Undigested Medication?

[WorriedOne84]

Okay, so I know this is a gross question...but it something that I really want/need to know the answer to.  I seem to be passing totally undigested Venlafaxine XR (Effexor XR) pills.  I managed to inspect one of the pills afterward (disgusting, I know) and the outside was tough but it was still full of a white, powdery substance.  Does this mean that I'm not digesting the medication at all?  What should I do?

[CalGal]

WorriedOne, you're not the only one who checks their stool. Everyone does it. And anyone who has a brain would worry if they saw their medication - apparently whole - in the stool. You don't have to tell them you looked in the capsule, but at least call and see if the whole of the capsule should dissolve in the digestive system. If they say yes, then it's time to call your doctor. You can't ignore the issue because you'll never know if the medication is working optimally or not. If your system isn't handling the med the way it should, all you're doing is putting out some very 'expensive' fecal material and throwing money away in a very 'unique' manner. Call.

[WorriedOne84]

Thanks for responding.  The problem is, I'm taking the medication for social and generalized anxiety and I'm too embarrassed to make that type of phone call.  And it's strange to tell people that I looked it in, you know?  But it was definitely still filled with a white substance.  Why do these things happen to me?

[CalGal]

WorriedOne, call your pharmacist and ask him/her if what you're taking is made to pass through what may be something that looks undigested. There are some medications that are formulated to do exactly that - althought the white, powdery substance you noted sounds like something else is going on - but it's a place to start. If the pharmacist says no, call your doc and discuss the issue.