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My GI asked me if my poop was a terrible smell or a normal smell. I knew one of the intestinal diseases causes an awful smelling poop, and he was trying to rule it out. I said it was a normal smell.
Once I got home, I got to thinking about it, and realized that my poop doesn't smell at all. This may sound gross, but I even put my toilet paper near my nose, and nope, it didn't smell at all. DH can use the bathroom immediately after me and doesn't even realize I've gone.
DH said if my poop doesn't smell, that must mean that I don't have any bacteria. I take a probiotic every day.
Is this normal? I used to have normal smelling poops. I don't remember when it changed.
Gloria
Shouldn't Poop Smell?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Shouldn't Poop Smell?
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
Oh the things we talk about on here 
Gloria, it might be because of your very limited diet. I'm sure you're not eating sulfur containing veggies, spicy food etc, all of which can make odor worse. I know when I first got sick I noticed that the smell of my stools was off a little and I am sure I was malabsorbing a bit, which can cause foul smelling stools when it is bad. Now that I avoid all known trggers I don't notice much smell either and I rarely pass gas and even if I do it doesn't smell bad.
Mary Beth
Gloria, it might be because of your very limited diet. I'm sure you're not eating sulfur containing veggies, spicy food etc, all of which can make odor worse. I know when I first got sick I noticed that the smell of my stools was off a little and I am sure I was malabsorbing a bit, which can cause foul smelling stools when it is bad. Now that I avoid all known trggers I don't notice much smell either and I rarely pass gas and even if I do it doesn't smell bad.
Mary Beth
Gloria,
Your DH is correct, (meaning that I agree with him. ). Seriously, I believe that he has zeroed in on the reason. Either you do not have any bacteria, or, (most likely), you have nothing available for them to ferment, because fecal odor typically comes from gases released during a fermentation process.
Here's how I know that to be true: For several weeks after my colectomy, (the removal of my colon), the output of my ileostomy had no significant odor. If it had any odor at all, it was simply the smell of wet food.
Presumably, all the flora and fauna in my small intestine were eradicated by antibiotics, immediately following my surgery. (I didn't take any probiotics, or any prebiotics). A few weeks later, though, I began to notice that it had begun to generate an odor, and as time went on, the odor became more pronounced. Now, almost 5 months later, while nowhere near as obnoxious as the typical contents of the colon of a celiac who refuses to follow the GF diet, it has a moderately strong odor, especially after it ferments in the pouch for a few hours.
Early on, I never had to burp the pouch. Now, once it contains any ileal effluent, after a few hours pass, enough gas will be generated, (depending on what I eat), that it becomes necessary to burp the pouch, or change it, otherwise the pressure may continue to build until there is a risk that it might rupture the body seal, (which wouldn't be good, obviously. ). Following some meals, burping must be done approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, while at other times, the interval is much longer.
I eat virtually no fiber, (I don't need any, without a colon, and fiber is risky, with an ileostomy, anyway), so the gas has to be mostly coming from the fermentation of leftover carbs, (mostly potatoes and bananas). Of course, potatoes and bananas also contain fiber, but the point is they are my only source of fiber - I certainly don't eat any fiber just for the sake of ingesting fiber.
Now where else, besides this board, could you learn first hand information such as that.
Anyway, I'll bet that you have no fermentation processes taking place in your intestines. I agree with Mary Beth that when the digestive system is working properly, noxious odors/gases will be either absent, or minimal. You are probably ingesting a minimum amount of fiber, and your carb digestion is apparently very efficient, (whereas mine leaves a lot to be desired).
Tex
Your DH is correct, (meaning that I agree with him.
). Seriously, I believe that he has zeroed in on the reason. Either you do not have any bacteria, or, (most likely), you have nothing available for them to ferment, because fecal odor typically comes from gases released during a fermentation process.Here's how I know that to be true: For several weeks after my colectomy, (the removal of my colon), the output of my ileostomy had no significant odor. If it had any odor at all, it was simply the smell of wet food.
Presumably, all the flora and fauna in my small intestine were eradicated by antibiotics, immediately following my surgery. (I didn't take any probiotics, or any prebiotics). A few weeks later, though, I began to notice that it had begun to generate an odor, and as time went on, the odor became more pronounced. Now, almost 5 months later, while nowhere near as obnoxious as the typical contents of the colon of a celiac who refuses to follow the GF diet, it has a moderately strong odor, especially after it ferments in the pouch for a few hours.Early on, I never had to burp the pouch. Now, once it contains any ileal effluent, after a few hours pass, enough gas will be generated, (depending on what I eat), that it becomes necessary to burp the pouch, or change it, otherwise the pressure may continue to build until there is a risk that it might rupture the body seal, (which wouldn't be good, obviously.
). Following some meals, burping must be done approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, while at other times, the interval is much longer.I eat virtually no fiber, (I don't need any, without a colon, and fiber is risky, with an ileostomy, anyway), so the gas has to be mostly coming from the fermentation of leftover carbs, (mostly potatoes and bananas). Of course, potatoes and bananas also contain fiber, but the point is they are my only source of fiber - I certainly don't eat any fiber just for the sake of ingesting fiber.
Now where else, besides this board, could you learn first hand information such as that.
Anyway, I'll bet that you have no fermentation processes taking place in your intestines. I agree with Mary Beth that when the digestive system is working properly, noxious odors/gases will be either absent, or minimal. You are probably ingesting a minimum amount of fiber, and your carb digestion is apparently very efficient, (whereas mine leaves a lot to be desired).
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I think we've just illustrated that no subject is too gross for us to discuss here. 
Thank you, Mary Beth and Tex, for your responses. They both sound plausible and make sense, considering my limited, low fiber diet. I have reground corn grits and cream of rice cereals so that they are even finer than when purchased. Then I cook them for longer than recommended, until they are mush. I do the same with rice. I only eat other grains as a flour ingredient.
It's always been interesting that I tolerate cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, seemingly high fiber, gaseous vegetables, but that's the case. Asparagus is my only other vegetable and it's easy on my gut, too.
Mary Beth,
I love your picture. You're very attractive and young-looking. It's always nice to associate a picture with the post.
Gloria
Thank you, Mary Beth and Tex, for your responses. They both sound plausible and make sense, considering my limited, low fiber diet. I have reground corn grits and cream of rice cereals so that they are even finer than when purchased. Then I cook them for longer than recommended, until they are mush. I do the same with rice. I only eat other grains as a flour ingredient.
It's always been interesting that I tolerate cauliflower and Brussel sprouts, seemingly high fiber, gaseous vegetables, but that's the case. Asparagus is my only other vegetable and it's easy on my gut, too.
Mary Beth,
I love your picture. You're very attractive and young-looking. It's always nice to associate a picture with the post.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
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wonderwoman
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I love to see a picture of the person posting. It helps me to keep straight who is who and what is going on with the person! I wish everyone used their picture.
Mary Beth,
I love your picture. You're very attractive and young-looking. It's always nice to associate a picture with the post.
Charlotte
The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison. Ann Wigmore
The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison. Ann Wigmore
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wonderwoman
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 574
- Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 8:59 pm
- Location: Sun City, AZ
DH said if my poop doesn't smell, that must mean that I don't have any bacteria. I take a probiotic every day.
Don't you mean the bad bacteria? I thought everyone had bacteria and when the bad is more than the good that that is when the stool has the bad smell. My stool does not smell bad where my DH's is terrible. I can smell his way across to the other end of the house. The smell lingers forever. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I think we've just illustrated that no subject is too gross for us to discuss here.
I agree.
Anyway, I'll bet that you have no fermentation processes taking place in your intestines. I agree with Mary Beth that when the digestive system is working properly, noxious odors/gases will be either absent, or minimal. You are probably ingesting a minimum amount of fiber, and your carb digestion is apparently very efficient, (whereas mine leaves a lot to be desired).
In other words if your plumbing (in your body) is working properly, you should not have the bad smelling stools.
Charlotte
The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison. Ann Wigmore
The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison. Ann Wigmore