Question: I developed a headache and felt feverish 4 days ago. 3 Days ago I felt much better but by the end of the day I developed a noticeable but not debilitating pain around my solar plexus (upper center of my abdomen - not to the left or right). I also developed a scratchy throat and a cough. Overnight my stomach felt upset and I took a "multi-symptom" antacid/simethicone remedy containing calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. Yesterday the pain was gone but I felt feverish again - plus extremely weak and tired. I took my temperature and was indeed running a low grade fever (99-ish) which returned to normal by afternoon. However I noticed my otherwise normal stool had turned a pale, clay color. By late day I had developed diarrhea and the weakness had gotten worse. The diarrhea was also pale clay colored - and greasy looking. This has continued through today (diarreah was quite intense this morning). Currently (late night) my energy has returned to almost normal and I feel much better. However my stool, while firmer now, is in small chunks mixed with lots of gas and still quite pale and "greasy". I am concerned about the pale stool coloring as I know this can be liver related. However I believe the sudden onset of the pale color (along with the other symptoms) is simply a result of a virus I must have contracted. I have also considered the pale color may be a result of the antacid, but now its been around 48 hours since I took it. Your thoughts please.

Thank you for the response. Since the onset was rather rapid, and other than some remaining diarrhea of pale color and lots of gas, I am feeling much better, I am wondering what the likelihood is of this just being a gastrointestinal virus or stomach flu. What are your thoughts on this?