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will I ever stop examining my BMs?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 2/14/2008 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
so, I realized yesterday that every single time I use the bathroom, I check the bowl to see how things look. I just do a glance - it's not like i get too into it - but I realized that I never used to do this before UC. For those of you who have had UC a long time, do you still do this or is it a habit that eventually gets broken? I am guessing that a long enough remission might lead me to quit this.....

happy valentine's day to everyone.
Posted 2/14/2008 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
I have had UC now for 4 years and everyday, I examine my poop. I don't think I will ever break the habit.

Janice
Posted 2/14/2008 5:03 PM (GMT 0)
LOL! I do the same thing. I think it's a survival technique with us. It's either "Yay, no blood" or "Uh-oh, there'e some mucus, I'd better do something" or "Oops, it's flat, I'm getting inflammation.

Perhaps not one of our more endearing traits, but the way I see it, the people in our lives should just be grateful when we don't give them the daily poop report!
Posted 2/14/2008 5:36 PM (GMT 0)
I even keep a flashlight next to the potty. I don't remember not looking at my poop. I do remember when i was being dx'd they did ask if i saw blood in my stool (i was 18) and I looked at them like they were aliens. I had never considered looking at my poop before!!! Now i can't imagine not looking.
Posted 2/14/2008 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
you guys crack me up. thanks for the responses. glad to know I am not alone in my strange behaviors.

Kelly - a flashlight??? that's hilarious. by the way, how is it going back on imuran? I suspect it hasn't kicked in yet, but are you at least not so achey now?
Posted 2/14/2008 5:44 PM (GMT 0)
I always do too - I don't think people who don't suffer from this condition realize what the inconvenience to life really is like. In the last 2 days i've had to throw out 2 pairs or perfectly good underwear because I was unable to make it in time. I always keep a change of clothes in the car..
this is a night mare to live with. I was first stricken at 18, first mildly, then badly the next year; Dropped to 112 lbs and was 90%+ inflammed. Predisone for 8 months made my face balloon up; it was humiliating. I got sick of it and in frustration threw the bottle as far as I could and have never and WILL never take it again; I take asacol on and off only because I don't have insurance and can't afford it all the time; I'm 33 now, so it's been a 15-yr. ordeal.. some years are good, but every 2-3 it gets bad; 3 years ago I was just standing at the post office and felt it coming, did all I could but crap my pants right in public; I do all I can but if it's coming, wild-horses won't hold it in.
Oh well enough venting - its' nice to find a forum where people can discuss this..
Posted 2/14/2008 5:50 PM (GMT 0)
Oh yeah, been checking the poo status for years! :) How else are we to know what is happening? I've been in remission lately and I find that I cringe every time I go to look because I'm expecting blood but luckily *knock on wood* none so far!

Hi John, welcome to Healingwell! Yes, we do share many things here and nothing is too gross to talk about. So welcome again and I'm glad you found us - though sorry for the circumstances!
Posted 2/14/2008 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
My Gi actually upped my imuran until we can get started on remicade. It's still hasn't kicked in and now the aching is accompanied by lots of pain and bms. I'm scared of the next step but tired of the pain. Hopefully the paperwork for remicade won't take too long.

And i've used the flashlight more than once! Hey in the middle of the night I don't feel like the brightness of my bathroom, a small flashlight works great! It sits next to my crosswords and wipes.
Posted 2/14/2008 6:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hehehe, I check all the time! At this stage its pointless in my opinion because its going to be a train wreck in the toilet everytime. But I do it anyways, even at night, I actually turn the light on for just a second to check. The real question is...after surgery will I still check? I'm betting I will. lol. By the way, UCinNC I responded to the post you had up a while back, I guess it got pushed back into the previous pages.
Posted 2/14/2008 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I check, but don't study it. I'll even say...oh yeah, that's what I had (whenever)...lol!

q
Posted 2/14/2008 7:22 PM (GMT 0)
lol, I check my bm's too.

Also, I check when I pee b/c of my kidney's I am looking for bubbles, (no bubbles or less bubbles is good).

I check every time and sometimes I almost forget to check or thing about not checking and then think what of course you need to check. It's a whole thing to check or not......but I always check.
Posted 2/14/2008 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
I still peek every time and I've had UC for like 9 years now. Sometimes it's just a quick look to make sure it appears normal, and if I feel sick or if at first glance it looks strange I study it a little longer.
Posted 2/14/2008 9:09 PM (GMT 0)

Isn't it recommended that we check?  That's how I know whether things are looking up or not.  I've been keeping a daily diary since I started on prednisone (my GI doc's recommendation) and note down whatever goes in (and how it comes out).  Now, if this diary ever gets into the wrong hands, people will wonder what kind of insanity drives a person to write about their daily BMs.  I don't think I'll be giving Anne Frank a run for the money on the best-sellers list anytime soon.

Posted 2/14/2008 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
I always check! I can't imagine I will stop checking anytime soon. Just a quick peek:)
Posted 2/14/2008 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
Rio that is too funny, someone 50 years from now could be reading about your poo.
Posted 2/14/2008 9:38 PM (GMT 0)

Beth, 

Alas, given how much I'm spending to deal with UC, the diary will probably be the only thing left for my descendants to inherit.  Boy, are they going to be in for a surprise.  I might throw in some illustrations to make it worth their while.  Now what did I do with that brown marker-pen? (...just kidding).

Posted 2/14/2008 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
Ha ha, yep, I'm a poop checker too. I kind of giggle to myself about it after I leave the restroom. And Beth....thanks, now I'll be checking the pee too! Ha! Smile.

Posted 2/14/2008 11:49 PM (GMT 0)
I think it's important that everyone checks their BM's regardless of IBD and such, people should always monitor their poops, as silly as it sounds.

:)
Posted 2/15/2008 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
I've been in remission over a year and I'm still a certified poo inspector.
James
Posted 2/15/2008 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Has anyone ever noticed that toilets in other countries sometimes are shaped so that you actually can't see anything in the bowl? In Europe, I realized that I had finally stopped looking and it was because everything was disappearing in the toilet beyond view. Kinda funny. I kept thinking, "Doesn't anyone here have colitis? I need to know how I'm doing!"
Posted 2/15/2008 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
I check fairly regularly, but not every single time. Some days, especially if I'm not flaring, I just declare a "not a day to fixate on UC day."
Posted 2/15/2008 2:21 AM (GMT 0)
Certified Poo Inspector! LOL! Sounds like something off of Mike Rowe's Dirty jobs...

I check everytime unless it's in the middle of the night - and sometimes even then with a quick flash of the lights. It's super disappointing when you think it's going to be solid and you look and its not... almost leads to tears.

I almost fell off the toilet last night - a quick glance down had me thinking mucous - I leaned sideways to check again (wasn't quite done) and almost had another type of accident!!! Such problems with this toilet lately...the floor is unlevel and it was rocking! Stabilized it with some shims. But the bolts must not be holding now... Plan for this weekend: stabilize toilet again!
Posted 2/15/2008 12:53 PM (GMT 0)
Why do you check pee for bubbles? What does bubbles mean? I check poo always but since I pee everytime I poo or lately (just mucusing and blooding) no poo. I wonder where all that poo is going because it sure isn't coming outa me!
Posted 2/15/2008 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
Only when I'm flaring, or think I'm starting to flare, do I check.

What a group, huh? Maybe we should form, ala AA, a Poop Inspectors Anonymous group.

Mitz
Posted 2/15/2008 2:35 PM (GMT 0)
braillegirl, the bubbles are proteins in my urine. My kidneys are not properly processing proteins, so they come out through my urine. As my kidneys have healed somewhat I lose less proteins and have less bubbles. I can't wait until I have no bubbles and go into remission (lot longer road than I had expected), it happens now and then that I don't have any and I want to jump for joy and cant wait to pee again to see what happens but usually the next pee has some bubbles in it. It's a long process and have been on prednisone for almost 6 mos now to help heal it.

I'd recommend anyone who has frothy pee to have their protein levels checked. I just thought I had frothy pee. Also, I had unexplained edema, which is also a sign of my kidney disorder.
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