# Fecal Fat Test



## coryjm (May 23, 2011)

I was just wondering how common this is in IBS? I tested positive in the Fecal Fat test and was wondering how common it was in IBS. What does it mean? My doc didn't explain it too clearly to me.Thanks


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## MaryAnn51 (Apr 3, 2010)

coryjm said:


> I was just wondering how common this is in IBS? I tested positive in the Fecal Fat test and was wondering how common it was in IBS. What does it mean? My doc didn't explain it too clearly to me.Thanks


Hi - it is not common in IBS. I have had IBS since my 20's and I am in my early 50's now. I noticed changes in my BM's about 10 months ago along with severe gas and bloating which was different from my normal IBS symptoms. I had all kinds of stool testing done and it did show fat in my stools. Was tested for celiac disease - negative...and had upper endoscopy. Then was tested and diagnosed with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. That can cause fat in the stools - can I ask you had you knew you had fat in your stool??? I know gross subject, but !!!







All of us here I hope feel comfy talking about this subject. I am now being successfully treated for the SIBO with meds and dietary changes and taking a probiotic. I do feel better, but my stools still float and are sticky and they still look like I have undigested food in them -- they have not gone back to normal... Oh and I should add I do not have diarrhea - I have the more constipated form of IBS, but since making dietary changes and taking this new probiotic, I am going more often which is wonderful..... I'd be very interested in hearing back from you!!!


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## MaryAnn51 (Apr 3, 2010)

coryjm said:


> I was just wondering how common this is in IBS? I tested positive in the Fecal Fat test and was wondering how common it was in IBS. What does it mean? My doc didn't explain it too clearly to me.Thanks


Oh and what did your doctor say to you about it ?? Was he concerned ???


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## coryjm (May 23, 2011)

I am actually switching doctors to another GI specialist due to a variety of reasons but one of them was because I don't trust him. But when I mentioned the positive fecal fat test he said "Oh yeah, I didn't even see that" and kept on going out the door. I have pretty severe diarrhea and have lost over 40 pounds in the past 6 months. They did a colonoscopy and endoscopy which showed some "mucosal injury" but they just said it was IBS and told me to continue taking the Lomotil around the clock to stop the diarrhea. I was under the impression that most tests were negative with IBS so that concerned me. I have gotten progessively worse since last March. How would I tell if I have fat is my stool? Sometimes it is pure water, other times it is very very soft. I go 3-7 times a day/night. It is usually orange or yellow but sometimes there is a white film on the top of the toilet water. In the beginning, when this test was performed it was normal color and there was no white film. The only thing that floats is the white film. Does that make sense?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't know if you can tell if there is fat in the stool other than the test. Did they test you for celiac disease?There can be mucusal damage from the colonoscopy prep and that looks different than one caused by diseases like Ulcerative Colitis, etc.


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## MaryAnn51 (Apr 3, 2010)

coryjm said:


> I am actually switching doctors to another GI specialist due to a variety of reasons but one of them was because I don't trust him. But when I mentioned the positive fecal fat test he said "Oh yeah, I didn't even see that" and kept on going out the door. I have pretty severe diarrhea and have lost over 40 pounds in the past 6 months. They did a colonoscopy and endoscopy which showed some "mucosal injury" but they just said it was IBS and told me to continue taking the Lomotil around the clock to stop the diarrhea. I was under the impression that most tests were negative with IBS so that concerned me. I have gotten progessively worse since last March. How would I tell if I have fat is my stool? Sometimes it is pure water, other times it is very very soft. I go 3-7 times a day/night. It is usually orange or yellow but sometimes there is a white film on the top of the toilet water. In the beginning, when this test was performed it was normal color and there was no white film. The only thing that floats is the white film. Does that make sense?


 What type of test did your doctor perform to diagnose you with fat in your stool? I had to do stool testing which showed it. I have white film that floats in the water with some of my BM's too and I don't have diarrhea. It looks like mucous to me not oil. They say sometimes with fecal fat you can see oily droplets in the toilet, but mine does not look like oil. Glad to hear your seeing another GI doctor. Hopefully they test you for celiac disease and ask about small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Maybe do some research on line about it too because it can cause severe diarrhea and weight loss.


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## coryjm (May 23, 2011)

I will definitely look into the bacterial overgrowth. The doctor did a stool sample test. They did a preliminary test for celiac which was positive but the one biopsy they took was negative so they said it definitely is not celiac's.


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## MaryAnn51 (Apr 3, 2010)

coryjm said:


> I will definitely look into the bacterial overgrowth. The doctor did a stool sample test. They did a preliminary test for celiac which was positive but the one biopsy they took was negative so they said it definitely is not celiac's.


Really? My GI doctor said the blood test for celiac is about 98 percent accurate. And did they do a biopsy during an endoscopy?????


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