stool problem, dont know what to think

[Toby G]

Hi every one, last 3 days when i go to bathroom , my stool comes out very dark brown and kinda like pellets the size of small grapes. I just started week 7 of treatment (180 Pegasy's and 1200 copegus, ribavirin). 2 weeks ago he put me on Effexor, 37.5 for 7 days and then increased to effexor 75. have kinda been naasiated from it and he put me back to 37.5 tolorable now, does make a little constipated though
I am worried if i tell doctor about stool he will stop treatment and Im doing pretty good went from 800,000 to 20,000 first month, he says gotta be down to 8,000 by 3rd month or gotta stop, ins. says same thing,Has anybody had this problem? if so was it the ribovirin or the antidepresent( effexor) or should just wait afew days and see if gets ok. eat regular and drink 1 gallon water a day feal pretty good labs been fine too, but this just started!     Thanks, toby G

[chcnme]

It's probably a combination of the Effexor and treatment.  I'd say more the Effexor because it can tend to badly constipate some people. Tell the doc anyhow.  If you have never had these kinds of stools before and your stools are now real dark (as in almost black and tarry-looking), he  (or your regular doc)  might give your a home test kit to test for occult blood  (blood in the stools)  which I seriously doubt you have, but a doc would probably want to rule that out (and it probably should be ruled out just in case).   If it's diet-related (and it probably is), you can possibly help it by increasing the fiber in your diet (eat lots of vegetables and fruits), oatmeal, drink more fluids, cut back on coffee or tea (anything that could be dehydrating you), drink prune juice, eat prunes, apple juice  (all that wonderful wonderful stuff for "the bowels").  Start walk more - if you are able to.  Someone mentioned adding psyllium in an earlier note, and it's definitely good stuff to regulate bowels.  It's in Metamucil (generic brands are just as good and cost a lot less).  Stool softener, too - Dulcolax and Colace are good and I think OTC now (over the counter).  Hope things start coming OK soon :)  

[GoofyDad]

The meds seem to ususally loosen the stool. In my case I had the opposite and became tighter than the Tower of Power horn section. Doc put me on an OTC stool softener (Docusate Sodium). It didn't help a whole heluvalot. I could have doubled the dose, but was afraid of 'overdooing' it (sorry). Anyway, I don't think this is a area for worry, but I wouldn't hide it from my Doc.

Oh I also ate prunes and lots of dried fruit. That helped some. It would be hard to overstate this condition. I was actually experiencing tearing somedays. It was really unpleasant.

Good luck.

[Sweetie6852]

Hi
I eat a Dannon Activa every day - it will help tremendously with any of the constipation naturally.

[chcnme]

Hi Scott, and thank you so much for the nice welcome.  I've enjoyed this forum very much since I found it and appreciate your being here, too (appreciate everyone being here.)  A lot of good input and support (and I'll have to say that I think you pretty much hit the nail on the head in many arenas :)  Yeah, I'm a nurse - worked infection control, communicable diseases, STDs, correctional setting, psych, long-term care, and then boom -- it hit -- a life of long ago and long forgotten about caught up to me.  I haven't worked since 2001.  I knew little or nothing about this virus when diagnosed but knew enough to be very scared. It was people like yourself and many others who helped me understand what I was dealing with and who pointed me in the right direction and held my hand when I was afraid I was going to die.  I tried combo in 2003 (Pegasys and Copegus, under the care of GI doc).  It was ... uh... well, disasterous as far as I was concerned, and it scared the hell out of me.  Last year I got under the care of a great hepatologist at Duke Univerisity here in NC (supposed to be one of the best in the treatment of Hep C),  and I've been doing a watchful waiting approach with them since, hoping to be able to hold out for the VX-950.  I've been doing OK this past year,  I think  (I hope).  32 years of this virus, though, is very tiring at times.  Sometimes I think it's really kicking my butt, but then sometimes I think all my "symptoms" are just in my head.  I mean, let's face it - when you read enough about the "symptoms", pretty soon you believe every ailment is "OMG HEP C -- THIS IS IT!"  I'm  just an average Joe (Jane) and have the same fears and uncertainties everyone else does.  I'm very grateful to have found this forum.  I have read some of the notes from HCV researcher and surely hope they keep contributing. We all have so much to contribute!

Nice meeting you and everyone here. Have a great day. See you soon.  

[FlGuy]

A side of yours I didn't recall.  When you write 'I was actually experiencing tearing somedays', can you expand a little bit, please?  Do you mean 'tear', as in the drop of liquid from your eye?  Or, do you mean 'tear' as in what would happen if you tried to pull a non-inflated balloon over your head?  If the latter, I'd understand the former. Either way, I'm glad we were able to get a poo thread in for the the Thanksgiving weekend - seems appropriate.  I gotta run now, but I was going to make a point about corn - maybe I will later.

[GoofyDad]

Funny you should mention corn. We played apples to apples after T-day dinner, and for Miraculous, I played Corn. Why is corn miraculous they asked? Heh, heh, heh.... name one other substance that can make it all the way through in the same condition it went in.....

But no, that was tearing as in if you tried to slide a condom over something it just isn't going to fit.... sadly my constipation problems was the closest I've ever come to that situation.....

[GoofyDad]

Almost forgot.... passing a jewel encrusted eggplant through a garden hose was the way I described it at the time. Still seems to fit.... or not.

[FlGuy]

I now recall the 'jewel encrusted eggplant '.  But, my favorite is still the festering boil on your finger.

[GoofyDad]

Gee - I had forgotten all about that. <a href="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-16,GGLD:en&q=goofydad+boil">Thanks for the memories</a>.

[Forseegood]

gee you guys, you've got more hits on the net then George Clooney...

[Toby G]

Th1s is Toby G. Problem cleared up!, Must of been the high dose on Effexor I took for 2 days, cause on lower dose now and doing fine again! Also eating fruit like some one sujested, think that cleared up constipation! thanks!!

[robindayton]

Hi there. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the black is blood nor that it's dangerous.

Your description is completely accurate to what I've experienced on and off. My stool softens and looks more normal when I eat 5+ fruits and vegetables a day and drink adequate (yes, almost a gallon) water but that just doesn't work out every day, does it? I am on iron supplement which seem to go straight through (and make the stool black) while not adding much value to the H&H.

[Rastiss]

Ditto's on sweetie's Activa recommendation. I eat 2 a day and no problems. You can also set your watch by your daily movement.  Also, drink planty of water.