Worried about stool...

[weirdkid96]

I have had normal bowel movements for a bit now and today I just noticed it was paller than normal. I am going to be going to my friend this weekend(like in a few hours) and don't really want to cancel because we are having a few people over to celebrate another successful school year. Is it fine if I wait a couple days and if it is still this pale color(sort of yellow white) go and tell my mom that I need to see a doctor? I don't know if it is just from something I ate or what.

[Nomad_X]

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Stool comes in many different colours, compositions etc.

[James Bond]

The only reason you would need to worry is if there was blood. That's it.

If your stools are dark, that means you're absorbing all of your food properly, if they're light, it means your body isn't absorbing all of its food. If it sinks, it's absorbing all of the food, if it floats, that means youre not absorbing all of the food you eat.

If it gets lighter and starts to float (and maybe even has an oily look to it) then what I would suggest is you taking a probiotic and avoiding greasy food for a few days.


That sounds like you have a small problem with absorption, so try to stay away from the greasy food for about 3 days, try also eating a bit lighter and drinking more water.

Whenever you have diarrhoea, the best thing to do is drink water cause the diarrhoea dries your body our of its water (off topic, I know, just thought I'd add that while I'm at it lol).

[MartyG]

I bet you'll be back to darker colored poops in a day or two. I've had those lighter colored ones now and then....I've never known what they mean but I did mention them to my doctor once and he said "meh...."....

You said that you've had normal bowel movements "for a bit now..." Does that mean that you've had issues with pooping in the past? If so...it would be helpful to describe that here...just in case it would make a difference in anyone's answer....

Not too many kids think about (or pay much attention to) their BM's.....Have you had issues with how things work "back there"?

[James Bond]

I bet you'll be back to darker colored poops in a day or two. I've had those lighter colored ones now and then....I've never known what they mean but I did mention them to my doctor once and he said "meh...."....

You said that you've had normal bowel movements "for a bit now..." Does that mean that you've had issues with pooping in the past? If so...it would be helpful to describe that here...just in case it would make a difference in anyone's answer....

Not too many kids think about (or pay much attention to) their BM's.....Have you had issues with how things work "back there"?

They mean you're not absorbing all the fats you eat. There's no real reason to be worried with any color other than red/blood.

[weirdkid96]

Everythign went back to normal a day after so I guess I was fine. And what I meant by "for a bit" was that when I was younger I used to be almost constantly constipated. I could hold it in for week-2 weeks. Then a few years ago everything started to change and I would have to go daily-every other day. Now I just make it a habbit to go daily.
When school was going this past year, I would have a sort of upset/always having to go feeling so I would take a tablespoon of pepto every morning before school. I'm pretty sure I have it figured out to me just being worried about going to school and not having anywhere to use the bathroom because I really hate using public restrooms. So I guess it was an anxiety type thing. Also I seem to have it figured out that it is when I wake up early that I have these upset stomach type things. Summer has been in since the 18th and haven't touched pepto once nor have I had any upset stomach problems. The only thing that has changed would be waking up around 10 instead of 5.

[ASMRCHICK96]

It really depends on whatever you eat
Did you eat something with yellow dye maybe
i wouldnt worry unless you see blood
Poop can be all sorts of colors from black to green
You should be fine

[MartyG]

And what I meant by "for a bit" was that when I was younger I used to be almost constantly constipated. I could hold it in for week-2 weeks. Then a few years ago everything started to change and I would have to go daily-every other day.

Join the club. That describes me 100%. On a typical day I'd have a couple of weeks of poop inside of me....it was always like that. Finally....at about 15.....things started to ease. I finally found out why: there was a twist in my intestine.....it must have finally worked itself out as my body grew.

Anyway....glad you're feeling better. Be glad to chat with you if you want.