Tan Stool and Frequent Bowel Movements

[ONEWORLDNOMAD]

I am a 43 year old male. Do not drink or smoke. I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2002 and had a resection done a few months after diagnosis. The T-2 tumor was located about 6inches from my anus. No chemo. All margins came back clear. I had a follow up colonoscopy done in 2003 a year after my surgery. No Problems

Prior to my surgery I was always regular and only constipated a few times since I was 16. Since the resection my bowel movements have been a **** shoot. I will go a few days having normal formed stool once a day to a few days of normal formed stool 6 times a day to 2 days of diarrhea to ribbon like stool to constipation, then back to two weeks of normality.

For the last few days I have been making frequent bowel movements about once every 30minutes to an hour. They are urgent, small to very small stools with gas. I have no abdominal pain or bloating. No fever. The color of my bowel movement varies from normal brown to tan with some dark mucus. I

[PortiaElgin]

Tan stools may be anindication of liver problems. Perhaps have your LFT checked.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Any blockage in the biliary tree can cause tan stools.  With the history of cancer, you may want to be evaluated for any liver masses which can lead to blockages.  An abdominal ultrasound would be the most reasonable initial test.

If the symptoms continue, you may want to consider a colonoscopy to ensure there has been no recurrance of cancer.  Any sustained change in bowel movements would warrant endoscopy.  

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[yoshi]

often after surgery,you need to restore the flora in your system.