Zetia side effects??

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Bob - 18 May 2006 01:09 GMT

Zetia side effects are broken down into 2 categories: "Check with your
doctor if.... " and "Contact your doctor immediately if ....". Under
the "immediately" category is the symptom "if you have a pale stool".
My question: What medical condition would cause a pale stool? I know
red or black may indicate blood in the stool, but pale/white? And what
is the definition of "pale"? Light tan? White?

Bob S.

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Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD - 18 May 2006 06:45 GMT

Cholestasis

> I know
> red or black may indicate blood in the stool, but pale/white?

Yes.

> And what
> is the definition of "pale"? Light tan? White?

Essentially white.

Hope this information helps you.

Prayerfully in Christ's amazing love,

Andrew
http://tinyurl.com/mpuzr

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bae@cs.toronto.no-uce.edu - 18 May 2006 13:04 GMT

>> Zetia side effects are broken down into 2 categories: "Check with your
>> doctor if.... " and "Contact your doctor immediately if ....". Under
>> the "immediately" category is the symptom "if you have a pale stool".
>> My question: What medical condition would cause a pale stool?
>
>Cholestasis

In common English, this means that bile isn't being secreted from the
gall bladder. In this context, it probably means problems with the
liver.

Note that all known or suspected side effects of a drug are usually
listed, even if the incidence is extremely low. While you should be
aware of potentially serious side effects, it's unlikely that you will
actually experience them. So don't refuse to take a needed medication
because of the (often remote) possibility that they may occur.

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Ignatz's Bricks - 22 May 2006 02:34 GMT

> Zetia side effects are broken down into 2 categories: "Check with your
> doctor if.... " and "Contact your doctor immediately if ....". Under
> the "immediately" category is the symptom "if you have a pale stool".
> My question: What medical condition would cause a pale stool? I know
> red or black may indicate blood in the stool, but pale/white? And what
> is the definition of "pale"? Light tan? White?

For me, a whitish stool started in 4 days after I started Zetia, and
alternated with diarrhea and extreme constipation. When I quit Zetia,
my stools went back to normal within a week.

My doctor switched me to Welchol and same thing happened, but this time,
I also turned into a gas generator. (If farting were an Olympic sport,
I'd have been world champion.) The stool problem ceased immediately
when quitting Welchol, but the gas problem took two months to resolve.

The last thing I've tried is Niacin, traditional form, for the last
three months and have just achieved the best cholesterol tests ever for
me, especially on HDL! The only negative was my carbon dioxide jumped
to 33 (range 19-32). Any ideas on that one? I'll ask my doctor when I
see him in two weeks.

What is rather aggravating here, is that Niacin is the least expensive
of the medicines I've tried and it seems to work the best and without
any problems and yet it was the last one my doctor tried.

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Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD - 22 May 2006 04:01 GMT

> > Zetia side effects are broken down into 2 categories: "Check with your
> > doctor if.... " and "Contact your doctor immediately if ....". Under
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> me, especially on HDL! The only negative was my carbon dioxide jumped
> to 33 (range 19-32). Any ideas on that one?

Could be from contraction alkalosis if you have had increased
insensible water loss from a lot of the flushing side effect. If so,
should be ameloriated by increasing your water intake.

Prayerfully in Christ's amazing love,

Andrew
http://tinyurl.com/jjl29

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