Q: An 83-year-old male friend was given free samples of coated Aspirin by a doctor and told to take one a day to keep his blood thin. The man began taking them, but over a period of time he experienced considerable discomfort in his digestive system, resulting in bowel movements that were almost entirely of water. The doctor wrote another prescription and made an appointment for a barium enema. Meanwhile, the man quit taking the Aspirin and feels much better, but his bowel movements remain loose. Extract of wild strawberry help somewhat. What can you suggest? Is there an alternate solution? My friend does not like to leave the house.
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A: Although coated Aspirin can cause gastric discomfort, I do not think it was responsible for the watery stools, unless they were black or dark-colored, which could indicate bleeding from the intestinal tract. The doctor could test to see if the bowel movement contained blood, even on a microscopic
level.
Aspirin can help thin the blood, but it is probably not necessary to take a whole one every day, especially if your friend has no history of heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure.
A children’s Aspirin could be sufficient, or he could take a half dose enteric-coated Aspirin every two or three days.
Any change in bowel habits should always be taken seriously by a doctor, and needs proper investigation, even if it means the patient has to leave the house to go for a barium enema or even a colonoscopy.
Bacterial bowel infections and food allergies could also cause
watery stools.
