Strange stool - what could this be?

[Carolina]

My daughter has what looks like seeds or rice krispies in her stool?! I have wracked my brain on what it could be in her diet and the only things I can come up with is gluten-free oatmeal or rice rollers which are sweetened brown rice snacks like a cereal. I wouldn't think either would come out undigested like this. I will contact her GI but any other ideas in the meantime?

[pikakegirl]

I have had this too. More the first years after diagnosis. Rice would go right through undigested. I found I have a problem with rice syrup and digestion. It is as bad as corn syrup unfortunatley. Even after 11 years and a clear colonoscopy and Pill Camera study of upper GI I still need to chew my food extra well for absorption. Thinking it is more the lack of enzymes and acid in my stomach. Has she tried probiotics to help break food down?

[Carolina]

Thanks for the reply. I actually started her on Culturelle 30 days ago when she was having loose stool. Now she is leaning towards constipation and going every other day sometimes every 3rd day. When you had this was it a lot? I’ve noticed it from time to time but last night it was plentiful. I could see cooked rice doing this, but these rice rollers are like a cereal. Still think this is a possibility? I’m going to cut them and oatmeal out for a bit to see.

[cyclinglady]

What is your definition of gluten free oatmeal?  Some celiacs can never tolerate even dedicated (grown in dedicated fields) gluten free oats (vs. mechanically sorted which is controversial).  

 

 

 

[Carolina]

15 hours ago, cyclinglady said:

What is your definition of gluten free oatmeal?  Some celiacs can never tolerate even dedicated (grown in dedicated fields) gluten free oats (vs. mechanically sorted which is controversial).  

Yes, I am in a Celiac Kids group and I think I am up to speed for the most part on the controversial items, oatmeal, cereals etc. that are mechanically sorted. She never ate much cereal but we won't do Cheerios, Lucky Charms or the like. I guess I should consider oats don't agree with her even though she doesn't have a reaction. I am going to take out oats and rice rollers with rice syrup in it and see what that does.

 

 

 

[Posterboy]

On 9/12/2018 at 10:07 AM, Carolina said:

I wouldn't think either would come out undigested like this.

Carolina,

It comes down to timeline (mostly) like how long has this been going on?

This strange stool pattern you are describing.

Here is a good article about  how bowel transit can tell us how much inflammation IE stress our GI system is under.

Here is the naturopath's explanation and easy home test.

Open Original Shared Link

Here is the medical test for it (bowel transit time)

Open Original Shared Link

Now back to transit time and how it explains your daughter strange stool.

Again timeline tells what is normal.

Anybody over a period of two weeks might have a varied movement . . . when there is inflammation like accident glutening etc. .. or Lactose etc. if she has trouble with milk and you haven't isolated that as an allergen yet for example.

I used to swing the pendulum from Constipation to Diarrhea  regularlly (No pun intended).

I called it the ladder.  I ran up the latter and slid back down it when I had a glutening etc.

So if this is going on for over two weeks it should be checked on.

Now for some homework for you and for your daughter.

Look up google/bing the Bristol Stool Chart it will visually summarize what I have typed out for clarity.

I will provide a link to two or three charts (same stool pattern) with slightly different explanations.  I think they will be informative.

Here is a good over all view of Poo!

Open Original Shared Link

We are looking for Goldilocks!

Open Original Shared Link

Here is a kid friendly one that you might see in a Pediatricians office.

Open Original Shared Link

ONE more chart this time with Transit time added to the Bristol Stool Chart to show how the transit time determines stool size and volume and overall conformity and which is lacking when we have inflammation in our GI system/tract.

Open Original Shared Link

Now remember this only applies if it (strange stool appearance) is longer than 2 weeks.

Because if (your daughter) doesn't find a happy medium in two weeks then a bowel transit test could be helpful.

I hope this is helpful but this is not medical advice.

Because she is tending to constipation . . . her GI tract might be slowing down due to low stomach acid.

Here is my story with low stomach acid and its many symptoms.  I hope it you and your daughter to get moving on time again. .. like it did me. Once a day ever day in the Goldilocks zone.

https://www.celiac.com/blogs/entry/2106-is-ncgs-andor-celiac-disease-really-low-stomach-acid-misdiagnosed/

I used to go three times a week and thought this was normal . . ...  until I treated my low stomach acid being misdiagnosed as high stomach acid.

Because my stomach acid was not strong enough to digest proteins and sterilize my stomach contents my LES delayed opening and constipation resulted.

When things low down (slower than they should) you get impacted and the stool swells contributing to even worse constipation.

The body is always trying to keep itself in that happy medium state/stage. . .when inflammation occurs it moves it through quickly resulting in diarrhea.

Think the 24/48 hours stomach bug right?

Then things settle down again right! or they should.

How do we know this?

And when I have had a spat of diarrhea (inflammation/glutenning, lactose etc) when I have got off this inflammation treadmilll of too fast bowel transit.

I begin to fart a little! Every single time then my diarrhea is over and my normal stool transit time is back.

GFinDC likes to say a little farting never  hurt any body.  And they are right to say sooo! especially after a little diarrhea!

Plumbago might come on here soon.  She has a medical background.

And after surgery's they discharge ONLY after you can FART pass gas/wind etc.!

Then you are free to be checked out..... they know you are on your way back to being normal again!

Here is a nice verywell article on the topic if you do  more research than I have summarized here.

Open Original Shared Link

I hope this is helpful but is not medical advice.

As always “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” this included.

2 Timothy 2: 7

Posterboy by the grace of God,

[Carolina]

On 9/12/2018 at 11:53 AM, pikakegirl said:

I have had this too. More the first years after diagnosis. Rice would go right through undigested. I found I have a problem with rice syrup and digestion. It is as bad as corn syrup unfortunatley. Even after 11 years and a clear colonoscopy and Pill Camera study of upper GI I still need to chew my food extra well for absorption. Thinking it is more the lack of enzymes and acid in my stomach. Has she tried probiotics to help break food down?

 

[Carolina]

I’m cautiously optimistic but haven’t seen it since removing the oatmeal and rice rollers, thanks again for all your help. It really is a shame the oats weren’t communicated by our nutritionist, I learned that from a support group. I sure hope I haven’t delayed her healing, eager to retest in a few weeks at the 1 year mark.

[cyclinglady]

Glad you are seeing improvement!  Keep us posted if you decide to test those two products again.