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Getting Back Ache With Acidity In Stomach And White Stool. What Is The Problem?
Question: I have a lot of back ache in middle of back, acid stomach and I have noticed that my poo is bit lighter in colour with small white bits in it. What is this?
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
Your symptoms seems to be caused by gallstones possibly in the bile ducts. It gives abdominal pain or discomfort radiating to the back. Usually it starts after a fatty foods or alcohol. Nausea or acid reflux can appear as well. If the stone will get to the bile ducts and obstruct it, the bile does not appear in the stool. This causes light in color stool. Similar symptoms can also appear due to pancreas duct obstruction.
To diagnose it you should have abdominal ultrasound, full blood work, liver tests (AST,ALT,GGTP,AP), amylase, bilirubin, urine analysis.
It is also possible that your symptoms can be caused by peptic ulcer, GERD Helicobacter Pylori infection. So if mentioned tests wont give any answers, upper GI endoscopy should be also performed.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Thank you for the query.
Your symptoms seems to be caused by gallstones possibly in the bile ducts. It gives abdominal pain or discomfort radiating to the back. Usually it starts after a fatty foods or alcohol. Nausea or acid reflux can appear as well. If the stone will get to the bile ducts and obstruct it, the bile does not appear in the stool. This causes light in color stool. Similar symptoms can also appear due to pancreas duct obstruction.
To diagnose it you should have abdominal ultrasound, full blood work, liver tests (AST,ALT,GGTP,AP), amylase, bilirubin, urine analysis.
It is also possible that your symptoms can be caused by peptic ulcer, GERD Helicobacter Pylori infection. So if mentioned tests wont give any answers, upper GI endoscopy should be also performed.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi,
I ahve previously been diagnosed with gallstones. I am achin a lot now in my back and sharp pains in centre of chest with acid. Are the white bits gallstones then? Is it XXXXXXX if thye get stuck or are they passing?
I ahve previously been diagnosed with gallstones. I am achin a lot now in my back and sharp pains in centre of chest with acid. Are the white bits gallstones then? Is it XXXXXXX if thye get stuck or are they passing?
Hello!
White bits are not the gallstones. This are either undigested food parts or stool where there is lack of pigment. You need to know that the stool color is caused by bile which gets there through bile ducts. It is yellow in the beginning and gets brown due to bacterias action If the bile flow is blocked the stool becomes whitish.
When the stone stuck in bile duct it blocks the bile and results with jaundice. Moreover, if it will also block pancreas duct, will cause acute pancreatitis. Both diseases are very XXXXXXX and can be life threatening.
That is why, you should not wait with it and had to the doctor right away. Usually it does not need urgent surgery as it can be removed with endoscopy (ERCP).
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
White bits are not the gallstones. This are either undigested food parts or stool where there is lack of pigment. You need to know that the stool color is caused by bile which gets there through bile ducts. It is yellow in the beginning and gets brown due to bacterias action If the bile flow is blocked the stool becomes whitish.
When the stone stuck in bile duct it blocks the bile and results with jaundice. Moreover, if it will also block pancreas duct, will cause acute pancreatitis. Both diseases are very XXXXXXX and can be life threatening.
That is why, you should not wait with it and had to the doctor right away. Usually it does not need urgent surgery as it can be removed with endoscopy (ERCP).
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
The stool is not whiteish, just a lighter brown and a bit softer. Am worried now!
Hello!
It does not have to be totally whitish. It gets such color only with total bile ducts obstruction. At your case it is rather a small gallstone in the ducts what gives you pain. It is also possible that the stone got stuck somewhere in the gallbladder. It is impossible to locate the stone knowing only symptoms.
Please do not be worried. It can be life threatening if you wont do anything with it and will be waiting for days. Please go to ER and verify it.
In conclusion, your pain is most likely caused by gallstones. It can be due to gallbladder located gallstones or bile ducts located gallstones. I do not assume that the stone is in the bile ducts for 100%. I just want you to know that with such symptoms, this should be always ruled out.
Hope this will help.
Regards.
It does not have to be totally whitish. It gets such color only with total bile ducts obstruction. At your case it is rather a small gallstone in the ducts what gives you pain. It is also possible that the stone got stuck somewhere in the gallbladder. It is impossible to locate the stone knowing only symptoms.
Please do not be worried. It can be life threatening if you wont do anything with it and will be waiting for days. Please go to ER and verify it.
In conclusion, your pain is most likely caused by gallstones. It can be due to gallbladder located gallstones or bile ducts located gallstones. I do not assume that the stone is in the bile ducts for 100%. I just want you to know that with such symptoms, this should be always ruled out.
Hope this will help.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have had the acid reflux and chest area pain for 2 weeks and doctor gave me omeprazole which didn't work. Now on gaviscon. I was told I had rather a lot o gallstones about 18-24 months ago when having a routine ultrasound. Do you think I need to be seen as emergency or just see GP this week? Suffering with anxiety at the moment too so don't sleep and not sure how much of aches are due to tension. Feeling quite concerned now as seem to have a lot of headaches from tension too.
Have been drinking a lot of XXXXXXX juice for stomach acid. Could this have softened and moved stones?
Have been drinking a lot of XXXXXXX juice for stomach acid. Could this have softened and moved stones?
Hello!
You should go to ER if you have strong pain, nausea, vomiting, yellow skin, white stools, dark urine, skin itching. Otherwise, you should rather get scheduled to your regular doctor visit. Anxiety can aggravate your symptoms as it increases muscles spasm. XXXXXXX juice is not good for stomach acid, as it usually aggravates acid symptoms. You should rather drink mineral water, avoid soft drinks, fruit juices, coffee and chocolate. Juice has rather nothing to do with gallstones. Fatty foods can indicate such process.
If you are not sure if you should visit ER or not, this is the point you should not wait anymore. You have a right to use ER.
Hope this will help.
Regards.
You should go to ER if you have strong pain, nausea, vomiting, yellow skin, white stools, dark urine, skin itching. Otherwise, you should rather get scheduled to your regular doctor visit. Anxiety can aggravate your symptoms as it increases muscles spasm. XXXXXXX juice is not good for stomach acid, as it usually aggravates acid symptoms. You should rather drink mineral water, avoid soft drinks, fruit juices, coffee and chocolate. Juice has rather nothing to do with gallstones. Fatty foods can indicate such process.
If you are not sure if you should visit ER or not, this is the point you should not wait anymore. You have a right to use ER.
Hope this will help.
Regards.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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