Another Question...embarrasing Bm Question

[kellyk]

So lately I've had strange BM symptoms. Before going gluten-free I had the usual diarreaha/constipation back and forth crap, but now after being gluten-free for about 5 months, I've noticed new things.

Sometimes I'll go and have a solid BM, but then anywhere form like an hour to two hours later will ahve to go again and it will be loose.

Also the color changes even when I haven't eaten anything different. I realize this is normal, but not in a one day period. Seriously, like yesterday my BM was light brown and today very dark.

I still get diarreaha every once in awhile, but usually it is loose, sometimes gritty, where little parts of it seem to break off and float.

Also when I eat nuts they are undigested, I can seems them broken up in my BM. Its like I can see undigested food...it just doesn't look right. My BM looks "holey" like there are tiny pockets in them...

I never had BM's like this before going gluten-free, or if I did they were so infrequent that I never even noticed.

Does anybody know what this could be...or get the same thing. I'm starting to worry that my whole digestive system is failing. Isn't this supposed to get better being gluten-free? Would it be possible that the gritty, floaty BMs are normal...I wouldn't know.

one last thing, about a week ago, is when I ate some cashews with my salad at like 11pm and the next morning around 10 am, I went, and there were the hardly digested cashews...isn't it supposed to take 24 hours to digest food?

God I'm worried.

Please some input would be much apreciated. I'm sorry for being so descriptive. I don't like having to explain this, but need to I guess. I just feel comfortable enough on here to. thanks.

[rmmadden]

It's not uncommon to have some undigested food in your stool. I have noticed some of the same things especially when your talking about nuts. I eat a lot of raw almonds and notice them just as you describe. Corn and peas are another wonderful surprise in the bowl. remember, your intestine's are healing and until they do you will have some foods passing through your body without being completely broken down and digested.

Have you been taking any Pepto Bismol lately? I only ask because that can cause your stool to turn black. Eating a lot of greens (spinach, lettuce, etc.) can also give you darker colors. I wouldn't worry as long as you don't see blood or pass black stools (unrelated to the Pepto) as that could be a sign of bleeding in your intestine/colon.

Cleveland Bob

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Wow, I didn't know, that nuts can come out undigested. When first reading your story I thought: "Hm, maybe you're allergic to nuts, besides having celiac." I have different things like that, too. For example the color changes not only in a day, but in only one time going to the toilet two different colors show up. I have the air pockets as well and little pieces broken off and floating. And I suggest with me, there's something else going on, too, since I still sometimes have pain, even when it was 100% impossible for me to could have eaten gluten. But let me try that with the nuts first myself. Sounds interesting.

Hugs, Stef

[Deby]

I don't know if undigested food is just a celiac disease problem. Corn, peas, nuts... these are foods that are hard to break down even in a healthy digestive track. The floaters can be an indication of fat in the stool. This is not normal unless you are eating a very high fat diet, and even then, not normal as the digestive system should pull the fat out for storage. Of course no one wants the stored fat, but this is the way the body is supposed to work :-) to the best of my understanding via reading, not medical school. :-)

[cdford]

IF YOUR STOOLS ARE VERY LIGHT IN COLOR, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR!

This can be a sign of improper liver function or it can just be a normal fluctuation. Mine did this when my liver enzymes began to climb too high. My doctor chewed me out for not contacting her sooner. She did a multitude of tests and adjusted some medications and diet issues to correct it, but said that if I had let it continue indefinitely it could have become a real problem. I have had it off and on for a long time and thought I had just eaten too much dairy or something to cause it to be so light.

[kellyk]

well thanks all of you for replying. Gave me some comfort.

Yea I have noticed not just nuts but corn in my stool as well. The thing is, before I was diagnosed with Celiac, none of this was happening, all the weird BM stuff. Just seems strange to me, that all of a sudden I have this diagnoses and symptoms, fatty stools, food undigested in them, color changing drastically. I don't know, I worry wayyyyy too much!

But I only heard that if you stools are the color of clay, that there oculd be a liver problem. When I was tested for Celiac in Oct. they also checked my liver, and she said the levels were normal. She thought I might have a gallbladder problem or somethin. But didn't.

The whole fatty stools doesn't make sense, cuz my diet consists of meats veggies fruits and corn. Dairy as well, but I do use olive oil in everything. Maybe the olive oil is contributing. I never consumed as much olive oil before the diagnoses, not even close. But even if my body wasn't storing the fat like it should, it doesn't make sense, cuz I haven't lost a dramatic amount of weight....it was in Oct. when my weight tottally decreased. Now I'm pretty back to normal.?

I am going to the doctor on Tues. I'm going to address all of this with her. She is the same one that diagnosed me.

Did all of you have these weird symptoms all along, or like suddenly before the diagnoses. My symptoms were suddenly constant, right before the diagnoses, but it just boggles me cuz I started having lots of cramping, nausea, diarreaha, then got the diagnoses, still get those symptoms, though not as often (nausea is still aproblem more than it should be) but now I've got all these weird stool problems...

just wondering what the onset of your symptoms were like. Well thank you all for responding though....it was very appreciated!

[KaitiUSA]

Well I was always healthy growing up and when I got mono I got symptoms from there all the sudden that never went away until going gluten free. Things like surgeries, stress, childbirth, and things like mono can trigger celiac to start up in your body and that could have been a reason your symptoms just started it could have been triggered by something.

When I got a diagnosis the symptoms stayed for a few months until I started feeling better. Some people's symptoms go away quicker then others. If it is continuing to get better then I would give it some time.

Things that work great for me whenever I have nausea are teas like tummy mint(by celestial seasonings) and chamomile, and ginger. Also anything with peppermint is a good thing to settle the stomach. I also make sure I take enzymes and probiotics which also have seemed to help. Make sure you are taking vitamins as well as things to boost your system because then your body might not take as long through the healing process. I know for me it seemed to be taking a while and I got on supplements and I felt alot better then I was.

Good luck and God bless

[Maggie1956]

I have black stools from taking iron. It can also cause constipation. I've always had undigested corn and nuts amongsth other things.

I still have the floaties too. even after three months gluten-free. I just think it takes us a while for our systems to return to normal. It took us a while to get this sick, so it makes sense.

Try not to worry too much. Talk to your doctor if you feel you need to. And remember we're all in this together to help each other.

God bless.

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hey, woah, the nuts DO show up. Isn't that weird. I thought, it's only with corn.

And Kaiti is right. Some people get better sooner than others. I remember when I started to feel a little better after going glutenfree. I could notice a difference, but it was very slowly with me. Just give it some time.

Hugs, Stef

[jcgirl]

I always thought that it was normal for peas and corn to enter the bowl in the same form that they went in. As they say, learn something new every day. I have noticed in the last week or two (gluten-free for 6 weeks) that my stool (soft but formed) is 2 colors, like a green and brown. Is this normal? Never seen anything like it before.

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Hm, never seen anything like that either. Mine is always a little bit lighter brown and then dark brown again. Or sometimes these two colors in one...

What did you eat the days before?

Hugs, Stef

[jcgirl]

I have been eating alot of fruits, yogurt, meat and rice. It has happened a few times so can't pin point it. It's weird, but so is alot of things that happen in the "bowl" for us. Kind of embarrassing to have to investigate droppings. Sometimes I feel like I'm checking my dog for worms, lol.

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Yeah, I think, it's embarrasing, too. But if you want to stay healthy as a celiac, you have to learn when and where to "investigate" .

Hugs, Stef

[cdford]

Differences in color even within the same stool can be normal. As long as they are what we usually consider "earthy" colors and not VERY light, you probably just sat and ate more of one item and then some of another. Some things pass through in less time and others take more time or are more bulky and tend to congegrate together. If in doubt, talk to the doc about it.

[stef-the-kicking-cuty]

Phew! I'm really relieved to hear that. And I already thought, something's wrong with me . Well, something IS wrong with me, since I still have pain sometimes, but I haven't figured out what it is yet. But now it's not the stool problem anymore.

Hugs, Stef

[Guest ajlauer]

I haven't been diagnosed with anything yet but... there are times when it takes only a few hours for food to go in my mouth, and then come out the other end. My husband drives me nuts, he too says it takes at least 24 hours. But I tell you what, when something makes me sick - it happens fast!!! Makes sense if you think about. I mean, if you eat something that your body doesn't like - it will want to get rid of it quicker - not take 24 hours to digest it. So I'd suggest that if a certain food is flowing thru your system quickly, perhaps your body doesn't like it.

On that note, my body must LOVE fat, cause I just can't rid of the stuff! *laugh*