Stool Question...Vegetables and Pills

Hmm... I'm not sure about the white stuff.... But yeah... A lot of Crohn's see vegetables in their stool after they've eaten it...

I think it does mean that you have trouble digesting it, and if its causing you pain, you should definitely avoid it...

:|... Meh... I like vegetables... I hate it when I have to give something up....

Oh... and on another note.... Crohn's people see a lot more than vegetables.... There's a thread on here somewhere talking about red jello...

I have to mention that I saw a few whole gummy bears in my stool one time... so... I don't eat gummy bears anymore... *lol*

In regards to medications passing through intact or only partially digested/broken down -

Some medications that are structured to release the medication pass the stomach, for example into the teminal ileum, have specially designed casings that release the medication and the casing remains intact or partially broken down and can be seen in the stool. Extended release medications that deliver medicine over a longer period of time can also have specially coated, semiporous "shells" that gradually allow the medication to come out. These shells can be seen in the stool but if broken open will be found to not have any medication remaining inside.

HOWEVER, some people with extremely rapid transit times can pass medications intact. ALSO, some medications need a certain amount of stomach acid to begin breaking down and if a person is taking strong PPI meds, this breakdown process might be compromised.

I was having extreme diarrhea and was experiencing incontinence. One day I was incontinent about 1 PM. Imagine my surprise when I began to clean up and found my blood pressure pill that I had taken at 9AM in my underwear. It was totally intact.

Another time I started having difficulty breathing when my asthma had been will controlled for a long time by my extended release oral asthma med. I started noticing a pill a lighter color but same shape and size of my asthma med on the surface of my formed stool. Spoke to my PCP and he assured me that it was just the casing of the med. Fast forward a couple weeks and I saw the medication again. This time I fished it out [I know - ewwwww!]. I broke it open and it was the complete intact pill. This got my doctor's attention. I even had to capture one for the pharmaceutical company. It was finally determined that my PPI med, Prevacid, was reducing my stomach acid to the point that the breakdown of the shell could not happen - ergo the pill came out whole.

People with totally normal gastrointestinal function pass some foods only partially diagested. Lettuce is one food that oftens passes partially digested. Certain very fibrous vegetables do the same thing. The better a person chews their food, the smaller the particles.

catpower said...
Is it normal to see every vegetable you eat in your stool (whether it's formed or not)? Do people without Crohn's also see this? If a vegetable is in your stool, does that mean you have trouble digesting it and that you should avoid it (or make sure it's cooked more)?

My stools (formed or not) also always have chunks of white in them. I am wondering if I'm not digesting my medicine, or if it's mucus. If it's on the stool, it looks like mucus, but sometimes there are huge white areas in the stool (usually when it's formed). Or could it be pasta or potatoes I am eating (I thought those foods were easy to break down, but I guess it's worth asking)?

I'm just trying to figure out what's normal and what's not a big deal. Thanks.

Pasta and potatoes contain a lot of starch, which is actually difficult for the body to break down.

You can try taking some enzymes when you eat, which will help your body break the food down better. Also, cooking fruits and veggies really good makes them easier to digest. You can even go so far as to puree them (I sometimes do that with carrots).

Trust me, I eat slowly and chew a ton. I'm glad to hear this is likely nothing to be worried about.