Guest guest Posted July 13, 2010 Report Share Posted July 13, 2010 Can someone clearly explain the physiology of loose stools vs. diarrhea? As I understand it, the liquid in diarrhea is because the liquid was not absorbed in the large intestine which is what is suppose to happen. With UC, the intestinal wall has issues which prevent this from happening. What I don't understand is this: if you start to have firmer stools, not NORMAL, but they now have moved to what we describe as loose, that would imply that some healing is happening.What happens then when you digress from loose to diarrhea overnite? How can the healing that had happened disappear so quickly? I feel like I understand the illness and SCD remedy but only so far. Maybe I am expecting answers to some things that are yet unknown? My son's progress has been from watery to loose (what he calls mushy) to one day where he had chunks (sorry to be so graphic but how do you avoid this:)but he has not yet had a normal, firm stool. He has been on the diet a little over a month. I am understanding more and more that the healing process takes time and like I have heard so often, " He didn't get sick overnight so he won't heal overnight. " My questions are not due to impatience but just a " Gut " desire to clearly understand all of this. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2010 Report Share Posted July 13, 2010 Here's how it was explained to me many decades ago, when my lifelong problem was major C. The doctor explained that anything in the lower bowel is having water extracted from it. If the " stuff " is whizzing along fast, it hasn't got time for very much water to be extracted, and you will have D. The opposite it also true, that if you have a slow motility problem (for any reason) and it is going slow slow slow, too much water is extracted and you have hard lumps, or C. And everything in between. It sounds like progress for your son, but progress for us is not a straight steady line. We all have ups and downs in every area, including the bathroom. When things seem to regress, it's easy to be panicky and think things are getting worse, but they probably aren't. We have highly sensitive guts and they go through numerous adjustments. And then there are reactions when we add new foods. Did you introduce a new food just before the diarrhea? If so, I'd take that back out and let things calm down. If not, I'd go back to simpler stuff for a few days if the D persists, and that should calm things down. Can someone clearly explain the physiology of loose stools vs. diarrhea? As I understand it, the liquid in diarrhea is because the liquid was not absorbed in the large intestine which is what is suppose to happen. With UC, the intestinal wall has issues which prevent this from happening. What I don't understand is this: if you start to have firmer stools, not NORMAL, but they now have moved to what we describe as loose, that would imply that some healing is happening.What happens then when you digress from loose to diarrhea overnite? How can the healing that had happened disappear so quickly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2010 Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 I occasionally get D for no discernible reason...today for instance. Tomorrow it will probably be back to normal. It's not urgent though, and just one BM, so I don't let it bother me too much (especially since I feel fine otherwise). I've kind of come to accept that my bowels will probably always be a bit on the wacky side. Holly Crohn's SCD 12/01/08 > > Can someone clearly explain the physiology of loose stools vs. diarrhea? As I understand it, the liquid in diarrhea is because the liquid was not absorbed in the large intestine which is what is suppose to happen. With UC, the intestinal wall has issues which prevent this from happening. What I don't understand is this: if you start to have firmer stools, not NORMAL, but they now have moved to what we describe as loose, that would imply that some healing is happening.What happens then when you digress from loose to diarrhea overnite? How can the healing that had happened disappear so quickly? > > I feel like I understand the illness and SCD remedy but only so far. Maybe I am expecting answers to some things that are yet unknown? > > My son's progress has been from watery to loose (what he calls mushy) to one day where he had chunks (sorry to be so graphic but how do you avoid this:)but he has not yet had a normal, firm stool. He has been on the diet a little over a month. I am understanding more and more that the healing process takes time and like I have heard so often, " He didn't get sick overnight so he won't heal overnight. " > > My questions are not due to impatience but just a " Gut " desire to clearly understand all of this. > > Thanks! > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2010 Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 I work hard to achieve loose stools (not too watery, though) because I have poor digestive motility (neurological causes), so I’ve had some discussions about this issue with my gastroenterologist. Firm vs loose vs diarrhea, I mean. My research has also confirmed what my doctor mentioned; always wise to confirm information from several sources! Peristalsis is what moves the chyme along the digestive tract, and most liquids are absorbed during the transit through the large intestine. There are a number of factors affecting how well liquid is reabsorbed during the final stages, UC being one of them. Peristalsis rates can also vary depending on a number of factors, such as a reaction to a food, stress, supplement, hormonal changes, neuropathies….. Remember, though, that healing is never linear and consecutive. It is usually one step forward (improvement) with two steps backward (symptomatic), but each regression is usually shorter and less severe, and things eventually stabilize. So it is normal to have loose stools for a day or two, then experience diarrhea, then go back to loose, then firm, back to loose, and so on. Sometimes we can pinpoint a particular food or supplement that was a trigger for a reaction causing diarrhea. Sometimes it seems to just happen even when we’re eating the same foods or taking the same supplements as we’ve been using for months. That’s when you consider it might be something like increased stress, or perhaps just a healing phase. If my explanation still isn’t clear, ask again. [grin] Kim M. SCD 6 years Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction 6+ years neurological & spinal deterioration 3+ years >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Can someone clearly explain the physiology of loose stools vs. diarrhea? As I understand it, the liquid in diarrhea is because the liquid was not absorbed in the large intestine which is what is suppose to happen. With UC, the intestinal wall has issues which prevent this from happening. What I don't understand is this: if you start to have firmer stools, not NORMAL, but they now have moved to what we describe as loose, that would imply that some healing is happening.What happens then when you digress from loose to diarrhea overnite? How can the healing that had happened disappear so quickly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 14, 2010 Report Share Posted July 14, 2010 this sounds like me though I am seeing a connection to ovulation etc hormonal changes usually - however i'm not great today and MAYBE it's onions 9which I was ok with but took a break)but otherwise don't know why eileen > > > > Can someone clearly explain the physiology of loose stools vs. diarrhea? As I understand it, the liquid in diarrhea is because the liquid was not absorbed in the large intestine which is what is suppose to happen. With UC, the intestinal wall has issues which prevent this from happening. What I don't understand is this: if you start to have firmer stools, not NORMAL, but they now have moved to what we describe as loose, that would imply that some healing is happening.What happens then when you digress from loose to diarrhea overnite? How can the healing that had happened disappear so quickly? > > > > I feel like I understand the illness and SCD remedy but only so far. Maybe I am expecting answers to some things that are yet unknown? > > > > My son's progress has been from watery to loose (what he calls mushy) to one day where he had chunks (sorry to be so graphic but how do you avoid this:)but he has not yet had a normal, firm stool. He has been on the diet a little over a month. I am understanding more and more that the healing process takes time and like I have heard so often, " He didn't get sick overnight so he won't heal overnight. " > > > > My questions are not due to impatience but just a " Gut " desire to clearly understand all of this. > > > > Thanks! > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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