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Bloody foamy diarrhea

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 12/30/2010 4:01 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't posted in quite awhile.  I do stop by from time to time to see how everyone's doing! 

My daughter is 26 months out of surgery.  She obviously has her days but overall has done quite well since surgery.  On 12/20 in the evening she started bleeding & passing clots.  She seen her specialist, he examined her & did blood work.  He said her levels were off but not horrible, he said to just monitor the bleeding.  She is still bleeding but it has slowed down.  She isn't having pains, just tired & says there's pressure & an achy feeling in her bottom.  Yesterday she started having bloody foamy diarrhea.  She has never had this before.  Is anyone familiar with this? 

Sorry I know this is gross but most crohn's symptoms are gross....I'm glad there's a place to go to discuss all it's grossness :)

 

Posted 12/30/2010 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I think foamy diarrhea is a fairly common thing. I wouldn't be overly concerned that it's foamy, just if it continues because you don't want her to get dehydrated. The foam is usually a result of malabsorbtion of the food/nutrients. People with Celiac Disease have foamy diarrhea. She probably didn't digest whatever she ate very well, hence the foamy d.

As for the blood - is it bright red or black? If it's black, the blood is coming from higher up in the gut and can be a bad sign. If it is bright red, it is coming from closer to the "exit" and could be due to a number of things - an irritation of the gut, a hemi, a small tear, etc.

It makes sense that if her "D" is foamy and bloody then whatever it is that she ate did NOT agree with her and her gut is letting you know. I'd just keep an eye out and it should pass. If it doesn't, call the GI.
Posted 12/30/2010 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Eh, I don't feel much sympathy for specialists, especially gastros *wicked grin*, I'd call the gastro's emergency service, after hours number. Has she been checked for Celiac? Where was her surgery, what area of the intestine? I'd suggest a liquid diet, a call to the gastro - and if she starts feeling at all weak, a trip to ER.
Posted 12/30/2010 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
I get the foamy diarrhea if I have had alot of diarrhea. I agree with both Stef and C2, I would call her doc.
Posted 12/30/2010 5:29 PM (GMT 0)
She seen her gastro specialist on Thursday. The blood is bright red so we know its coming from down low. He believes its coming from the rectum, maybe a hemi that ruptured? He didn't seem to concerned, other than to keep an eye on the amount of blood she's loosing.

To the best of my knowledge, she hasn't ever been checked for celiac. Her surgery was an illeocolectomy/resection. They removed the illeum, part of the small intestine (8-10 ins) & part of the large intestine (4-6 ins). I don't remember the exact measurements, how awful.

I called & left a message with the nurse, who knows when they'll call back! I think it may be time to switch to a grown up Dr??!! A bit scary since she has seen him since the beginning but she is 18 now.
Posted 12/30/2010 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
I have had 2 resections in the same area myself. Bright red blood can be caused by internal hemmoroids. I see that especially if I ate something I shouldn't have, then wind up with lots of diarrhea. By the end I am usually passing only the foamy stuff.
Posted 12/31/2010 2:28 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you for your responses! The Dr's office called back late this afternoon. He said foamy D is usually caused from malabsorption or infection: bleeding can cause infection but she isn't running a fever. He said to watch for fever, dehydration, etc.
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