Sulphur Smelling Stool

[BRUMI1968]

hi all. well, i've been gluten free for a year and a half now, and things were going pretty well, up until a month or two ago. i started having random (yet somehow cyclical) episodes of very loose and incredibly smelly stool. I would have go go three or four times, then wouldn't go for a day or two afterward. Then normal for a spell, then it would hit me again. At first I thought I was getting glutened. But now I'm not sure.

I also quit dairy (which I had picked up again slightly) and nightshades (which I had been eating alright all winter), but it is still happening. i had eaten a chocolate cake over the previous few days, but I'm back off chocolate...and I think it had potato flour.

the other night it was enchiladas - and I realized that chili powder is probably a nightshade. I ate it for dinner, and by the end of the meal, I felt weird and had to run to the bathroom. Didn't end up pooping, though. They were hommade, and unless the chili spice had gluten in it (advertised as gluten free), there couldn't have been gluten there.

i already do these:

no gluten

no legumes

no soy

no dairy

low oxalate (for the most part)

no nightshades

I do eat lots of eggs, and I eat corn in the form of homemade or organic sprouted torillas.

I did go camping a couple months ago and drank questionable water...but who knows. Is it worth getting a stool test?

[Matilda]

...

[BRUMI1968]

Yeah, I don't want to give up eggs either. At this point, I don't really feel like giving up foods for a week or two is going to answer my question...i guess I have not been too good about keeping a diary...I'll start that today.

But they really feel more like attacks - they include anxiety, tingling in my groin area, sudden need to evacuate bowels, not very friendly poop, lots of air and gas, bloat, and then emptying all the contents to leave the place empty for a day at least. It repeats in a week or two, or less. Or it will be perfectly fine poop - then a half hour later, the emptying thing, like the perfectly fine poop was just holding back the torrent of misery.

Now typically, I'd think gluten. I guess that's still possible. I was always a constipated celiac sufferer - now I'm going the opposite direction with things. I'm going to keep a diary and make sure it's not gluten hiding someplace...AND I'm due for my annual, so I'll get that blood test that watches for if I'm getting any gluten in my diet.

I also eat tons of sulphur-foods, like cauliflower, brocoli, brussels, etc. but the smell doesn't seem to necessarily coincide with eating those things. The smell is not usual for me, and I've always eaten those foods. (five pumps of the citris stuff didn't even dent the odor....arg!)

Thanks for listening ... what a weird place this is that we talk about poop half the time.

[Ginsou]

Is it possible that you are ingesting lactose in your diet? Dairy and casein free is not the same as lactose free. I'm lactose intolerant, and lack the enzyme necessary to digest lactose. The sulphur odor is the result of producing hydrogen gas in intestines---something that you are eating may be causing the odor. Have you tried taking Beano??? That may help with the gas producing veggies you are eating.

Lactose is found in just about everything,including prescription drugs, vitamins,restaurant food,many food products. Perhaps a test for lactose intolerance may be in order. Some of the symptoms are: gas, bloating, abdominal pain,sometimes very severe, urgent need to move bowels, sometimes bowels are normal, sometimes diarrhea with a "normal" odor, sometimes very, very bad odor. It's definately an odor you don't forget in a hurry.

[ravenwoodglass]

Is it possible that you are ingesting lactose in your diet? Dairy and casein free is not the same as lactose free. I'm lactose intolerant, and lack the enzyme necessary to digest lactose. The sulphur odor is the result of producing hydrogen gas in intestines---something that you are eating may be causing the odor. Have you tried taking Beano??? That may help with the gas producing veggies you are eating.

Lactose is found in just about everything,including prescription drugs, vitamins,restaurant food,many food products. Perhaps a test for lactose intolerance may be in order. Some of the symptoms are: gas, bloating, abdominal pain,sometimes very severe, urgent need to move bowels, sometimes bowels are normal, sometimes diarrhea with a "normal" odor, sometimes very, very bad odor. It's definately an odor you don't forget in a hurry.

Just a heads up for you here, Beano is NOT gluten free. If you are gluten-free this is not something you want to be taking.

As to the original posters query, I would suspect an egg protein intolerance. This like gluten would cause a delayed reaction, a 'clear out', and a delay in reaction for a couple of days until you had consumed enough again to cause a reaction. Have you considered going to Enterolab and checking for egg antibodies? That might be the easiest way to tell if it is all the cruciferus veggies or the eggs.

[Mom23boys]

I am reading the "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" book. Just yesterday I read where it was talking about the sulfur smell coming from an overgrowth of a certain kind of bad bacteria in the gut. Do you take supplements to reintroduce the beneficial bacteria back in?? You may want to look for a brand that meets with your restrictions.

[L.A.]

This was happening to me as well. It is actually what started the long road to discovering I had Celiacs. I began taking probiotics in Feb. of this year and have not had any episodes since--may be worth a try. Take care, L.A.

[Motorboater]

Yeah, I don't want to give up eggs either. At this point, I don't really feel like giving up foods for a week or two is going to answer my question...i guess I have not been too good about keeping a diary...I'll start that today.

But they really feel more like attacks - they include anxiety, tingling in my groin area, sudden need to evacuate bowels, not very friendly poop, lots of air and gas, bloat, and then emptying all the contents to leave the place empty for a day at least. It repeats in a week or two, or less. Or it will be perfectly fine poop - then a half hour later, the emptying thing, like the perfectly fine poop was just holding back the torrent of misery.

Now typically, I'd think gluten. I guess that's still possible. I was always a constipated celiac sufferer - now I'm going the opposite direction with things. I'm going to keep a diary and make sure it's not gluten hiding someplace...AND I'm due for my annual, so I'll get that blood test that watches for if I'm getting any gluten in my diet.

I also eat tons of sulphur-foods, like cauliflower, brocoli, brussels, etc. but the smell doesn't seem to necessarily coincide with eating those things. The smell is not usual for me, and I've always eaten those foods. (five pumps of the citris stuff didn't even dent the odor....arg!)

Thanks for listening ... what a weird place this is that we talk about poop half the time.

Hello, just 9 days ago I started the same symptoms and went back to my gastro. I've only been gluten free since July 07, however he told me that celiacs are prone to get "bad" bacteria in our gut so he put me on a 5 day supply of Cipro (antibotic) and followed by Florastor a probotic. Within 4 days I was back to feeling good and no 3-4 time in the bathroom and no stinky gas.....good luck!

[BRUMI1968]

Good thoughts everyone. Thanks.

I do eat tiny amounts of lactose I'm sure - even just in sneaking tiny amounts of goat butter. That is one thing I am trying to be 100% free of while I figure things out. I don't, though, probably get it too much in other foods.

It sounds like I might want to do the Enterolab testing. Other folks have had good luck with it. I didn't know they tested for eggs. I already avoid soy and gluten 100%.

Also, I'll get some more florastor. I had some before, but ran out. It's pretty expensive, but seems to do the trick. Thanks.

p.s. of course, ever since I started keeping my food journal, I have not had symptoms...but like I said, it is very cyclical - so might appear at any time. I'll keep up with the food journal.

[BRUMI1968]

I am reading the "Gut and Psychology Syndrome" book. Just yesterday I read where it was talking about the sulfur smell coming from an overgrowth of a certain kind of bad bacteria in the gut. Do you take supplements to reintroduce the beneficial bacteria back in?? You may want to look for a brand that meets with your restrictions.

Sometimes when I have these episodes, I'm in a stressful situation. Once I got terrible toilet troubles on my birthday as soon as I entered this building where someone worked who I did not want to see. I was perfectly fine until that moment, and when he left the party, I was fine again. I had just eaten out, so who is to say what it was....but I know that stress gets me in the tummy and bowels pretty regularly.

Thanks.

[Ginsou]

Thanks for the heads up on BEANO. I was trying it for a while to see if it helped any. It didn't. I was taking it before I was diagnosed celiac and diagnosed casein intolerant. My lactose enzyme pills also had wheat in them, which explains why they stopped working over the years.....and explains why I've always felt I had another hidden health problem. Enterolab was able to tell me what was wrong when other doctors could not. I'm curious about what part of Beano is gluten. The ingredients listed are alpha-galactosidase enzyme,cellulose,gel,mannitol,invertase,potato starch,magnesium setarate.colloidal silica,gelatin. I'm a newly diagnosed celiac, and am learning to use this forum to check for which products are truly gluten free. I'm so grateful for this forum.

My GI nurse practioner had suggested Flora Q.It didn't seem to help me,perhaps I was impatient. I have responded well to Vitamin World Chewable Probiotic Acidophilius with bifidus...natural strawberry flavor. Free of: wheat,milk or milk derivatives,lactose,preservatives,soy,artificial color, artificial flavor,sodium (less than 5 mg per serving. 100 wafers cost about $11, I think. It is on sale 2 for 1 on the first Monday and Tuesday of each month. I find the 3x a day probiotic works better for me than the once a day.