Floating Stool - bowel question

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Nordy1
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 11:45 pm

Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Nordy1 » Mon Apr 08, 2019 10:31 pm

Hi guys

Bowel question here :D - I’m wondering if any of you have experienced floating stools over a long period of time?
I’ve had a sigmoid coloctomy 14 months ago and finished chemo 5 months ago. For the past 3 to 4 months all my bowel movements float, some movements are easier then others but I wouldn’t call it constipation and certainly not diarrhea. I brought it up to my onc. and he said it’s almost always a change in diet. I did change my diet for a period of a few weeks apx 6 months ago but returned to a pretty standard diet since January- moderate protein, moderate fat and the balance in carbs - I try to keep sugar to a minimum/moderate level but I do have 2 glasses of wine every evening :oops:

I’m apx 20 pounds overweight and my last scan they told me I had some fatty liver but they had originally called the liver spots indeterminate for the first 9 months. My recent colonoscopy was good.

I’m wondering if it could be a result of the bowel resection or perhaps the liver function??? I’m not especially worried but last time I ignored my seemly minor bowel issues I was diagnosed with colon cancer :roll:

TIA for any insight to similar observations,

Nordy1
jan 2018 emergency room via ambulance rectal bleeding event
dx Feb 2018 sigmoid adenocarcinoma 2.5 cm, 3 small extranodal foci resected march 2018
stage 3A T1 n1c
multiple indeterminent nodes in liver, lungs and kidney
11 rounds folfox with oxyplatin stopped with full nephropathy of hands and feet
currently waiting next scan in Feb. 2019

Stewsbetty
Posts: 170
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2016 7:08 am

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Stewsbetty » Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:20 pm

Not sure on this but I have heard that stool floats when it has more fat in it. Maybe your colectomy keeps you from breaking down all the fat?
I know when I have a higher fat meal (Caesar salad and garlic bread or a thick, rich soup) I get stomach cramping for a while afterwards. It seems like my body has issue with the fat.

Beth
42yo At diagnosis. Female in BC, Canada
Dx: CC ascending
Right Hemi colectomy 06/16 clear margins
Adenocarcinoma 6cm High Grade
pT3 pN2a Stage 3
10 out of 16 lymph involved
MSI-h, Kras mut, Braf wild
Finished chemo Feb. 2017
PET scan showing active area April 2017
July 2017 CT showing LN mass and spread to other LN
Stage 4
Aug 2017 failed Fofiri
Sept 2017 keytruda scans every 3 months showing shrinkage and stability
November 2018 CT shows only 1 small tumour left
September 2019 clear CT finally NED!!!

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O Stoma Mia
Posts: 1709
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2013 6:29 am
Location: On vacation. Off-line for now.

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby O Stoma Mia » Tue Apr 09, 2019 2:28 am


Nordy1
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 11:45 pm

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Nordy1 » Tue Apr 09, 2019 7:27 am

Hi Guys
Thanks for the reply! I believe my fat content to be very reasonable even lower then it has been through much of my last few years. I guess that’s why I’m puzzled as there is no dietary reason that I can find for such a change
Thanks again
Nordy1
jan 2018 emergency room via ambulance rectal bleeding event
dx Feb 2018 sigmoid adenocarcinoma 2.5 cm, 3 small extranodal foci resected march 2018
stage 3A T1 n1c
multiple indeterminent nodes in liver, lungs and kidney
11 rounds folfox with oxyplatin stopped with full nephropathy of hands and feet
currently waiting next scan in Feb. 2019

Pyro
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:40 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Pyro » Tue Apr 09, 2019 11:20 am

I’m with you, I have it quite often. I hope I’m digesting things correctly.
Aug 2015- Stage 4 CC with liver Mets(38/m)
Sep 2015- Avastin/Folfox/Iron
Dec 2015-Not liver surgery candidate
Jan 2016- Erbitux/Folfiri, 2nd opinion at MDA in TX
Feb 2016 -MDA liver surgery
Mar 2016 -30% of left lobe rem, PVE
May 2016 - 70% of liver rem
Jun 2016-Rad
Jan 2017-perm colost @MDA
Jul 2017-Erb/FOLFURI
Nov 2017 -Lung & Liver ablations@MDA
Jan 2018 -Xeloda & Avastin mx
Jul 2018-Avast/FOLFURI
Sep 2018-Rad
Mar 2019 - Keytruda fail
Jun 2019 - FOLFURI
Aug 2019 - No more, quality time!

User avatar
Maggie Nell
Posts: 1150
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 1:57 am
Location: Central Highlands, Victoria, Oz

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Maggie Nell » Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:54 am

Maybe it's the water...maybe it's the cleaning product you use (or a mixture) that has
an alchemical effect on the water in your toilet water, making it like a little
'Dead Sea' where everything floats.....

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
DX April 2015, @ 54
35mm poorly diff. tumour, incidental finding following emergency R. hemicolectomy
for ileo-colic intussusception.
Lymph nodes: 0/22
T3 N0 MX
Stage II CRC, no adjuvant chemo required.

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby mpbser » Fri Apr 12, 2019 3:51 pm

I have this problem on occasion and it seems to be positively correlated with a narrowed diet.... too much gluten and fat, not enough variety
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

Nordy1
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 11:45 pm

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Nordy1 » Mon Apr 15, 2019 10:51 pm

I appreciate the replies everyone- I’m making an appointment with my general doc to discuss this and will update in case this is something that other people might search on this forum. I should have done this long ago but am dithering for some reason

this happens regardless of location, and has been consistent for over 6 months- I’ve tried tweaking my diet but it hasn’t changed the outcome :oops:

It may be completely fine with no health issues- which is why I keep stalling on calling my doctor but my ignoring it isn’t probably the right answer either. I ignored occasional blood in my stool for a long period of time telling myself it was probably hemeroids (thank you children :shock: ) and ended up in emerge with a cancer diagnosis- maybe that’s why I’m dithering


I
jan 2018 emergency room via ambulance rectal bleeding event
dx Feb 2018 sigmoid adenocarcinoma 2.5 cm, 3 small extranodal foci resected march 2018
stage 3A T1 n1c
multiple indeterminent nodes in liver, lungs and kidney
11 rounds folfox with oxyplatin stopped with full nephropathy of hands and feet
currently waiting next scan in Feb. 2019

User avatar
Maggie Nell
Posts: 1150
Joined: Wed May 27, 2015 1:57 am
Location: Central Highlands, Victoria, Oz

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Maggie Nell » Tue Apr 16, 2019 2:39 am

“A floating stool is simply less dense than a sinking stool,” says gastroenterologist Neil Stollman, M.D. Doctors used to think this resulted from excess fat in the feces, but one study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests it’s actually extra air. Dr. Stollman says it could probably be either, though air is more likely.

Extra air in the stool could come from unabsorbed carbohydrates, like lactose or fiber, which ferment in the colon and release gas, says Dr. Stollman. This may be more likely to happen if you’re lactose intolerant or have just consumed a lot of dairy or fiber all at once. Sugary alcoholic drinks and artificial sweeteners can also make your poop gassier, says gastroenterologist Kenneth Brown, M.D.


https://www.menshealth.com/health/a1954 ... ting-poop/

The last time you dithered and sat on your symptoms you got some rotten news. Natural to not want to get checked out
in case there's a fresh new hell waiting for ya - there's an anxiety/ptsd that floats up when you've gone through the trauma
of surgery, adjusting to the New Normal with a devastating diagnosis.

The more you dither the more hypervigiliant you become when you drop the "kids off at the pool"....and the longer you delay
receiving an answer that puts your mind at rest by removing the doubt.

Anywayz, just about every comedy movie I've seen over the last 40 years includes a scene with a floating turd in a swimming pool...
so when did it become such an issue when they don't sink?? :?
DX April 2015, @ 54
35mm poorly diff. tumour, incidental finding following emergency R. hemicolectomy
for ileo-colic intussusception.
Lymph nodes: 0/22
T3 N0 MX
Stage II CRC, no adjuvant chemo required.

Pyro
Posts: 305
Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 7:40 pm
Location: Tucson, AZ

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Pyro » Tue Apr 16, 2019 7:35 am

Maggie Nell wrote:Maybe it's the water...maybe it's the cleaning product you use (or a mixture) that has
an alchemical effect on the water in your toilet water, making it like a little
'Dead Sea' where everything floats.....

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”


Maybe my toilet spins the opposite directions of yours when I flush? :D
Aug 2015- Stage 4 CC with liver Mets(38/m)
Sep 2015- Avastin/Folfox/Iron
Dec 2015-Not liver surgery candidate
Jan 2016- Erbitux/Folfiri, 2nd opinion at MDA in TX
Feb 2016 -MDA liver surgery
Mar 2016 -30% of left lobe rem, PVE
May 2016 - 70% of liver rem
Jun 2016-Rad
Jan 2017-perm colost @MDA
Jul 2017-Erb/FOLFURI
Nov 2017 -Lung & Liver ablations@MDA
Jan 2018 -Xeloda & Avastin mx
Jul 2018-Avast/FOLFURI
Sep 2018-Rad
Mar 2019 - Keytruda fail
Jun 2019 - FOLFURI
Aug 2019 - No more, quality time!

Nordy1
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2018 11:45 pm

Re: Floating Stool - bowel question

Postby Nordy1 » Wed Apr 17, 2019 11:02 pm

]
Maggie Nell wrote:Maybe it's the water...maybe it's the cleaning product you use (or a mixture) that has
an alchemical effect on the water in your toilet water, making it like a little
'Dead Sea' where everything floats.....

"If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”


Maybe my toilet spins the opposite directions of yours when I flush? :D

Love it!!

:D :D :D

Nordy1
jan 2018 emergency room via ambulance rectal bleeding event
dx Feb 2018 sigmoid adenocarcinoma 2.5 cm, 3 small extranodal foci resected march 2018
stage 3A T1 n1c
multiple indeterminent nodes in liver, lungs and kidney
11 rounds folfox with oxyplatin stopped with full nephropathy of hands and feet
currently waiting next scan in Feb. 2019


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