Hello everyone,
If you've seen my previous discussion from last year, you will know I was having problems with undigested food, strands of fibre and these yellow balls in my stool.
After eliminating dairy and going vegan once again, the symptoms cleared up for a bit. However, after a couple months, the strands of fibre and yellow balls have come back!
I'm once again worried about these yellow balls - they're a bit hard to touch, but squidgy and semi-solid in the middle (it's not sweetcorn - the balls are bigger, plus I haven't eaten any in the past week to rule this out anyhow). They appear more so when my stools are harder but can also appear in soft stools.
Is anybody experiencing similar symptoms or does anyone have any ideas about what these could be?
Pictures are below.
It could be something you are eating which is causing your stools to move through you too fast? Try eliminating dairy and try the vegan diet again to see if your symptoms go away. Try a food diary. Have you had any tests down?
Hello Pippa - as I said in the post, I'm already vegan again, so there's no possibility that it's dairy. I also tried gluten free and low FODMAP diets for a couple weeks each, but still, no help unfortunately.
I have asked the doctors a few times but they won't give me stool sample tubes, they just dismiss me and say it's perfectly normal; that my IBS is just flaring up.
May have to try chasing it up again... Thanks for the response!
You need to try Low Fodmap for a month to find out if it is working. Two weeks is not enough. Your symptoms are normal for IBS, especially the yellow stools. Food moving through you too fast is an IBS symptom and this can cause yellow stools. Your doctor is right and is not dismissing you.Accept your doctor's advice that your IBS is flaring up. Stool colour change is a common feature of IBS. You are not being offered a stool test because your doctor likely believes nothing will show up. When you have IBS, all tests will be negative. When you have IBS symptoms you don't understand, it is common to believe you have something else. If your doctor thought you had something else, he would have offered you tests. The fact that he hasn't is good news for you and is a sign your doctor is confident that your IBS is the culprit.
My best advice is to relax as much as possible, distract yourself with things you enjoy and try light exercise to take your mind off your stomach. I wouldn't keep trying to chase up test after test; this will keep your IBS in flare up mode. Diagnosis acceptance and trusting your doctor really helps to control your symptoms. Remember, your doctor is the expert!My IBS is in remission because, I accept my diagnosis trust my doctor, and I try to keep as stress free as possible.
Persevere with the Low Fodmap Diet for a month with the help of a dietician and also try a food diary. Sometimes you have to keep changing your diet to keep up with your IBS symptoms. It is all trial and error. Keep trying different approaches to your IBS. When one solution stops working, don't worry; simply try something else.
Looks like it could be globs of mucus.
Have you been checked for gall stones? Either that or do you eat chick peas?
Never been checked for gall stones actually - I guess this can't be ruled out. I do eat chickpeas every now and then, but I hadn't eaten them at all during last week.
I have similar things in my poop but it's less frequent and smaller than yours I think. I think I have it because I don't eat enough.
Have you been eating anything new in your diet? Monitor your diet to see if anything else is not digesting properly. Sounds like you are having another IBS flare up. Try to relax; this will help control your IBS.
I agree with Leeniepie: it could be mucus.
If so, then this is a sign of inflammation. To be exact: inflammation of the mucous membranes lining the bowel. This could be a sign of gluten sensitivity, infection or an inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis. Go see a bowel specialist.
I know for a fact its not mucus. Its solid. The first time I got it it was about the size of a ping pong ball. Now whenever I do get it its about the size of a stink bug. I Believe its because of the fact that I sometimes don't eat until 5:00 pm. It's a side effect of a pill I take everyday when I get up. It doesn't hurt or anything. It's just a little strange.
Do you need to take this medication? If you do, I would ask your doctor to change it to see if it gets rid of this side effect.
hmmm I have seeing the same thing, one every day in the afternoon. been happening for about 5 weeks now. when I break it open its white dry powder almost and really stinks. the outside is kind of waxy yellow, perfectly round and flat on either side. I have terrible, oily really smelly diarrhea.
yellow poo either bile related or gallstones. see your doctor and insist on a 2nd opinion if you don't gett an answer.
Looks like corn to me...an its notorious for not breaking down. it can sit in your bowel for ages, especially if you have diverticulitis as I do. Don't GET HUNG UP ON CHECKING YOUR toilet bowl. Rather read up on what you can do to help the condition.
You can also visit your doctor for help which is far better than researching online which can provide inaccurate information and cause severe anxiety. I tried to help myself by researching when my abdominal pain started but it gave me terrible health anxiety. Instead, I kept going to different doctors when tests showed up negative and I had no hope and in the end I found a doctor who recognised my symptoms and diagnosed me correctly. Googling my symptoms failed to do this for me. Your doctor is the real expert.
hey, I have been having the same problem and this is one of the few same cases I could find. Did you ever get an idea of what was happening because I am not sure what to do or if its something that I need to go to the doctor for.
Hope you are doing well, and thanks.
hi. I've had all kinds of tests and drs. have come up with nothing. the only possibility left is I'm taking deslavenfexine (sp) for depression and that may be it, not being fully absorbed.
Can't believe people are still reviving this old thread. Just another update for you all - my bowel health is slightly better as I'm keeping my stress levels as low as possible through changing my outlook on life in through positive mindset and so on.
I seldom suffer from these yellow balls in my stools, but I've found it's typically when I eat very high-in-fat foods. Sometimes it is random, but for those who replied saying it is corn or chickpeas, I hadn't eaten those at all for a week before these photos. This is not necessarily foodstuff. I never found out for certain what this was, but after all the possible tests, my doctors ruled out any IBD, hence the official diagnosis of IBS (so not UC as somebody replied with either). Please read the OP before replying.
The best advice I can offer is to manage your stress, keep hydrated, avoid alcohol and caffeine where possible and keep a log/diary of your meals and any symptoms. Self-care is always important folks!
Have you considered an alternative to venlafaxine?