Slow digestion? Please help

[dancinh]

Hello, I am new here and just needed help or any advice anyone can provide on this. I noticed something in my stool today that I had eaten last Sunday for Easter, which was 6 days ago. The stool is very light colored and is diarrhea...but that's common for me since I had my gall bladder removed about 6-7 months ago. There was also very small amounts of blood, but it was light red and just a tiny bit of it. I am just concerned about how long it took to digest that food....is that normal for it to be sitting in my digestive tract for 6 days? I currently take Synthroid 25mcg, Omeprazole 20mg, and Xanax 1mg 2-3 times per day, as well as over the counter acidophilis pearls. My doctor just started me on Questran when I went to see her on Thursday. She put me on this because of my gallbladder being gone, she thinks there is too much bile flowing in my system and that this should stop it. She put me on this because I have tried everything else and this is a last resort. I did not have those two issues at the time though (the food from 6 days ago and the small amount of blood) so I am unable to get in contact with a doctor. I did tell her about the stools being light colored. Please let me know, thank you.

[SassyLassie]

Actually, no, it is not normal to have undigested food sitting that long in your stomach. I would try a good pro-biotic and a good digestive aid. The pro-biotic will put the "friendly bacteria" in your system and the digestive aid will help to digest food that is otherwise hard to assimilate. I believe both can be taken safely with the drugs you are on. You should tell her about the blood in the stool however, sometimes that can mean more than digestion difficulties.

[dancinh]

It wasn't sitting in my stomach, it was sitting in my digestive tract. I mentioned that I take acidophilus pearls...those are a probiotic/digestive aid. I don't know if you caught that or not.

[dancinh]

I really need help, I have suddenly lost control of my bowels. I'm about to start vomiting. I took the Questran around 5pm this evening...I can't figure out if that is what is causing this or what but I am very scared and don't know what to do.

[SassyLassie]

I am sorry, yes, I do see where you taking the pro-biotic/digestive aid. I didn't at first.

Gosh, I would go the ER right now if I were you. You just cannot go on like this. Insist that they get to the root cause of the problem. Try to calm down, take some deep breaths, and then get to an ER or a weekend clinic.

Please keep us posted.

Here is a hug for you.

[dancinh]

Thanks for your response. Last night was really bad. I did not go to the ER because everything seemed to calm down by about midnight and I was able to go to sleep...besides..they wouldn't be able to do anything for me except for maybe some IV fluids. I have very strong anti-nausea meds at home and even that didn't work.

Anyway I called the doctor and I also spoke to my pharmacist. They both said to continue the medication because I haven't given it enough time to work yet. Basically the bile that the medication binds up was just flowing right through me because of my hardly eating much, it didn't have anything to bind itself to. They stressed that I make sure I eat enough, and not just anything, like protein and binding foods... small meals throughout the day, which is difficult for me since I don't really feel hunger often anymore. I just took today's does about an hour or 2 ago after I ate dinner. I hope this episode does not happen again. I followed all of their directions.