! I think that would have freaked me out more. shocked So are the balls inside the pills?
Posted 7/15/2009 11:42 PM (GMT 0)
I never heard of the black balls either and have never seen anything like that in my stools and I have been on Asacol over 7 years.
Posted 7/16/2009 12:32 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on asacol for a few years, and never had it cause yellow stool. The only time I've had yellow stool is when I've got too much bile in my system. Have you had your gallbladder out by chance?

Also I get shells of the pills too in my stool. The only time I get a whole pill is when I'm having D and the pill didn't even get a chance to open up.

Posted 7/16/2009 5:02 AM (GMT 0)
the little balls are inside. they are little things about the size of this smiley face smilewinkgrin. i only passed them a few times when i had bad D.
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