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Posted 9/15/2010 5:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys,

Long time no see. . . thankfully i've been in a good remission streak.   Anyway i have a question that i dont want to look up online because I dont want to see / hear ALL the disgusting details. tongue

Can someone explain just HOW diarrhea happens?  How does it turn to a liquid? Where are all the solids (i know some are in there) when you have what i refer to as a water poop?

Thanks.

:-)  

Posted 9/15/2010 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Lol Your question actually had me fascinated and I didn't have a clue so I looked it up online so i have copied and pasted the basics below

With diarrhea, stools usually are looser whether or not the frequency of bowel movements is increased. This looseness of stool--which can vary all the way from slightly soft to watery--is caused by increased water in the stool. During normal digestion, food is kept liquid by the secretion of large amounts of water by the stomach, upper small intestine, pancreas, and gallbladder. Food that is not digested reaches the lower small intestine and colon in liquid form. The lower small intestine and particularly the colon absorb the water, turning the undigested food into a more-or-less solid stool with form. Increased amounts of water in stool can occur if the stomach and/or small intestine secretes too much fluid, the distal small intestine and colon do not absorb enough water, or the undigested, liquid food passes too quickly through the small intestine and colon for enough water to be removed. Of course, more than one of these abnormal processes may occur at the same time.

Hope that isn't too 'full on' for you
Posted 9/15/2010 10:07 PM (GMT 0)
Diarrhoea doesn't really turn into a liquid; the food is broken down into a mushy liquid called 'chyme' far earlier on, in the stomach. This semi-digested chyme then passes through the small intestines, where its nutrients are extracted. In the colon the excess water is absorbed and a solid stool is formed. If it doesn't form, the result is a liquid stool known as diarrhoea.

But you ask a good question. I think that an already largely fluid mass just ends up so watered down that it resembles muddy water. I have sorta wondered that myself. But even in water poop, I do usually see a few small undigested bits and bobs. That's probably one of the disgusting details you didn't want to read about :p
Posted 9/16/2010 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
thank you!!! How interesting. . . i never even had a clue.

That explains why sometimes if i feel like i have to go diarrhea but can hold it it turns more solid.

Thanks again!!!
Posted 9/16/2010 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
I have a question for you MishBall2, when you are in remission do you feel like normal with no diarrhoea? I was diagnosed in Nov 09 and wonder if when in remission I should feel like I used to.
Posted 9/16/2010 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
according to my GI, frequency of BM is just as much an indication of the "D" as well. it does not eed to be watery. he classifies you having D if you have more than 3 BMs a day. just keep that in mind. i read a great article here if you are interested.

http://www.medicinenet.com/diarrhea/article.htm
Posted 9/17/2010 2:12 PM (GMT 0)
T-Missouri I have had this dd for almost 35 years. I am currently in remission. What does it feel like? More good days than bad. But I still have bad day(s) when something I eat didn't sit right or too much stress. So just think of more good days than bad.
Posted 9/17/2010 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
What Nanners said. I've had a great stretch of years like that but Remicade wore off and i'm not so sure the Humira is working. . . having more and more bad days but generally still more good than bad

I dont know about anyone else but i've had only one hard (normal) stool since i've been diagnosed. Now if it is "solid" it is a soft solid. . . reminds me of playdough through those little machines.
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