Pellet Stools alternating Very Large Stools

[Katie 2]

Thank you for answering my question, Dr.:
I have been having pellet like stools, alternating with extremely  large stools.  I have had  very poor appetite for a long time - even before this problem.
I am 63, exercise daily, low weight, with no other medical problems.  I am on Levothyroxine - small dose. I had a colonoscopy about a year ago which was normal, other than for small diverticula.

[Katie 2]

thank you for the well thought out informative reply!

[ggreg]

Normally constipation, which is what I think you have, is caused by medications.  Now, if you are taking other medicines, especially since this digestive situation started, look up side effects of "constipation."  Then you can speak to that doc and he can change your medicine.  It turns out that your thyroid medicine normally does not cause constipation at all.

In the meantime, for example if you don't take ANY other drug, or if you look up the drugs you do take and none say constipation, I can tell you various levels of things you can do to straighten this out.  I take a medicine that I MUST take for the rest of my life, pain killer, because of a fractured back.  
So, those drugs (as well as even a temporary use of antibiotics), so I know the whole picture of what to do.

Food is first,which means you can eat more fiber and your digestion will stop doing that, and the best fibers to add to your diet are oat cereal daily, you CAN add prunes chopped up on the cereal if that doesn't quite do the trick.  And you can then throw in a salad and extra water with a meal.  You can also get some "probiotics" in you, which may need adjusting depending on what caused it, like if you take antibiotics or have a colonoscopy, which probiotics are in labeled milk and yogurt in the grocery store, and pill form at the health foods store.
  
Now, if food won't do the trick, which lots of times it won't no matter what you do, you tun to one of several over the counter medicines. The mildest is Senocot, a natural type stuff, you tke a pill one day and then one the next, and you should get a bowel movement.  If not, and if you can stand the idea, maybe twice a week you can get these very small boxes of tubes of PediaLax or BabyLax and squirt two in there, and you should have some action within minutes.  And the last and strongest stuff, and it will ALWAYS work, is good old Exlax!  A pill, lots of water, might have to take more the next day, and then you should get the usual urge and it'll pass finally.  After that, it may continue to come out in large amounts for several days, and then be regualar.  Then you can simply try various food solutions until you come up with a combination or kind that works really well for you and is easy to do.  See, could be a medicine you figured was just normal just might need a little change in diet from you so you can still take your meds.

But if none of this stuff kind of regulates you back to the way you were or a change in medicine doesn't help, obviously visit your gastro doc and explain everything to him and what you've done, and you're just not regular at all.  Could be something a doctor needs to attend to.