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sweet smelling pale loose stools

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August 14th, 2008
Over the last few months or so I've had random episodes of very loose pale sweet (not foul) smelling stools.
The symptoms often last over a week and I'm afraid to eat because I don't know what's causing it. I go on a BRAT diet for a couple days to rest my colon and I'm better but sometimes it comes back.
I have food allergies like shellfish, avocados and some nuts, but I've never had a problem with dairy or wheat before. I've even added lactase and other digestive enzymes to see if it would help but does not seems to make a difference long term.
My mom has IBS but I don't have any of the painful symptoms she gets either. Next step is my GP but if anyone had any other ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Thanks
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rooted
replied August 16th, 2008
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Stool color is directly the result of diet. A change in color is usually nothing to worry about, especially if there are no other symptoms present like blood in the stool, or pain during bowel movements. Certain medications can cause a change in stool color, as well. Are you taking any pharmaceutical drugs at the moment? If you need complete confirmation, however, I suggest that you start a diary of the stools by writing down EVERYTHING that passes through your mouth and then taking digital photos of the resulting stools with dates. This can help a GI specialist identify possible problems. And you can always request a stool sample examination, as well.
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