If a bowel movement floats, is there a problem?

Q. I was watching Oprah and heard a doctor on her show say that poop should NEVER float. Why?

I have not changed my diet at all, but all of a sudden about two months ago, every time I have a bowel movement, my poop floats.

Is there something wrong with my system? I feel fine and have no pain or anything unusual.

A. Health professionals have been debating the causes of “floaters” versus “sinkers” for decades. Some believe floating is caused by excess fat in the stool as a consequence of digestive disease. Others maintain that gas is the culprit.

If you feel well and have no diarrhea or other symptoms, it probably makes little difference. If it persists, tell your doctor at your next visit so she can rule out anything serious.

Q. If the price is too good to be real, the drug might be a fake! With Nexium more than $4 a pill, I ordered it from an online Canadian drugstore. When the pills came, they were from India, and they were generic. This medicine did not work, and now I have my asthma symptoms and cough back. I don’t know what I will do, since I can’t afford the name brand!

A. Acid-suppressing drugs such as Aciphex, Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec and Protonix can relieve reflux. Some people with this condition develop other symptoms, such as asthma or cough, as a result of acid irritation. If your medicine is not working, your condition might be aggravated.

You have discovered one of the pitfalls of using an online pharmacy. Not all “Canadian” pharmacies are in Canada. Some online drugstores source their medicines from around the world to get a better price. The Food and Drug Administration has no control over the quality of such medicines.

We are sending you our Guide to Saving Money on Medicines with some tips on how to tell if an online Canadian pharmacy is legitimate. Anyone who would like a copy, please send $2 in check or money order with a long (No. 10), stamped (59 cents), self-addressed envelope to: Graedons’ People’s Pharmacy, No. CA-99, P.O. Box 52027, Durham, NC 27717-2027. It also can be downloaded for $2 from our Web site: www.peoplespharmacy.com.

Q. You have saved my sanity! I’ve always enjoyed your column, but never needed your advice until last year. I had been suffering in silence as my hair changed its texture from wavy to straight. Then my fingernails began to deteriorate. I thought it was another consequence of growing older, until I read in your column that too much selenium in the diet could affect hair and nails adversely.

At the time, I was taking a supplement that contained selenium along with the lecithin I wanted. I immediately switched to a lecithin-only supplement. After about six months, my nails began to recover. In another four to six months, my hair had become wavy again, and my nails were much stronger. Thank you!

A. Problems with hair and nails are often difficult to diagnose, so we are glad we gave you the clues you needed. Selenium is an essential mineral, but excess selenium can be toxic. Loss of hair and nails has occurred both among Chinese people whose diets were naturally high in selenium and in Americans taking supplements with too much selenium. The tolerable upper limit of selenium is around 400 micrograms daily. Brazil nuts are high in selenium, and an ounce (roughly half a dozen) provides 800 micrograms. Overindulging regularly could lead to selenium toxicity.

XIn their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of The Vindicator or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Best Choices From The People’s Pharmacy” (Rodale Books).

2008 King Features Syndicate, Inc.