Bulky Stools

[MaeFlower]

I know I post often about questions relating to cf, but after seeing two different GI specialists this week & showing them pictures of Vivi's BMs, they would not commit to saying either way, if they looked normal or not. They just shrugged & said they looked "normal & yet, not normal."

However, they did say that cf diapers are normally "bulky." I'm assuming this means large. We are still in limbo & no one has an answer as to why her stools seem to give her so much trouble. Excessive gas & fussiness during, before, or after a BM... Lots of mucus, oily looking w/ some fat deposits, very frothy consistency (sorry for the descriptions), as well as being fairly large; that is if she can handle going all at once, usually there's so much discomfort she has two small diapers & then one really large one to follow. Only to do the process all over again (6 diapers a day are a minimum).

Thanks in advance

 

[MaeFlower]

I know I post often about questions relating to cf, but after seeing two different GI specialists this week & showing them pictures of Vivi's BMs, they would not commit to saying either way, if they looked normal or not. They just shrugged & said they looked "normal & yet, not normal."

However, they did say that cf diapers are normally "bulky." I'm assuming this means large. We are still in limbo & no one has an answer as to why her stools seem to give her so much trouble. Excessive gas & fussiness during, before, or after a BM... Lots of mucus, oily looking w/ some fat deposits, very frothy consistency (sorry for the descriptions), as well as being fairly large; that is if she can handle going all at once, usually there's so much discomfort she has two small diapers & then one really large one to follow. Only to do the process all over again (6 diapers a day are a minimum).

Thanks in advance

 

[MaeFlower]

I know I post often about questions relating to cf, but after seeing two different GI specialists this week & showing them pictures of Vivi's BMs, they would not commit to saying either way, if they looked normal or not. They just shrugged & said they looked "normal & yet, not normal."
<br />
<br />However, they did say that cf diapers are normally "bulky." I'm assuming this means large. We are still in limbo & no one has an answer as to why her stools seem to give her so much trouble. Excessive gas & fussiness during, before, or after a BM... Lots of mucus, oily looking w/ some fat deposits, very frothy consistency (sorry for the descriptions), as well as being fairly large; that is if she can handle going all at once, usually there's so much discomfort she has two small diapers & then one really large one to follow. Only to do the process all over again (6 diapers a day are a minimum).
<br />
<br />Thanks in advance
<br />
<br />

 

[Ratatosk]

Ds would stool several times a day and sometimes while I was changing his diaper, he'd go two or three more times. This was on enzymes, so obviously he needed more, but every time we'd ask the doctors or nurse what normal stools looked like, because they told us to base enzymes amounts on output, they'd give us a mysterious "you'll know"

When we finally got DS' enzyme, digestive issues figured out, the poor kid was confused that he didn't poop every time he used the bathroom because he was so used to that.

Have you tried dumping the contents of the diaper into the toilet to see if it sinks or floats. If it remains intact or breaks up easily. If there's an oily sheen or residue in the bowl? DS never looked greasy to me, but once potty trained, his stools would leave an oily residue ring at the waterline.

 

[Ratatosk]

Ds would stool several times a day and sometimes while I was changing his diaper, he'd go two or three more times. This was on enzymes, so obviously he needed more, but every time we'd ask the doctors or nurse what normal stools looked like, because they told us to base enzymes amounts on output, they'd give us a mysterious "you'll know"

When we finally got DS' enzyme, digestive issues figured out, the poor kid was confused that he didn't poop every time he used the bathroom because he was so used to that.

Have you tried dumping the contents of the diaper into the toilet to see if it sinks or floats. If it remains intact or breaks up easily. If there's an oily sheen or residue in the bowl? DS never looked greasy to me, but once potty trained, his stools would leave an oily residue ring at the waterline.

 

[Ratatosk]

Ds would stool several times a day and sometimes while I was changing his diaper, he'd go two or three more times. This was on enzymes, so obviously he needed more, but every time we'd ask the doctors or nurse what normal stools looked like, because they told us to base enzymes amounts on output, they'd give us a mysterious "you'll know"
<br />
<br />When we finally got DS' enzyme, digestive issues figured out, the poor kid was confused that he didn't poop every time he used the bathroom because he was so used to that.
<br />
<br />Have you tried dumping the contents of the diaper into the toilet to see if it sinks or floats. If it remains intact or breaks up easily. If there's an oily sheen or residue in the bowl? DS never looked greasy to me, but once potty trained, his stools would leave an oily residue ring at the waterline.

 

[MaeFlower]

I'll try that. One GI doctor did say that we could do a fecal fat test, but he didn't write up orders for it. Would her diaper absorb any of the fat?

 

[MaeFlower]

I'll try that. One GI doctor did say that we could do a fecal fat test, but he didn't write up orders for it. Would her diaper absorb any of the fat?

 

[MaeFlower]

I'll try that. One GI doctor did say that we could do a fecal fat test, but he didn't write up orders for it. Would her diaper absorb any of the fat?

 

[Ratatosk]

I'd call and get them to do a fecal elastase test. I never could figure out the poop issue. DS' were never shiny or greasy looking in the diaper. Kinda fluffy, like cake frosting.

 

[Ratatosk]

I'd call and get them to do a fecal elastase test. I never could figure out the poop issue. DS' were never shiny or greasy looking in the diaper. Kinda fluffy, like cake frosting.

 

[Ratatosk]

I'd call and get them to do a fecal elastase test. I never could figure out the poop issue. DS' were never shiny or greasy looking in the diaper. Kinda fluffy, like cake frosting.

 

[dlo2977]

My 4 year old wasn't diagnosed until she was almost 3 so she obviously wasn't on enzymes when in diapers. She would go 4-6 times a day and her stool always was yellow and very soft. When she potty trained at 2 was when I noticed the oil in the toilet bowl on occasion (how we came to the diagnosis). Once on enzymes she started going once a day and her stool was formed and didn't break up in the toilet. My 15 month old (no cf) goes once a day and it is formed and brown. It is a huge difference but until I told the ped I saw oil she didn't think anything was wrong with her poop...........

 

[dlo2977]

My 4 year old wasn't diagnosed until she was almost 3 so she obviously wasn't on enzymes when in diapers. She would go 4-6 times a day and her stool always was yellow and very soft. When she potty trained at 2 was when I noticed the oil in the toilet bowl on occasion (how we came to the diagnosis). Once on enzymes she started going once a day and her stool was formed and didn't break up in the toilet. My 15 month old (no cf) goes once a day and it is formed and brown. It is a huge difference but until I told the ped I saw oil she didn't think anything was wrong with her poop...........

 

[dlo2977]

My 4 year old wasn't diagnosed until she was almost 3 so she obviously wasn't on enzymes when in diapers. She would go 4-6 times a day and her stool always was yellow and very soft. When she potty trained at 2 was when I noticed the oil in the toilet bowl on occasion (how we came to the diagnosis). Once on enzymes she started going once a day and her stool was formed and didn't break up in the toilet. My 15 month old (no cf) goes once a day and it is formed and brown. It is a huge difference but until I told the ped I saw oil she didn't think anything was wrong with her poop...........

 

[MaeFlower]

I did try to dump the contents in the toilet this morning. What the diaper had not absorbed did in fact separate when it hit the water & some of it stuck to the side of the toilet. Most of the contents floated and was mucus laden.

The GI specialist is going to do an endoscopy on her soon. He said he was going to take a few biopsy's. Does anyone know if he will be able to tell if she has CF if he scopes her & takes those biopsy's?

 

[MaeFlower]

I did try to dump the contents in the toilet this morning. What the diaper had not absorbed did in fact separate when it hit the water & some of it stuck to the side of the toilet. Most of the contents floated and was mucus laden.

The GI specialist is going to do an endoscopy on her soon. He said he was going to take a few biopsy's. Does anyone know if he will be able to tell if she has CF if he scopes her & takes those biopsy's?

 

[MaeFlower]

I did try to dump the contents in the toilet this morning. What the diaper had not absorbed did in fact separate when it hit the water & some of it stuck to the side of the toilet. Most of the contents floated and was mucus laden.
<br />
<br />The GI specialist is going to do an endoscopy on her soon. He said he was going to take a few biopsy's. Does anyone know if he will be able to tell if she has CF if he scopes her & takes those biopsy's?

 

[dlo2977]

The biopsies will not diagnose CF. They are diagnostic for Celiac Disease and some other GI disorders. The only way to definitely diagnose CF is through genetic testing (blood test). Have you had the blood test done or just a sweat test?

 

[dlo2977]

The biopsies will not diagnose CF. They are diagnostic for Celiac Disease and some other GI disorders. The only way to definitely diagnose CF is through genetic testing (blood test). Have you had the blood test done or just a sweat test?