question

[puremess]

I have a question. Does anyone had pus in their stool. If so, how would you describe it looks like. For the past few days I have been seeing little yellowish small dots all over the stool. First I thought maybe it's undigested food but it's been almost a week and I still see it all over the stool. I don't have diarhea my stools are solid can it be pus?

[Lana]

Mucus in/around the stool with or without actual D is one of my main symptoms of C-Diff. Initially, I thought of it as alien poop because it looked like it had tentacles. (Sorry if rude!)
That area hurts so much when this is occurring. I thought the protective lining of my colon was coming out. My doctor said that when the colon is inflamed, it produces extra mucus--not to worry--easy for him to say!

[Sheila1]

Pureness,
What meds are you currently on?

My doc has currently ordered a white blood cell count in my stool when I told him I had small yellow/whitish specs. I've read it's common with CDiff to have luekocytes in the stool.

When I had the pus, it actually looked like pus and was globs, rather than specs (this happens anytime I'm in a severe episode). I also had extreme pain and diarrhea when passing the pus.

Not sure why it was important to order the WBC on the stool..or what he'll do about it. I can't find any information on it except it can indicate colitis, among other things.

Sheila

[nsewell]

You can also have the mucus with IBS, I do once in awhile.

[puremess]

Thank you all for your quick responses. I am not seeing these specs as much now. Hopefully it's nothing.
Sheila, I am currently pulsing vanco. I am on 1 pill every other day. There are days where I feel fine but there are days like today where the horrible gurguling sound in the colon is here. I don't know what to think anymore.

[unhappystomach]

What I am seeing that I think is pus is white. IS that what everyone esle saw as pus? Or is it a different color?

[Christina]

Sounds like mucous to me. I get very large quantities when I relapse.it usually starts around 24 hours before my diarrhea sets in. Sometimes it's white and sometimes pink w/ blood. It almost looks like if you put a tissue into water and it began breaking up. It can also surround the stool as well.

[Sheila1]

Unhappystomach,

I really love your name... (or hate it...) ! :)

Anyone with a weak stomach don't read any further.

Here's a description of what I see, and what some of this post (and pm's) were asking - others may see other things.

I have, for about a month or two, had tiny whitish specs in my stools; rather looks like tiny cracker crumbs undigested or something. Don't have a clue what they are! I thought it was the Questran but others have posted with similar and they weren't on Questran. So maybe it's the probiotics, maybe something to do with the yogurt, maybe just broken bits of pseudomembrane, I don't know.

When I have mucous it is generally kind of coating the stool and looks really slimy like egg whites or something, sometimes tinted with blood when I'm really sick. Sometimes it's more clear looking, sometimes hazy looking.

When I have pus, it literally looks like pus; or perhaps you could say a glob of wet, yellow snot, you know the kind some teenagers are fond of hawking up? (sorry!). Kind of yellowish, almost 'fluffy' looking (as opposed to the flat stringy mucous) and usually is in little or big globs, and often they float, but not always.

Ewww. We really should all just put on blindfolds when we go to the bathroom. haha!

I remember reading a post several months ago where someone had become obsessed with what was revealed in the great white bowl...and the moderators suggesting they quit looking - it was very good advice! I wonder if there's a name for it.
Something like "throneaphobia" would be pretty accurate.

:) Sheila

[unhappystomach]

Thanks Sheila...my Dad is always telling me to stop looking.

But how will you ever know when things get normal?

Again, thanks for going into details...I needed that.

Sarah

[puremess]

Sheila,
What you described to be a pus I thought was mucus. Like on sunday and today I had to go and all it was this small yellowish/tanish glob thing that floated. I had that before and I thought it was mucus. Christina gave the exact description of it. Like a wet tissue that about to break down.
I don't know what to think now. Usually when I relapse, like Christina, I get large amounts of it before diarhea hits. But I only had it once on Sunday and once today and a small amount. of it. Can it be that the c-diff is acting up?

[Christina]

Pus and mucus. Doesn't matter what you call it it's all the same. Yes, once or twice I have had yellow as well. Don't worry about the color. I have also had the white specks have them now as a matter of fact. When and if the diarrhea hits you'll know what's going on. Occasionally, I have had mucus a few days prior to relapse but normally 24 hours never fails. My honest opinion is to wait until the D. hits then you'll know for sure. This is what I do and it's how I treat myself. You need to do what you feel is right for you as I said this is only my opinion. I don't have a Dr. here to go to so I have to treat myself the best I can being guided by phone or e-mail and that is what I have learned to do. I know the routine all to well and been drilled on what would warrant an emergency so I handle it pretty much myself. I've had to learn quite a bit but it works well.

[puremess]

Christina,
Thank you for your reply! The thing is, before my last relapse I was able to pulse/taper one pill every other day for nine weeks. On the third week of that treatment I had the same thing happen. I would have just mucus without stool once a week. Then when I stopped the treatment, I relapsed eight days later. I never had mucus without stool when I was on 4 or 2 or 1 pills everyday but it only happens when I am down to 1 every other day. Also, it usually starts on a third or in this case fifth week. So I don't know what to make out of this. My doctor says I need to be concerened if I have diarhea or a fever. This makes sense, however, I can't help but to think that because of this little symptom c-diff is still there it's just on a low level or something.

[nsewell]

I to get the same things. A few weeks ago I had just a little mucus nothing else. Then with other bm's it's be the kind that forms around it and then breaks apart when flushed. Now my bm's have been normal. I think all this also comes with the IBS left over from c-diff and from what you eat. I tend to have mucus in mine if I eat sugar or have caffine.. And I have been c-diff free for 5 months now.

[Christina]

Puremess,

I'm guessing you are female, correct?
I'm also not sure of your age so this is all on speculation but have you noticed any correlation between your relapses and your menstrual cycle? Sorry to get so personal. I hope you don't mind.
Here's why I'm asking. All of my 9 relapses have occurred between the 5th and 13th of the month. Every one! Just last week I finally asked my GI doc. about it because it has been bothering me. He said that female hormones of course as we know fluctuate during our cycles. This fluctuation and strong surge of hormones can play a big role in IBS,IBD and also CDAD. For me, the relapses occur just at or just after ovulation.
Maybe keep a log or mark your calender to see if you notice any type of pattern.
A ways back I posted a link about a study done about this also. If I can find it I'll post the link underneath here so you can read it if you like.

[Christina]

If interested here is the link:

http://www.fda.gov/Cder/meeting/clostridia_disease.htm

Click on #9 under meeting transcripts-bacterial repression of nuclear hormone receptors:Host pathogen hormone interaction+impliactions for therapy