A little bit of everything: COVID, stool color, ugh...

[SurferJoe 10]

I was diagnosed with breakthrough COVID last Tuesday. So far, symptoms have been relatively mild - like a bad cold, but getting better. I've been feeling very anxious, however. I'm questioning everything. I went to the bathroom this morning and noticed my stool color was a light tan and I'm now obsessed with that little factoid. I would not say yellow, just a really light brown. Is it related to COVID? Is it related to my body fighting off a virus? I've been taking ibuprofen and Mucinex. My stomach has not been bothering me, though I have had a limited appetite the last few days. 

[Ironman 87]

6 hours ago, SurferJoe said:

I was diagnosed with breakthrough COVID last Tuesday. So far, symptoms have been relatively mild - like a bad cold, but getting better. I've been feeling very anxious, however. I'm questioning everything. I went to the bathroom this morning and noticed my stool color was a light tan and I'm now obsessed with that little factoid. I would not say yellow, just a really light brown. Is it related to COVID? Is it related to my body fighting off a virus? I've been taking ibuprofen and Mucinex. My stomach has not been bothering me, though I have had a limited appetite the last few days. 

No - actually, light tan stool means that it went through the body kinda fast.   Believe it or not, waste begins as dark green.  For me, it will stay green if I have food with purple dye in it (Grape Kool-Aid and Purple icing on cake will do it).  As the body processes the waste, it actually turns tan or beige before darkening to the dark brown color we all know. 

It happened to me earlier in the week, but it's back to normal.

You know you've hit the big time in anxiety forums when the topic goes to POO lol!

[SurferJoe 10]

1 hour ago, Ironman said:

No - actually, light tan stool means that it went through the body kinda fast.   Believe it or not, waste begins as dark green.  For me, it will stay green if I have food with purple dye in it (Grape Kool-Aid and Purple icing on cake will do it).  As the body processes the waste, it actually turns tan or beige before darkening to the dark brown color we all know. 

It happened to me earlier in the week, but it's back to normal.

You know you've hit the big time in anxiety forums when the topic goes to POO lol!

Thanks for the response, it helps. I'm surprised that this is my first poo post, though it's definitely not my first concern on the matter. Yeah, it was "normal" (I think) all weekend, but light this morning. My appetite has been weird: just not that hungry this weekend due to COVID and because I've been stuck home, I'm eating a little differently (ie. better). 

[SurferJoe 10]

It was a shade darker this morning (I think), but definitely a shade of brown. I have been told before that any shade of brown is okay. I'm trying to be okay with this right now.

[Ironman 87]

It will get back to normal.  COVID doesn't really affect that.

[MARC 390]

According to my GI physician, the color of stools vary. Gray, white,  yellow, black and red are not the right color. 

[SurferJoe 10]

Stool issues again this morning. Ugh. I noticed some red. I think I can chalk this up to what I ate yesterday: Korean food with purple rice and also a bag of those French burnt peanuts (red food coloring). I think, I think, I think. I'm still rattled, however.

[MARC 390]

I have seen a reddish type color in my stools when I ate beets. 

[SurferJoe 10]

First time I went on Tuesday it looked the same and that freaked me out, but went again and everything looked normal. Same with today. I think it was (knock on wood) from what I ate on Sunday. 

[Ironman 87]

20 minutes ago, SurferJoe said:

First time I went on Tuesday it looked the same and that freaked me out, but went again and everything looked normal. Same with today. I think it was (knock on wood) from what I ate on Sunday. 

If the first rule for anxiety is "how you think determines how you feel"......your issue is.....

"what you eat determines what you poop!"

[SurferJoe 10]

18 hours ago, Ironman said:

If the first rule for anxiety is "how you think determines how you feel"......your issue is.....

"what you eat determines what you poop!"

Ha, indeed!