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What Causes Whitish Yellow Stool In An Infant?

Posted on Fri, 3 Mar 2017

Question: I have been passing white to light yellow stools for four months. What causes that. No matter what I eat it all the same.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
What is the consistency? Hard/soft/watery? How often do you stool in a day?

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have reviewed your information fully. I will like to obtain more details before being able to tell whether this is abnormal or not. You have clearly stated that this is same irrespective of what you eat.

1. Do you still have your bladder in place? Have you had any abdominal surgeries?
2. Is this color the same everyday or you observe this once in a while?
3. Did this start before or after starting probiotics?
4. Do you have any pain? cramps? Diarrhea? Constipation?
5. Are you on any supplements such as vitamins/iron?

Please, I look forward hearing from you and promise to provide moe details as we try to understand the changes and propose solutions if need be.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (5 hours later)

I do not know of anything different with my bladder.
I had an entrapped, herniated, ruptured bowel repaired 9/26/96.
It started before the probiotics.
The stool is always white or bright yellow.
I have had some pain, not at present. No cramps. No diarrhea (however, I was having dramatic diarrhea before and when the color change first happened (October). My doctor took me off of Metformin and added: Glimepiride 2 mg; Januvia 100mg. and probiotics. My diarrhea stopped. The stool stayed white to bright yellow.
I take the following vitamins: C 500mg, XXXXXXX 50+ multivitamin/multimineral, and Caltrate Calcium & Vitamin D3 and Fish Oil 1000 mg 300mg Omega-3. I have taken some form of these same vitamins for many, many years.

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (1 minute later)

I have movements between 2 and 4 times in 24 hours. Never watery. Well formed and soft.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (27 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Were a segment of your intestine removed during surgery?

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I have reviewed this information provided. The immediate still not evident. One last question, was a segment of the intestines removed during surgery? This is because a shorter bowel will allow for faster transit and not allow for enough digestion resulting in stool colors that are more like that of bile.

Also, if this persists, I might want to reduce the stool frequency by adjusting diet and maybe medications and we observe.

Keep me posted!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (41 hours later)

I don't know. I was never told. It was over 20 years ago. I have never had bowel problems until about four months ago.
I doubt that the surgery is the reason for this.
Thank you and I appreciate your continued communications. I will appreciate an expert evaluation and opinion regarding this problem.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
I will say do a stool exam!

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Every other thing seems fine. Thing occurring several years after the surgery means the hypothesis of a possible short gut syndrome is no where true. However, you seem not to be having any other major health problem that poses immediate threat to life. I will request a comprehensive stool analysis at this time. If after reviewing the results there is no abnormality, I will say continue to observe the stools only. I choose monitoring because nothing seems to suggest that is an ongoing disease process.

I wish you well. Kindly communicate the findings to me for further review and insights.

Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar