another gross topic

[michellebue]

i hope i did not post this twice. i tried sending this but i think i sent it off wrong. i couldn't find it so i am resending it. sorry if it is posted twice. actually i might add a little anyway.

i am sure this question has been asked numerous times. however, this site has so much information and so much posted and i coudn't find it, at least where i was looking. so i must ask:

has anyone had white chunks of tissue looking particles when they have watery diarrhea? if so, what were you told that it was?

i was told that it was my intestinal lining. basically that the pseudomembranes were shedding. they think.

i was hospitalized in november a week after i stopped the vanco. the problem was was that in the hospital i kept testing negative for c-diff. i also have ulcerative colitis which is an inflammatory bowel disease. when they did the sigmoidoscopy the gi said it was unquestionably a classic case of pseudomembraneous colitis. however, all the biopsies came back negative. when they did the ct-scan they said it was unquestionably my uc ripping through my entire large intestine. they treated me for both on top of developing pancreatitis.

i have had uc for 12 years. i knew my bowel habits and every twitch of my body like the back of my hand. silly to some but has always been very important to me. after the c-diff, as you all have experienced for yourself, i have completely lost touch with my body. when i had to go to the hospital the dr's kept asking ME what i thought it was because it was so inconclusive. but none of it was the same. my uc is always severe bloody diarrhea. but there was or has not been any blood since i was in the hospital. the watery diarrhea was usually consistent with the c-diff but these white chunks, of whatever it was, has never been present with either. they were concerned that because i was testing negative that i had the new and improved mutated form of c-diff. but could i just have tested negative because i was only off the vanco for a week? but they did actually biopies and numerous stool samples. i was discharged as having pancreatitis and both c-diff and uc because they never really knew which or both. even though nothing was decided i still feel like i had the best possible care. all of the doc's were dumbfounded though. the gi's and the id's. infact my id who has an ibd was floored. he was the most understanding.

if anyone has had these white chunks i would be both relieved and disappointed to hear about it. i have just been trying to be positive and think in my head that it is just my uc. i never thought all the years i had the disease that i would hope for that. but i just stopped my vanco again on sunday and wednesday i started getting mild symptoms again. however, i also am tapering on my prednisone. so again, we don't know for sure. i did my labs and blood work earlier today. i am positive that it will be negative.

sorry to ramble. just curious about the white chunks really.

[Christina]

Yes, the white chunks are common. I believe most of us have had them. The way I describe it is if you put a tissue in water and it started breaking up. There is definitely a difference between that and the mucous. If you have ever seen Tripe (sorry) it is the same thing, the lining of the pigs intestines.
For me, it was always a sign of a relapse on it's way.It would start a few days prior. Once the meds kick in it will clear up and unfortunately reappear the next time. Hopefully, there won't be a next time for you.

[Christina]

Yes, the white chunks are common. I believe most of us have had them. The way I describe it is if you put a tissue in water and it started breaking up. There is definitely a difference between that and the mucous. If you have ever seen Tripe (sorry) it is the same thing, the lining of the pigs intestines.
For me, it was always a sign of a relapse on it's way.It would start a few days prior. Once the meds kick in it will clear up and unfortunately reappear the next time. Hopefully, there won't be a next time for you.

[michellebue]

thank you christina!!

i appreciate your quick response. it was really bothering me in the hospital especially when no one was really answering my question directly. i kind of brushed it out of my head and since these last couple of rough days i started wondering about it again.

i'm relieved to find out that others have had this. (not that i wish it upon anyone!!!!) however i can't say that i'm happy to know it is related to c-diff.