Hello, djdeal-ga!
Pale, putty-colored or white stools can occur with numerous medical
conditions and can also be a side-effect of medication.
* The first thing you should do is consider any medications you may be
taking and examine the medical inserts or look online for side
effects.
* Secondly, you may consider some of the medical conditions outlined
on a site like Wrong Diagnosis.com, where you can sort by color of
stool. It is extremely important that you do not diagnose yourself,
however! This is an initial start, but it is certainly no substitute
for a physical examination. Also, it is always easy to get alarmed and
target the worst possible medical problems as a cause for your
symptoms. This is another reason to schedule a physical examination.
You don't want awful scenarios filling your head when the symptoms may
be due to a relatively benign cause.
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With that said, I have compiled the following references which
indicate potential causes of pale or white stools. Again, simply use
these references so that you might become better informed before you
visit your physician.
WrongDiagnosis.com lists the following conditions as potential causes
for pale stool.
** Please visit the site so that you can click on each link and read
about each condition in more depth.
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/sym/pale_stool.htm#possible
Possible symptoms of pale stool:
Digestive conditions
Biliary disorder
Gallbladder disorder
Gallstones
Bile duct obstruction
Biliary atresia
Sclerosing cholangitis
Bile duct cancer
Liver disorder
Hepatitis - causing light or white stool; see also types of hepatitis
Liver tumor
Liver cancer
Pregnancy-related jaundice
See also liver symptoms and jaundice
Pancreas disorders
Pancreatitis
Chronic pancreatitis
Pancreatic cancer
Sprue
Large amounts of light-colored foods:
Large amounts of rice
See also causes of fatty stool, bulky stool, or other stool symptoms
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From Medline Plus:
See "Stools - pale or clay colored"
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003129.htm
"Stools that are pale, or clay or putty-colored may result from
problems in the biliary system (the drainage system of the
gallbladder, liver, and pancreas)."
Acholic stools
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Pale, clay or putty colored stools are often referred to as Acholic stools.
The following excerpt is from the Iowa Health website:
"Possible causes for clay colored stool result from problems in the
biliary system (the drainage system of the gallbladder, liver, and
pancreas):
Cancer or benign tumors
Strictures (narrowings)
Congenital anatomic problems (present at birth)
Gallstones
Cysts
Medications
Sclerosing cholangitis
Biliary cirrhosis
Protein or infectious infiltration
Alcoholic hepatitis
Viral hepatitis (A,B,C, etc.)
Refer to:
http://www.iowahealth.org/14501.cfm
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The following forums and question/answer sites have references to pale
or white stools:
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Reflux Esophagitis
Subject: pale
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/gastro/messages/35820.html
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White/pale stools in children:
"Infant with White Stools." Ask Our Expert. Dr Spock
http://www.drspock.com/faq/0,1511,2562,00.html
The Childrens' Medical Center - Ask an Expert.
http://www.childrensdayton.org/Health/AAEPreviousAnswers.cfm?StartRow=701&PageNum=15
Q. My grandson has been vomiting with diarrhea for five days. The
vomiting has subsided, but now his stools are gray colored. He was
never febrile and has continued to eat and drink normally. He does not
appear to be ill, but now his father has diarrhea so it must be
contagious. I want them to consult their pediatrician, but they think
the diarrhea will subside without intervention. The mother is pregnant
and I don't want her to get sick. What causes the gray color is it
loss of bilirubin? Does that indicate a certain infectious organism?
Should they take him to the pediatrician?"
"Intestinal infection can bring about changes in the normal flora and
enzymatic/other substances equilibrium within the intestines. This can
cause temporary changes in the color of the stool. As the intestines
recover, the color of the stool eventually returns to "normal." Your
grandson does not appear to be ill, which is important history. I
would not necessarily be concerned about a gray stool at this point,
but it needs to be reported if persistent. Diarrhea that lasts 2 weeks
or more also deserves attention."
******
"White stool (acholic), which is indeed due to lack of bilirubin would
suggest some form of intestinal obstruction, and could be suspected
with medical history and physical examination."
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I sincerely hope the information I have provided is helpful. I wish
you the very best.
Sincerely,
umiat
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