small white balls in stool

[cl1972]

I've just found this site and what a joy to know I'm not the only person who seems to be suffering from this weird and irritating condition.  I first noticed these balls (about the size of small pin head to the larger coloured pin heads) around six years ago!!  I had recently had my son and had started to take Venlafaxine again after a break during pregnancy.  I saw my doctor who said it was probably nothing to worry about, in fact I don't think he really believed me.  This prompted me to collect some samples to show him the next week.  I easily filled a little urine specimen vial with about 50 of these little balls (which considering each motion was laden throughout with them, was an extremely easy task!!) and deposited a fresh stool in a sample vial also.  My doctor duely sent them off for analysis and I waited patiently for the results.  When I went to collect the verdict, it was that my stool contained no parasites and the little balls were considered to be undigested food!!  This made me so angry as I eat nothing that resembles these things so how could they be food??  Each time I wipe myself, I can feel them scrape against my skin, it is an embarassing and uncomfortable condition.  It would appear that I have a few things in common with those of you that suffer also; a touch of IBS, food intolerances, changable stools, medication, bloating and cramps.  This has to be more than what I've been told, I've recently found out about Giardiasis and it looks promising but for the length of time I've suffered... Please, please, please, if anyone out there has found out further information on this subject, please post it for me to read!! x


This discussion is related to Small white specs in stool.....

[123what]

I've found similar objects in my stool twice and have been really worried about parasites.  

I take Venlafaxine as well and was feeling cautiously relieved today when I found a few people online saying they'd found out that this problem was caused by similar undigested medications.  I pulled open one of the capsules to compare the contents with the white balls in the stool, and they looked very much alike.  But when I put the little beads from inside the pill in water, they sank immediately, while the mystery objects floated.  I broke two or three of each under a spoon (which I promptly threw away and will never again use for food) and found that the balls passed in the stool seemed to be a hollow sort of casing (definitely made me even more afraid of some kind of parasite), but the Venlafaxine 'beads' seemed solid and were crushed as you'd expect a tablet pill to be.  

Those weird balls come out mostly in clumps.  I'm thinking of having them analyzed by a doctor, but I've only seen them twice and so I'm not sure when I could get another sample.

I sometimes experience nausea, but I've had that symptom for years as a side effect of some of my medications.  I haven't experienced cramping or weight loss.  I've had diarrhea lately but have attributed it to coffee and occasional cigarettes.  Both have tended to have that effect in the past.  I haven't experienced any of the irritation you describe from passing these.  I have no idea when I could have come into contact with contaminated water or anything similar, and I've been a strict vegetarian for almost six years, so there's basically no way I could have gotten something from eating meat.

I'm afraid I can't be very helpful, but it's good to find that apparently a lot of people have this issue (well, not good exactly -- I don't wish disturbing digestive mysteries on anyone -- but at least somewhat reassuring) and I wanted to give you some kind of answer since you posted this seven months ago.  I'd be interested to hear if you've learned anything new since then.  

[joya325]

i'm a phd student in psychology, and in my psychopharmacology courses i was taught that extended-release capsules (of any sort of medication) often contain little balls like those you describe. the mechanism is this: each ball has a sort of hard casing that slowly breaks down in the digestive tract, releasing medication slowly, over time, as it disintegrates. these little balls often disintegrate so slowly that the body passes them while they're still relatively intact, although the medication will likely have drained out of them. this might be why they sink when you take them out of the capsule (since they're still filled with medication) but float in the toilet and are easily crushed (because they're hollow after passing through your body). i have read accounts of people panicking upon finding these little balls in their stools; the medical establishment (doctors, medication labels, etc.) really should give people better warning that this might happen.

of course i can't be positive (since, obviously, i haven't seen the evidence firsthand) that this is what you're experiencing, but i hope it helps!

[KorbinMD]

I'm a Ph.D. student in Physics and Math (but I study a LOT of Chem. because I love information).  I take 225 mg a day of Venlafaxine (XR), and have developed severe IBS symptoms as well as the presence of the ominous white spheres since I upped my dose last time. I was so afraid it might be from some sort of parasite until one day I accidentally broke open one of my capsules and spilled the XR granules all over the floor! While I was agonizingly picking up all of the little devils I realised that the small white spheres were the same as the ones I been seeing in my stool. At that moment I remembered how the XR capsules worked: they are made out of a material similar to plant cell walls and tree bark! Now some of you might be a little less excited as me to realise this, but I was so happy because our IBS symptoms are completely natural in cause. We are having symptoms akin to more severe Lactose Intolerance while drinking a few glasses of milk a day (depending on the dose and your body's natural reaction to foreign substances). This is because our bodies can't digest the cellulose (Tree Bark molecule), and trust me - our bodies HATE what they can't digest, so basically our intestines throw a "Hissie-Fit" (as my grandmother would put it) and expel the indigestible material from the body. Luckily for us, by the time this happens the actual Venlafaxine will have passed through the casing and absorbed into the bloodstream. So I guess those of us taking XR medications (I'm on two different ones ATM) will have to deal with IBS symptoms as long as Big Pharma uses cheap cellulose for it's XR casing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Niki_Skalla]

I think it HAS to be the medicine. Its the one thing we have in common besides the white ball issue. I have the same problem with the same panic.. but after reading alot of posts on different sites, I found we all take meds. Venlafaxine. Im not worried any more. Ty for giving me relief.

[dandee767]

I did a search to also find out what these are
They are hollow and plasticy. I too am on velafaxine! Just to let you know! Hey id ask for my money back on that stool study!  Thank you psychology student.

[ohwhatev]

thank you joya325! i'm also on venlafaxine and have had this condition since months. it was all a mystery. although nothing showed up in tests i was still paranoid over the idea of terrible disgusting worms living inside my digestive system all this time.

[Anitalw6]

I'm not on that medication. And a couple days ago there were 4 perfectly round balls they reminded me of wen u see a spiders nest in the shed. Like a cotton ball. Like it absolutelydid not belong. However wen I went to move em around with a popsicle stick they were slimy. Done1 please help me!

[Meadmaid]

Thank you so much Joya and the others who've posted here. I've been going nuts trying to find out what was going on with my stools showing little white pin head sized round balls as well as some of you have. I was worried about parasite eggs or something. I've also been taking Venlafaxine extended release medication. What you describe sounds exactly like what I'm seeing. You're so right that the prescribing doctor or the medication insert should tell people to expect this as normal so we don't go crazy thinking we're very sick with something weird! Thank you to everyone!.

[oneredfish]

For the past week I've been noticing the same thing.  I also take venlafaxine; what a relief! :)

[yonox]

I have been taking Venlafaxine for about one year, and never noticed these balls. Today though, after 3 days with diarrhea, and while waiting  for the labs my doctor request; I noticed these little white balls on my stool, and I panicked.  It was a relief to find Joya325's posting, I was going crazy, because I've been looking online, and it does not look like any known human parasite egg could be seen with the naked eye.

[LivviK]

Thank you so much for posting this.  I have been on Venaflaxine for many years and only recently started experiencing the same problem.  I was frantic about this and when mentioned to my doctor, she asked if I had animals.  When I answered positively, she suggested that it was worms.  Omigosh, I nearly had a heart attack.  Anyway, after numerous treatments for worms, I am still experiencing the same thing, but at least now I feel way better.

[iashleigh]

I've been noticing these too!
However, I don't take the medication that you all do. I have used a vaginal gel to help with a bacterial infection, but Im not sure if this is a factor as i was getting them before the gel. And I don't eat any dairy products as I am allergic. These balls range from pinhead size all the way up to grape size and are sometimes bloody.
It's very frightening and embarressing especially with me being 17! Help!

[dieseldaddy]

Just a note that I, too, have the same strange little white balls in my stool and I ALSO take Venlafaxine! so it sounds like it's our bodies doing what they should and passing teh waste "casings" after they have released the medication. WHEW! thought I had some weird intestinal bug, parasite,worm issue...

[leopard88]

I just noticed this symptom for the first time in the middle of the night. My instincts thought parasites. I was glad to awake and find your posts, thank you all.
I also take venlafaxine - time released. I also just refilled my script and was informed that it was from a different manufacturer. The new mfg is TEVA USA. (the old was aurobindo phar). From what I read elsewhere, most likely the time released capsule within a capsule crush easy because they're empty, but I'm gonna take it on faith and not check. Thank you those that have.
Maybe TEVA uses corn in the making of their capsules - ha!

[mandace87]

Hi leopard88!
Unfortunately, I just had this occurrence today, and my prescription says TEVA.
Sorry for the bad news, lol!

[mandace87]

Thank  you SO MUCH joya325!
What a relief!!
You have a great future ahead of you :)

[Kelseylyn09]

I have to been on Effexer for 6 months. I also never had them before, but my list of stomach issues are endless. Skinny, mucousy stools, constant bloating and diarrhea. Good goes straight threw me. I was actually collecting a sample today and noticed the white specs, they looked like those sugar crystal sprinkles, the clear ones. A bunch of them, and blood, and mucous in my stool. I do not take any of my medicines right now. My body wasn't breaking down calcium oxalate, and I output it in my urine, could it also be coming out in my stool?

[bluepeacemom]

I have been taking the Effexor extended release for 14 years and have had these small white balls in my stool for 7 years.  If they are a result of taking this medication then why did I not have them for the first 7 years.  Does anyone know?

[carolinefyffe]

Good question, that I would like an answer to. I don't believe that the med. is released and that is a empty shell, do you?

[Tcheck]

I also have been taking Venlafaxine for years and Effexor years before that.  I started noticing the little white balls in my stool years ago.  I even asked my internist about them and he did some testing with no results.  I'm so relieved to know this is probably the medicine - not some parasite.  I've been searching on-line about this for years and finally came upon this page.  Thanks for sharing.

[Bobbydibble]

Found an Australian web site about warnings and side efx of Effexor er:

Do not be concerned if you see small white granules or balls in your stools after taking Efexor-XR.
Inside Efexor-XR capsules are spheroids or small white balls that contain the venlafaxine active ingredient. These spheroids are released from the capsule into your gastrointestinal tract. As the spheroids travel the length of your gastrointestinal tract, venlafaxine is slowly released. The spheroid 'shell' remains undissolved and is eliminated in your stools. Therefore, even though, you may see spheroids in your stools, your dose of venlafaxine has been absorbed.

Pretty sure this is what those of you taking venlafaxine are experiencing.

[Bobbydibble]

Here is the website:
http://www.news-medical.net/drugs/Efexor-XR.aspx

[Shonazie]

Ive had the same problem for years. I found this info from the manufacturer of Venlafaxine
http://www.mydr.com.au/medicines/cmis/efexor-xr-modified-release-capsules

[Boneslulu]

I started taking venlafaxine for 2 weeks now and have noticed small white balls in my poop also. It has been driving me crazy, trying to figure out where they came from. They are hard- but can be smashed. From all these posts- I am leaving it at its because of the venlafaxine. Doctors are making me broke!! Specialist- $50.00 a visit- not to mention the test. And this is with BCBS insurance. I feel like a  hypochondriac and now my son of 25 yrs. old is turning into one also. ugggg- Is there no end and except through death?

[2395939493]

I have been taking Venlafaxine for years now and just  this morning noticed the little white balls in my stool.  I panicked and was sure it was a worm of some sort.  Thank goodness for the internet.  My mind is at ease with the Extended Release Venlafaxine.  I love the Internet.

[Hazelmack]

Oh my God!!! Thank god for the Internet. I googled little white balls ... And it filled in the rest and sent me here. I'm on Venlafaxine and now it's all been answered!!!! I was starting to get worried enough to google. Thanks to the person who started this thread :-)