yellow mucous in stools

Question

I recently started amoxicillon 850 mg for an ear infection and now have bright yellow stools that are pretty much all mucus and they color the water bright yellow. The urge to "go" hits very suddenly with alot of pain/cramping. Then it's all mucous and liquid. I have appt with GI on March 20. Does anybody know if I should contact my regular dr about this. Is it normal for people with hcv to have this when on antibiotics?

pooh55811 · Accepted Answer

I think you should call your doctor tomorrow morning and get an appointment ASAP. Tell the doc you are on amoxicillin and tell him/her your symptoms, especially the diarrhea which is mostly mucous. (The mucous can be a serious symptom so it should get his attention.) They should be able to get you in to see him/her right away. (Your symptoms may be normal but they could be serious so I would really encourage you to get seen tomorrow.)

Amoxicillin can cause nausea and diarrhea, but your diarrhea does not sound normal (mucousy). 

Amoxicillin has a lot of side effects but one I noted is the following:

Pseudomembranous colitis
Pseudomembranous colitis — Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, causes, treatment of this inflammatory colon condition. 

Definition: 
The colon, also called the large intestine, is a long, tube-like organ in your abdomen. The colon carries waste to be expelled from the body. The rectum makes up the last several inches of the colon. 
Colon and rectumPseudomembranous colitis is inflammation of the colon that occurs in some people who have received antibiotics. Pseudomembranous colitis is sometimes called antibiotic-associated colitis or C. difficile colitis.
The inflammation in pseudomembranous colitis is almost always associated with an overgrowth of the bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), although in rare cases, other organisms can be involved. 
Pseudomembranous colitis can cause you to experience painful, alarming symptoms and can even become life-threatening. However, treatment for most cases of pseudomembranous colitis is successful. 

Symptoms 
Signs and symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis include: 
Diarrhea that can be watery and sometimes bloody 
Abdominal cramps and pain 
Fever 
Pus or mucus in your stool 
Nausea 
Dehydration 
Symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis can begin within one to two days after you begin receiving an antibiotic, or they may not occur until several weeks after you discontinue the antibiotic.

When to see a doctor: 
Contact your doctor if you're taking or have recently taken antibiotics and you develop any of the signs or symptoms associated with pseudomembranous colitis, including constant diarrhea, abdominal pain, and blood or pus in your stool.

Causes: 
The colon, also called the large intestine, is a long, tube-like organ in your abdomen. The colon carries waste to be expelled from the body. The rectum makes up the last several inches of the colon. 
Colon and rectumPseudomembranous colitis occurs when harmful bacteria in your colon — most commonly C. difficile — release potent toxins. These toxins irritate the colon, causing the signs and symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis. Harmful bacteria are normally kept in check by the healthy bacteria in your digestive system, but the balance between healthy and harmful bacteria can be upset by antibiotics and other medications. 

Antibiotics are most common cause: 
Virtually any antibiotic can cause pseudomembranous colitis. Antibiotics most commonly associated with pseudomembranous colitis include: 
Quinolones, such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and levofloxacin (Levaquin) 
Penicillins, such as amoxicillin and ampicillin 
Clindamycin (Cleocin) 
Cephalosporins, such as cefixime (Suprax) and cefpodoxime (Vantin) 
Other causes :
Although antibiotics are by far the drugs most often associated with the development of pseudomembranous colitis, other medications may be responsible. In addition, in people with cancer, chemotherapy may sometimes disrupt the bacteria within their intestines and trigger the development of pseudomembranous colitis. Pseudomembranous colitis can also develop in people with diseases that affect the colon, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. 

Complications: 
By the time your doctor detects pseudomembranous colitis, you may already be seriously ill. If the condition isn't successfully treated at the time of diagnosis, a number of complications can develop, including: 

Abnormally low levels of potassium in your blood (hypokalemia), due to the loss of potassium during excessive diarrhea 
Dehydration leading to abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension), related to significant loss of fluids and electrolytes due to diarrhea 
Kidney failure, due to severe dehydration resulting from diarrhea 
A hole in your bowel (perforated colon), which can lead to an infection of your abdominal cavity 
Toxic megacolon, a rare but serious distension of the colon, leaving it incapable of expelling gas and stool, which could cause your colon to rupture 
Most people respond well to treatment, but pseudomembranous colitis can be fatal without effective treatment. 

Link: 
http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS00797/Pseudomembranous-colitis?q=antibiotic-associated+colitis&qpvt=pseudomembranous+colitis

Another link (go down to the professional part):
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/amoxicillin-side-effects.html

runsincircles · Answer

I called  dr monday and she said add probiotics.  Everything seems to be back to normal.  I just kinda freaked when I saw the neon yellow water, kinda like when someone takes pyridium the first time and they don't know it turns your pee orange.

pooh55811 · Answer

I think I would call the doc just to let him/her know about it in case he has any instructions or wants to run any tests.

runsincircles · Answer

This symptom seems to have cleared up on it's own.  Now stools are just really soft and normal color.  Could c. diff. clear on it's own or should I still call the dr?

runsincircles · Answer

Abnormally low levels of potassium in your blood (hypokalemia), due to the loss of potassium during excessive diarrhea 

I started having seizures this time last year and the only reason they could find was low potassium.  I don't remember if I was on antibiotics before that cause it wiped out my memory,  but I have been on them every year in the winter for the last 3 years.  I do remember some mucus but nothing like this time.
 
Thanks for your reply, I have alot of wierd symptoms and never know what is important and what is not.