Stool Question

[Runner1978]

I've been noticing pale beige/white balls in my stool recently. I've just been diagnosed and have been gluten-free for two weeks (minus an accident a week ago). Is this normal? Is it a symptom of celiac? I haven't had the colonoscopy yet so I don't know what stage I'm at.

[debmidge]

Are you seeing a gastro? You need to mention this to gastro. This could be a bile issue -- like a bile duct blockage.

[Runner1978]

I won't be seeing a gastro until December. Should I go back to my doctor?

[debmidge]

Yes, especially because this is a change in color of stool.

[Motorboater]

I've been noticing pale beige/white balls in my stool recently. I've just been diagnosed and have been gluten-free for two weeks (minus an accident a week ago). Is this normal? Is it a symptom of celiac? I haven't had the colonoscopy yet so I don't know what stage I'm at.

You should definately mention this to the Dr. but you also mentioned you haven't had your colonoscopy yet, have you had a blood test or biopsy to confirm? The colonoscopy won't confirm Celiac, a biopsy will.

Pam

[Runner1978]

From what I understand, you can't get a false positive with a blood test. Is that not right? So is it possible that my biopsy will show that I don't have celiac? I definitely have something so if it's not celiac, I'm worried about what it could be. Especially with this current symptom.

[debmidge]

Runner

It is entirely possible that you could have two digestive conditions going on: celiac and something else.

This post is not to put the fear of God into you, but to annoy you enough to see your gastro as I never think it's a good idea to have a symptom and put off going to doctor as if you have something wrong it could take a wrong turn and you'll end up really sick and need to go to hospital.....That being said:

Celiac can give you pale or yellow color stool. This happened to me just a month ago when I had my gallbladder removed - I don't have celiac, my husband does. After gallbladder removal my stool was pale and orangey....I asked gastro about stool color and his response was "there are 3 colors that mean something (i.e., bring to doctor's attention ASAP) : black stool, red stool and white stool". With that he picked up a sheet of photocopy paper and said "white like this." So if you stool is really white...

I have a several questions for you:

Do you have upper back pain or twinges in the upper back - either right side or left side? If yes to any of these questions, see gastro as soon as he has an opening - barge your way in there if you have to. I had this and it was my gallbladder disease.

Do you get twinges or pain so bad that you can't take a full breath of air? And then the problem goes away within say 20 minutes?

Do you have diarrhea or loose stool that isn't going away?

Do you have diarrhea or loose stool that isn't going away while using Immodium?

Have you lost any weight unintentionally?

Do you have any pain in abdomen around area of right below or at your breasts (about 1"-4" south of your breasts)? Do you have pain which starts in that same area and wraps around either side of your underarm/ribcage area to your back?

Do you have any soreness (where if you poke the area, it hurts) around where your ribcage meets between your breasts, in area about 1"-4" south of your breasts?

Do you have jaundice? (yellowing of whites of eyes and skin)?

Are you man or woman? and if I may ask: how old are you? And what is your occupation?

When was the last time you had a full blood chemistry test including HEPA planel? (Make sure to get copies of blood test results all the time).

Do you have diabetes or have had low or high blood sugar just recently?

Feel free to send me private message on these questions if you don't want to answer them here...

These are questions that gastro will ask you & if he doesn't please, please volunteer this information to him...and gastro will run a sonogram of your upper abdomen to rule out bile duct blockage which is sometimes a reason for "white" stools. Gastro may run a CAT scan and/or Hepa scan as well. I had all 3 of these tests this summer. I didn't have sludge, nor blockage, nor tumors but the tests had to be done to rule it out. You will also need a glucose fast test and test of your enzymes in bloodstream and perhaps a CA19-9 Cancer Antigen test.

Bile duct blockage can result from gallstones in bile duct OR "Sludge" (sludge is broken down gallstones resembling a pasty mush) in bile duct, OR tumors in bile duct.

Bile ducts are connected to your gallbladder, liver and pancreas and run into the small intestine. These three organs share the ducts and the liver and pancreas contributes their digestive enzymes into the small intestine, so you can see why knowing if you have a blockage is important. Without these enzymes you can have gas, bloating, indigestion, diarrhea, just like celiac symptoms.

Bile is what makes poop "brown." Bile aids in the digestion of food/fats. Too much bile or the wrong "timing" of bile will give you diarrhea; not enough will give you pale or white stools.

Also if you have a blockage, the enzymes of pancreas are not getting through either and those enzymes breakdown your carbs, proteins and fats - without those enzymes you get diarrhea.

I can only think of two pancreatic enzymes: lipase and amalyase - there may be a third but I forget...

I am not a doctor, I do not have medical knowlege, but I do know someone who had "sludge" and someone who had tumors and had white stool. All of this information is why it's said that when you have a change in bowel habits/color/shape see doctor asap cause it could mean nothing or something.

Having White stool is an important symptom that cannot wait until December to check out. I recommend you make the appointment today so that you can get started on the sonogram test and blood tests at least. Other than the gluten sensitivity test has Dr run any other blood tests?

P.S. also if you stay eating gluten free, by the time you get endoscopy (this is test from mouth to small intestine; colonosocopy is from butt into colon) your "gluten damage" will be gone and there will be nothing to biopsy to "confirm" celiac.

[Lauren-SAME]

I won't be seeing a gastro until December. Should I go back to my doctor?

I know I'm a little late but I just need to make sure that you know that if you get a colonoscopy while you're not eating gluten, it won't be accurate. The idea of not eating gluten is so that your intestine heals, so if it's healed and you get a colonoscopy, they will be telling you that you're not a Celiac, which in fact you could be.

[newmercies]

What about if the stools are flaky looking? Has anyone experienced that? They kinda float sometimes, but are mainly really loose and flaky looking.

[Wolicki]

What about if the stools are flaky looking? Has anyone experienced that? They kinda float sometimes, but are mainly really loose and flaky looking.

I had that for about 3 months after going gluten-free. Prior to the diet I had chronic C. I don't know why it looked like that, but it eventually stopped.

[wontgiveup]

I had that for about 3 months after going gluten-free. Prior to the diet I had chronic C. I don't know why it looked like that, but it eventually stopped.

I was just going to post a question about the same thing with changes in my daughter's stool. She was diagnosed with colitis 2 years ago, but none of the medicines (and there have been a lot) have improved her condition. Doctors don't seem to want to pursue the gluten sensitivity possibility so we decided to try the gluten free diet and she is on her 3rd week. She also noticed that she has less solid diarrhea (mostly flaky particles) and a whole lot of mucus (totally clear). When she ate gluten while away on a school trip, she could see the difference. Is this a good thing or a problem? I'm hoping its part of the healing process.