1. < Digestive Health

Any ideas on what having fatty stools is indicative of?

Posted by nobm56 @nobm56, Mar 7, 2023

I am unable to have a bowel movement on my own, have a rectocele, had stool in my vagina, and an inability to digest food. What other type of specialist should I see, what other tests can be done, and any ideas on other possible medical causes for my condition besides SIBO and chronic constipation? How can I better advocate for myself when no one has been able to help me regarding this condition? Any Diet or treatment suggestions, and how to manage this pain would be appreciated.

Here is my story:

Diagnosed with sibo & chronic constipation 3 years ago
Suffering from:
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Rib pain
• Cold all the time
• Foul-smelling gas
• Muscle spasms
• 30 lb. weight loss
• No appetite
• Bloating
• Rectocele
• Stool in the vagina
• Fatty stools
• Malnutrition
• Inability to have a bm on my own
Present day:
• No regular bm since Jan 19 after MR enterography & drinking barium
• Diagnosed with fecal impaction
• Have tried:
• Magnesium citrate
• Miriax 3x daily
• 2 colon prep
• enema
• went to Er with no help
• As no one was able to help me decided to do colon hydrotherapy on my own
• did 8 colonics in 3 weeks, felt better
• Went off all supplements and motility meds for 2 weeks in preparation for another breath test
• no bm in 5 days after the last colonic
• Had one small bm on Sunday covered in fat and floating
• I restarted all my constipation meds that night.
• The following morning had diarrhea 4 x which had a layer of grease floating and bubbles on top and felt better
• Have not had a bm since even with meds.
• Can’t eat, sick stomach, can’t do anything, hopeless, no one can help me

Have had:
• 29 tests and procedures
• 3 gastroenterologists
• 2 functional medicine doctors
• 2 nutritionists
• 5 diets
• 5 physical therapists
• Acupuncturist
• Colon hydrotherapy
• Meditation
• Colon massage

Prescriptions tried:
• Linzess
• Motegrity
• Amitiza
• Sutab colonoscopy prep (2 X)
• 8 rounds of antibiotics (xifaxin 3 rounds, doxycycline, ciproflaxin, neomycin, Bactrim, tried augmentin but too strong)

every supplement imaginable including herbal antibiotics

• Mirilax
• Stool softener
• Magnesium citrate
• Digestive enzymes
• Probiotics
• Prebiotics
• Cod liver oil
• electrolytes

I've researched other probable causes and found that issues regarding your pancreas, liver and other organs involved in digestion could be compromised.

Please help with any path to wellness that I haven't tried for my condition and how to better advocate for myself.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

carolmaeray | @carolmaeray | Mar 10, 2023
In reply to @nobm56 "no except for celiac. I am beyond frustrated! I started Amitiza 4 days ago and have..." + (show)
@nobm56

no except for celiac.

I am beyond frustrated! I started Amitiza 4 days ago and have had diarrhea, foul gas, excruciating abdominal pain and the worst nausea I have ever experienced. I have only been able to tolerate dry toast. If I try to eat anything else I feel like I am going to die. I stopped taking the mirilax and motegrity last night. I do not go out of the house unless it's a doctor appointment.

I tried calling my U of M GI's office and the nurse barely let me speak. She asks me her questions and says she has to wait to hear from the doctor which in the past has been up to 21 days! I told her this was urgent, and how much pain I am in. Her solution was for me to go to the ER.

I have been to the ER 5 times this year with no help, and they always send me home to follow up with my PCP. It appears that no one can help me. I am not taking the Amitiza and I feel certain that I will not have any more BMs. I have had 8 colonics this month to treat my fecal impaction and my body is spent. No one takes me seriously and I feel like I am an annoyance.

Any ideas on how to approach this and try to get the necessary tests for something other than SIBO or chronic constipation?

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Have you tried a product called oxy powder? It’s a high dose of magnesium oxide for chronic constipation. What it does is it breaks down into a lot of oxygen, which causes the stool to loosen and easily leave the body. It also effectively cleans the lining of the colon and your body does not absorb any of the magnesium oxide. It’s been a lifesaver for me as I struggled with what’s called chronic idiopathic constipation. I can also recommend an online medical practice called IBS TREATMENT CENTER, they did a slew of tests which have determined that my condition is the result of a very very severe infestation of candida and other bacteria for which I am now being treated. I wish you the best and I hope you’ll try the oxy powder, I feel like I saved my life for the time being.

REPLY
1 reply
carolmaeray | @carolmaeray | Mar 10, 2023
In reply to @carolmaeray "Have you tried a product called oxy powder? It’s a high dose of magnesium oxide for..." + (show)
@carolmaeray

Have you tried a product called oxy powder? It’s a high dose of magnesium oxide for chronic constipation. What it does is it breaks down into a lot of oxygen, which causes the stool to loosen and easily leave the body. It also effectively cleans the lining of the colon and your body does not absorb any of the magnesium oxide. It’s been a lifesaver for me as I struggled with what’s called chronic idiopathic constipation. I can also recommend an online medical practice called IBS TREATMENT CENTER, they did a slew of tests which have determined that my condition is the result of a very very severe infestation of candida and other bacteria for which I am now being treated. I wish you the best and I hope you’ll try the oxy powder, I feel like I saved my life for the time being.

Jump to this post

Forgot to say that I tried Linzess with no luck, I tried Amitiza with no luck, and I tried Motegrity day with no luck. But the oxy powder with my solution.

REPLY
nobm56 | @nobm56 | Mar 10, 2023

Thanks for your input. What brand do you use?

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choosejoy | @choosejoy | Mar 11, 2023

Have you found any food groups that may contribute to the gas, bloating, stomach pain and constipation? Do you know if they looked at your digestive enzyme levels during an endoscopy?

REPLY
1 reply
susanh824 | @susanh824 | Mar 11, 2023

Have you had stool elastase testing? It may not be the answer to all your problems, but it sounds like you may have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Most of the literature on it describes diarrhea as a symptom. But I, and many others, have constipation with it.

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1 reply
nobm56 | @nobm56 | Mar 11, 2023
In reply to @choosejoy "Have you found any food groups that may contribute to the gas, bloating, stomach pain and..." + (show)
@choosejoy

Have you found any food groups that may contribute to the gas, bloating, stomach pain and constipation? Do you know if they looked at your digestive enzyme levels during an endoscopy?

Jump to this post

I avoid gluten, dairy, sugar, gassy vegetables and processed foods. I eat very small portions & slowly. No on the digestive enzymes however I do take them with every meal.

REPLY
nobm56 | @nobm56 | Mar 11, 2023
In reply to @susanh824 "Have you had stool elastase testing? It may not be the answer to all your problems,..." + (show)
@susanh824

Have you had stool elastase testing? It may not be the answer to all your problems, but it sounds like you may have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI). Most of the literature on it describes diarrhea as a symptom. But I, and many others, have constipation with it.

Jump to this post

No

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susanh824 | @susanh824 | Mar 11, 2023

I would definitely ask your gastro doc to order one.

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kell4042 | @kell4042 | Mar 18, 2023
In reply to @susanh824 "There definitely could be an issue with your pancreas. You mood two tests: a stool fat..." + (show)
@susanh824

There definitely could be an issue with your pancreas. You mood two tests: a stool fat test and a fecal elastase. What you are describing sounds like E.P.I. (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency). At least one of your gastroenterologists should have ordered these.

Jump to this post

Malabsorption

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nobm56 | @nobm56 | Mar 19, 2023

Update. My specialist at U Of M ordered eight tests! Two x-rays of my bowel, two stool test, a pelvic MRI, gastric emptying study, colonoscopy, and possibly another endoscopy. I will keep you updated.

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