Wouldn’t it be a relief to know that the blood in your poops is from Accutane rather than from an intestinal ulcer, or worse yet, cancer of the colon?
Seeing blood in the toilet after having a bowel movement is just plain scary.
It can have a number of causes including colon cancer. But what about the medication Accutane?
“Yes, Accutane has the potential to present as blood in stools,” says Franjo Vladic, MD, a board certified gastroenterologist with Center for Digestive Health and Endoscopy Center in Ohio.
Accutane is a medication that’s prescribed for acne. Make sure that you read the insertion that comes with this prescription drug to get acquainted with possible side effects.
How often do you look at your bowel movements?
It is so important to know what is a normal appearance and color of your bowel movements.
A normal color ranges from tan to very dark brown. A green tinge is normal if you’ve been eating a lot of greens.
You should periodically check the toilet bowl; take a good look at your poops before flushing.
Make sure that the toilet bowl is always clean so that viewing is not affected. Good lighting will also help in the inspection.
Dr. Vladic explains, “Accutane (isotretinoin) has the potential side effect of aggravating or triggering inflammatory bowel disease in susceptible individuals.
“How it causes these colitis-type symptoms is not clear, but Accutane can cause ulceration and inflammation in the gut mucosa (lining of the gut).”
What about Celebrex causing blood in your BMs?
You’ve certainly seen all the commercials for Celebrex, a pain reliever.
“Celebrex is a medication that can cause blood in stools, similar to aspirins or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications by increasing the risk of ulcerations in the GI tract,” says Dr. Vladic.
“This medication affects the GI tract directly.”
Dr. Vladic’s special interests include acid reflux, colitis, colon cancer, GERD, heartburn, IBS, liver disease, obesity, pancreatitis and peptic ulcer, among many others.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
.
Top image: Shutterstock/Nomad_Soul
