When do loose stools stop??

Please limit your post to questions only. You can ask multiple questions in the post. (One post per person per day about yourself. See exception in General C. diff.Discussion.)
healthys
Contributor
Posts: 63
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:26 pm

When do loose stools stop??

Postby healthys » Fri Apr 23, 2021 11:12 am

Hi Guys,

Hope everyone is doing well and getting vaccinated! As you can see , I am lot more active here this week than ever before! I am experiencing loose stools during the day. I am 33 F. My first BM is always formed but the subsequent ones get looser and looser. Sometimes they smell bad too. I know for sure I have PI-IBS. But I am not taking anything for it. I only take a florastor a day or probiotic sometimes. I am 25 weeks from the last vanco dose and pretty much coming up at 6 month in recovery. But my loose stools just haven't stopped. There have been weeks in between where I would probably have loose stools only once or twice a week. But no week where I had only formed stools. I get a lot of foam which I think is mucous or bile when I get loose stools. No pain, no discomfort or anything except for signals that my body gives to tell me that its time to go to the loo. I eat pretty much everything in a vegetarian diet. No dairy though.

Could you please share your experiences with loose stools so late into the recovery? Should I see my gastro to have colonoscopy etc? I have messaged her and she doesn't seem to think any particular care is needed. I worry sometimes if everything inside is good in terms of my gall bladder, liver, intestines etc.

Just FYI, I had an open appendectomy and some portions of my terminal ileum were removed due to late diagnosis of appendicitis and subsequent complications but both my surgeon/ gastro had assured me that I dont have short bowels or bile malabsorption etc since nothing much was removed that could impact absorption of fat or bile. My B12 levels are normal too. While doing work up for appendicitis when the doctors were not able to diagnose, they had tested me for RF Factor and it had come to be 14 IU/ml which some places say is negative & some some places say is positive. This test is done to check fore celiac or rheumatoid arthritis I think but I do not have any symptoms of those. Doctor had told me that all of these blood proteins can go crazy when there is inflammation for so long . I would love if anyone can share their thoughts on this test as well if they have any experience with it.

You can see that this week I am having some health anxiety. Most of the times I meditate and do not take stress about health. I thought I will write here and hope to see some insights and thoughts or if just reassurances.

Thank you so much!

Ali-Mar
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 463
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: When do loose stools stop??

Postby Ali-Mar » Fri Apr 23, 2021 6:46 pm

I had an FTM 9 months ago and have tested negative for C Diff several times since. All my BM are soft or loose and no formed stool yet. I talked to two GI about that, and both told me it is PI-IBS-D. The 2nd GI told me it could linger for one or two years and sometimes longer.

I also had some greasy foam early on after the FMT. My GI ordered the calprotectin test for me. It was 77 (slightly elevated). She suggested waiting 2 months and redo the calprotectin test and if it is still high to do the colonoscopy. But lucky me the second test was very low less than 16.

Maybe worth testing the calprotectin since you have foam in the stool.
Male 54, contracted C-Diff on Feb 5, 2020, diagnosed on March 2nd, Took Flagyl for 8 days, Vanco for 10 days, relapsed 5 weeks post-Vanco. finished Dificid Taper on June 20 relapsed two weeks later, had the FMT on July 14th, 2020

healthys
Contributor
Posts: 63
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:26 pm

Re: When do loose stools stop??

Postby healthys » Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:52 pm

Thank you for the reply Ali-Mar! Appreciate it!

Do you get any foam with loose stools now? When I was diagnosed with c-diff, I had also worked with a naturopath who had me do the comprehensive stool test. In that test my calcprotectin was about 192 which was quiet elevated but below 200. Above 200 is when they say you have to worry about IBD etc. I had asked my GI if she wants me to restest that and is she concerned about the calcprotectin levels and she said anyone who has had cdiff will have calcprotectin elevated as that is an inflammation marker. And she doesn't recommend testing it now. So I have kinda just trusted her and not pushed for it.

Apart from the daily loose stools 1-2 times, I do not have any other symptoms. I see most people recover by 6th month and go back to normal stools or at least some form of formed stools which I do as well. My first morning stool is almost always formed, bristol chart 3 or 4. But subsequent ones just become runny. Sigh..! After effects of cdiff and constant anxiety or paranoia that comes with it I guess. I will ask her again though about the calcprotetcin but mostly I know what her response would be :)

Thank you though! Have a good weekend!

Ali-Mar
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 463
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: When do loose stools stop??

Postby Ali-Mar » Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:14 pm

No, I haven't seen any foam in stool in a while now but almost all the stools are soft or loose, bristol 5 or 6, mostly 5.

You are right, everyone is different I have seen some posters here or on Facebook get back to normal right away or a few months after the treatment, for some others, the symptoms linger around for quite a while. In my case, it has been 9 months since I had the FMT and I am still on a bland diet. I used to eat anything and everything before the C Diff. But now I cannot tolerate most foods. I haven't had a coffee in over a year now. I just started drinking a little bit of tea two weeks ago. Don't get me wrong I am much better than when I had C diff. And I do improve little every week or month. I am hoping after a year or two things will get back to a new normal
Male 54, contracted C-Diff on Feb 5, 2020, diagnosed on March 2nd, Took Flagyl for 8 days, Vanco for 10 days, relapsed 5 weeks post-Vanco. finished Dificid Taper on June 20 relapsed two weeks later, had the FMT on July 14th, 2020


Return to “Questions about Clostridium difficile”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests