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Malabsorption and I think Diarrhea (WARNING: GROSS IMG)

Messages
75
Okay, so as I've previously said in another post I lost a great deal of weight from this illness. Little bubbles from my stools arise to the surface of my toilet, and I'm not sure what this means. Also, the texture of my stool is unusual. An image is worth a thousand words! I see this as something we are all familiar with and is a natural process in life (digestion and excretion of waste) And I am unable to see a doctor at this exact moment, otherwise I really would.

How does this compare with your stools? I'm not sure if this is diarrhea but prior to this illness, my stools were cylindrical in shape. Also, somebody mentioned taking digestive enzymes but there are so many out there i'm not sure which to take. I know this may gross out some (hence the warning) but since we are all mature and this is a very real and frustrating symptom, I was hoping others have had similar experiences.
SANY0023.jpg
(Stool sample, click img to enlarge)
that fuzzy stuff at the top is not the bubbles i am referring to. After I use the restroom, I see little air bubbles that arise to the top and they burst as they hit the surface.
 
Messages
75
Can this explain the bubbles?

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). In patients with SIBO, large numbers of gas-producing bacteria are present in the small intestine. The abundant bacteria in the small intestine compete with the small intestine for sugars and carbohydrates and produce large amounts of gas.

So if that is the case, maybe I need a Hydrogen breath test (HBT) i know self-dx is dangerous but this sounds right.
 
Messages
75
bubbles, please help. I'm not joking. What can this mean?? I don't drink any carbonated drinks either, just water. The bubbles just keep coming.
[video=youtube;RwMELrqXAB0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwMELrqXAB0[/video]
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
I think this post and image shows how desperate we are esp when we cant turn to doctors often for help with things.

I myself thou of cause I arent a doctor, wouldnt think that was normal and would classify that as diarrhea. Stools should have some form. I myself dont have bubbles.

I was interested to see what you are taking, to know if I could suggest anything new to you or not but I assume due to dial up connection, my computer cant get the med image to enlarge to see what you are on.

Have you gone and seen a gastrointerologist for opinion. If your doctor isnt being helpful get a referal to one. (I went to a gastrointerologist who diagnosed the IBS, ive got the form in which constipation dominates).

"maybe I need a Hydrogen breath test (HBT)"

probably a good idea to be checked for fructose malabsorption aka the HBT, celiac disease (the gastrointerologist had me have celiac gene tests etc to which I was actually postive for the gene) and other things.
 
Messages
75
Thanks tania,
I wasn't too sure if that was normal, but that is how my bowel movements look almost every day, sometimes worse. Maybe that is the reason I've lost weight, idk? Right now i'm taking Pancreatin, Acidophilus (20 Billion organisms), Bifidus Balance (5 Billion), Papaya enzymes with amylase, protease, and lipase, and 2 foods (kefir and a big jar of sauerkraut that I eat by itself) I haven't noticed anything different, if anything, maybe a little bit worse than before. I feel hopeless because I don't know what else to buy and I can't see a doctor right now (Insurance issues). And the bubbles are kind of freaking me out because I searched and searched and nobody has a clue.
 
Messages
75
Interesting how peoples first instinct is to turn their head away and ignore the problem, instead of confronting the issue. How can anything get accomplished like that? That is the whole reason this illness hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. People are the most difficult thing to change.
 

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
Hi, living.

I understand that you are not able to visit a doctor because of insurance issues, but is it feasible for you to order a comprehensive stool test that does not require a doctor's order? You can find some at www.directlabs.com, such as the Genova Diagnostics comprehensive stool analysis. I really think that it would be helpful to run a stool test to see what is in there. Once you know, you will be in a better position to do something about it. They run sensitivity testing to see what herbal and antibiotic treatments the pathogens they find are vulnerable to.

Best regards,

Rich
 
Messages
75
thanks!

Glad to have you on board, Rich, you seem to know a little bit about everything in regard to this illness. I see the Stool Culture, Compre for $169, I never ordered any labs online so I'm going to read more on the FAQs and chat with them. They seem to have all of the tests Quest offers (some are quite expensive, I must add) ! That's awesome though, thanks for the link. I never got a chance to read your entire protocol but I watched the long videos. There is so much I have to do, I feel like a slacker.
 
Messages
80
Location
South Dakota
Unformed or even watery stools were common for me for over 30 years in spite of enzymes, probiotics, cutting way down on sugar etc. Flatulence was an accompanying symptom. A light went on when tests revealed I should not eat gluten [wheat] or casein [dairy]. Blessings to you!
 

rlc

Senior Member
Messages
822
Hi livingwithcfids, have you had any kinds of investigation done by your doctor for this? It something that should be checked out by a gastroenterologist, Celiac springs to mind immediately as a possible cause, have you been checked for it? On this link youll find a list of diseases that cause loose stools and fatigue http://symptoms.rightdiagnosis.com/cosymptoms/loose-stool/fatigue-desc-all.htm if you havent had all these illnesses ruled out, find a doctor who will test and rule them out for you, just in case.

All the best
 

BFG

Messages
87
Location
California
Im glad I found your thread because I am experiencing something very similar to the problems you have posted a while back. My stools look exactly like yours. I am wondering, since it has been a while, if you were able to find out the cause of your chronic diarrhea/maldigestion issues, or if you learned anything about your condition.
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
Although this is an old thread, my stool pretty much looks the same or worse at times.
I've been diagnosed with several types of enteritis like colitis, gastritis, duodenitis, ileitis etc.I'm scheduled for a camera capsule endoscopy next week because the doc suspects chron's disease.
If you've had undigested stools for a long time then you can be pretty sure it's some kind of IBD or IBS. Don't guess and experiment, have yourself checked out with a colonoscopy or capsule camera endoscopy + GI effects or CDSA 2.0 / parasitology stool examination. I believe fixing the gut is the most important step to good health.
 

BFG

Messages
87
Location
California
Although this is an old thread, my stool pretty much looks the same or worse at times.
I've been diagnosed with several types of enteritis like colitis, gastritis, duodenitis, ileitis etc.I'm scheduled for a camera capsule endoscopy next week because the doc suspects chron's disease.
If you've had undigested stools for a long time then you can be pretty sure it's some kind of IBD or IBS. Don't guess and experiment, have yourself checked out with a colonoscopy or capsule camera endoscopy + GI effects or CDSA 2.0 / parasitology stool examination. I believe fixing the gut is the most important step to good health.

THanks for your response. My gastroenterologist also wants me to get an endoscopy and colonoscopy to rule out chrons and Ulcerative colitis, but I canceled due to my worsening condition and very low weight(did not want to go through the bowel prep) and increased chance of perforataion, due to possible connective tissue disorder-marfan or eds. I Will probably go through with the capsule endoscopy soon. I just got my results back yesterday for my NutrEval and 2100 GI effects and I will post my results shortly in the Tests forum section. I totally agree with you that the gut is very important and also notice that my cfs/me symptoms fluctuate with the state of my GI.

PS Hope you don't have chron's disease. Keep me posted if you don't mind.
 

Thinktank

Senior Member
Messages
1,640
Location
Europe
Good choice to go through with the capsule endoscopy. Endo and colonoscopy are very important to do because the doc can take a few biopsies that way which is impossible to do with just a capsule endoscopy.
A full abdomen CT and MRI scan might be something to consider as well to rule out certain other malignancies.

I have a full abdomen CT scan tomorrow because i might have a tumor causing serotonin syndrome. I'm also going to have a capsule endoscopy + manual colonoscopy with biopsies next week.
Actually it won't surprise me if i'll be diagnosed with crohn's, how weird it might sound, it will finally give me some conclusion and something to work on after so many years of testing and wasting my time with conventional doctors.

I'll keep you updated and i hope to hear your results as well. Also interested in your GI effects results, i'm gonna do the same test at the end of the month. I've already done the CDSA 2.0 + parasitology profile which showed some concerning stuff like an extremely high eosinophil X count. My last CBC also showed a high eosinophil blood count and high leukocyte count so there's certainly some kind of infectious cycle going on!

All the best to you and good luck!
 
Messages
21
Location
near LA, California
bubbles, please help. I'm not joking. What can this mean?? I don't drink any carbonated drinks either, just water. The bubbles just keep coming.
[video=youtube;RwMELrqXAB0]

When I see bubbles in my stool, I think of parasites because I think they have oxygen in their systems which are expelled when they leave the GI tract. I may not be right on this though. Just my take on it.
 
Messages
9
livingiwthcfids:

I have very similar looking stools, and was told it's likely due to leaky gut and/or parasites. I know for a fact I have parasites, and they can be tough to get rid of when your immune system is weak.

You may want to try losing the kraut for a while. Although it's generally regarded as healthy, some believe it may feed/encourage parasite growth.

Have you tried any parasite cleanses or anti-parasite meds/supplements?


hogwild
 
Messages
3
Im glad I found your thread because I am experiencing something very similar to the problems you have posted a while back. My stools look exactly like yours. I am wondering, since it has been a while, if you were able to find out the cause of your chronic diarrhea/maldigestion issues, or if you learned anything about your condition.
I am having the same issue and losing weight. Air bubbles rising from stool. Did yiu find out what was causing this?
Although this is an old thread, my stool pretty much looks the same or worse at times.
I've been diagnosed with several types of enteritis like colitis, gastritis, duodenitis, ileitis etc.I'm scheduled for a camera capsule endoscopy next week because the doc suspects chron's disease.
If you've had undigested stools for a long time then you can be pretty sure it's some kind of IBD or IBS. Don't guess and experiment, have yourself checked out with a colonoscopy or capsule camera endoscopy + GI effects or CDSA 2.0 / parasitology stool examination. I believe fixing the gut is the most important step to good health.
Air bubbles rising from stool and losing weight. Help
Although this is an old thread, my stool pretty much looks the same or worse at times.
I've been diagnosed with several types of enteritis like colitis, gastritis, duodenitis, ileitis etc.I'm scheduled for a camera capsule endoscopy next week because the doc suspects chron's disease.
If you've had undigested stools for a long time then you can be pretty sure it's some kind of IBD or IBS. Don't guess and experiment, have yourself checked out with a colonoscopy or capsule camera endoscopy + GI effects or CDSA 2.0 / parasitology stool examination. I believe fixing the gut is the most important step to good health.
Although this is an old thread, my stool pretty much looks the same or worse at times.
I've been diagnosed with several types of enteritis like colitis, gastritis, duodenitis, ileitis etc.I'm scheduled for a camera capsule endoscopy next week because the doc suspects chron's disease.
If you've had undigested stools for a long time then you can be pretty sure it's some kind of IBD or IBS. Don't guess and experiment, have yourself checked out with a colonoscopy or capsule camera endoscopy + GI effects or CDSA 2.0 / parasitology stool examination. I believe fixing the gut is the most important step to good health.
Im going through the same thing right now. Did you find out what was causing it.