bowel movements

When I have a bowel movement, why would the pills I take come out with it? Not dissolved, but, in the shape it was in when I swallowed it. Thank You.

[fds]

Hi,

    There are a few reasons why pills can be seen in the stool.  Some new pills are sustained release so the drug is built in a matrix and the drug is slowly released into the bloodstream.  The matrix remains and is often seen in the stool.  It is not the drug you see, just the matrix that held the drug before it was released.  Another reason may be if you have very quick intestinal transit time--in that case it may be the actual drug you see in the stool.  Some questions that would be helpful:

1. What kind of medications are you on--to determine if they are sustained released or not.

2.  How long after you take a pill do you see it in your stool--to check if your intestinal transit time is very fast.

fds