Question About Stools

[adab8ca]

So I have high antibodies and neuro symptoms, no real GI symptoms except huge weight loss.

Over the last while I have noticed my stools are....umm.... soft. They look like tan mud, It isn't D, but they are sticky sticky sticky and soft and foul (I am SO so sorry for the TMI!!!)...I only go once a day, so not excessive (although when I go, there is lots) but they are weird...They don't really "float" but the colour can vary within and they are really like sticky, not watery mud.

Is this a "celiac" thing or should I now start panicking about something else?

(did I mention sorry for the TMI???)

[etbtbfs]

  On 8/24/2010 at 8:39 PM, adab8ca said:

So I have high antibodies and neuro symptoms, no real GI symptoms except huge weight loss.

Over the last while I have noticed my stools are....umm.... soft. They look like tan mud, It isn't D, but they are sticky sticky sticky and soft and foul (I am SO so sorry for the TMI!!!)...I only go once a day, so not excessive (although when I go, there is lots) but they are weird...They don't really "float" but the colour can vary within and they are really like sticky, not watery mud.

Is this a "celiac" thing or should I now start panicking about something else?

(did I mention sorry for the TMI???)

This sounds much like malabsorption. That is, much of the fat and/or protein you're taking in, isn't being utilized. Malabsorption is a major problem associated with gluten enteropathy. Chances are good that if you had a comprehensive metabolic profile, it would show protein and/or cholesterol below the normal ranges. Malabsorption also means you are probably short on critical nutrients, e.g. B6.

The question is, how to deal with it while you may have gluten enteropathy? Digestive juice output is often low in this situation; you can safely increase your acidity by using Betaine HCl in the right amount. Also consider using a probiotic and digestive enzymes. I wouldn't trust an MD to know about any of this stuff; you'll probably want to discuss it with a registered dietician or similar who has specific experience with healing gluten enteropathy.

[Skylark]

Could be a celiac thing. Could also be lactose intolerance with the smell. Try dropping dairy and see if it helps, as many folks who are recovering from celiac don't tolerate dairy well at first.

[burdee]

  On 8/24/2010 at 9:33 PM, etbtbfs said:

This sounds much like malabsorption. That is, much of the fat and/or protein you're taking in, isn't being utilized. Malabsorption is a major problem associated with gluten enteropathy. Chances are good that if you had a comprehensive metabolic profile, it would show protein and/or cholesterol below the normal ranges. Malabsorption also means you are probably short on critical nutrients, e.g. B6.

The question is, how to deal with it while you may have gluten enteropathy? Digestive juice output is often low in this situation; you can safely increase your acidity by using Betaine HCl in the right amount. Also consider using a probiotic and digestive enzymes. I wouldn't trust an MD to know about any of this stuff; you'll probably want to discuss it with a registered dietician or similar who has specific experience with healing gluten enteropathy.

Actually an MD wrote a book about "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You". Taking Betaine HCl without getting tested for stomach acid production (with a Heidelberg capsule test) can be risky, especially if you have very low stomach acid and damaged stomach lining. Before you try HCl, test your digestion by consuming 1-2 tablespoons of cider vinegar or lemon juice mixed with a very small amount of water during the early part of a meal. If that lessens or eliminates indigestion (and/or heartburn) after the meal, you might conclude that you have low stomach acid. Other signs of stomach acid deficiency include bloating after meals, feeling very full after eating small amounts of food, hair loss, bad fingernails (splitting, vertical ridges, easily torn).

However, I'd recommend first eliminating all sources of gluten and other diagnosed food allergies, which can cause indigestion and malabsorption. If you have ever used antibiotics and didn't take probiotics after treatment, malabsorption can be caused by deficient 'good bacteria', which help digestion in the small intestines. If you ever took acid blocking drugs for any period of time, you might also consider getting tested for stomach acid production. The Heidelberg capsule test is a simple test which has been used for years, especially before drug companies began to profit from acid blocking drugs.