# UNDIGESTED FOOD BITS



## Guest (Jun 14, 2005)

Today I went to the potty, D I might add, and yesterday I had an Arby's roast beef and the bun had sesame seeds on it. The sesame seeds were floating. Do any of you have this problem with some food not digesting? I have a problem lettuce sometimes too. Goes in lettuce, comes out lettuce. Gross sounding I know, but your comments will be appreciated.


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## roger (Mar 26, 2003)

It's probably not a problem. A lot of the foods we eat have indigestible components (e.g. fiber) that appears to pass through us untouched. Both peas and corn (maize) fall into this category. You can actually use this info to see how long it takes for your food to pass through your system.For example, don't eat any corn for a few days and then eat an ear of corn with a meal. See how long it takes for kernels to show up in your stool. All of the nutrients have already been extracted by this point but the undigested fiber husks show up in your stool and look like corn kernels. A lot of seeds, grains, and vegetables contain indigestible fiber components.


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## 21286 (May 7, 2005)

I get this too. I have undigested food in my stool and it floats. It's gross.


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## Guest (Jun 14, 2005)

ROGER: Thanks for the reply. I just never had the sesame seed thing happen before and wondered about it. I have the corn thing, think everyone does, and cranberries and peas too. Recently I even had a stringbean (inch long) that I hadn't fully chewed come through. What is that? I guess it's all part of this IBS thing. Not officially diagnosed, going to doctor on Thursday. Thanks!


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## 21883 (Jun 9, 2005)

I have this problem too. Undigested food started to appear in my stools about 6 months ago...mostly nuts, seeds (from tomatoes, peppers, etc.), sometimes tomato skin, lettuce. This started around the same time as IBS symptoms (mainly bloating, constipation, mucous stool). When I was officially diagnosed with IBS a few weeks ago I tried an elimination diet to see what foods affected it. Turns out eliminating wheat has stopped most of the IBS symptoms, except the undigested food still happens. I still don't understand how it's related to IBS (does IBS affect bile production?) and the drs all told me it's normal...not related to IBS (!). Guess I'll wait and see if the wheat-free diet eventually helps.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2005)

Tillie: Since I posted that original message about Undigested Food Bits, I have seen my doctor and told him about it. He mentioned a digestive problem called "RAPID DUMPING SYNDROME", whereas the food leaves the stomach too early and thus the undigested pieces of food in the bowel movement. From researching that on the net, apparently there is a medication for it. Go look at a few, just type in Rapid Dumping Syndrome in your search engine.


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## Guest (Jun 19, 2005)

Yep me too - nearly fainted, thought it was blood in my stool but on closer examination (doesn't this condition make you do gross things) it seemed to be a bit of pepper!!!Loverly!!Sue


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:Tillie: Since I posted that original message about Undigested Food Bits, I have seen my doctor and told him about it. He mentioned a digestive problem called "RAPID DUMPING SYNDROME", whereas the food leaves the stomach too early and thus the undigested pieces of food in the bowel movement. From researching that on the net, apparently there is a medication for it. Go look at a few, just type in Rapid Dumping Syndrome in your search engine.


This is entirely normal and is neither a symptom of IBS nor does it have *anything* to do with rapid dumping syndrome.


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## 18844 (Jun 19, 2005)

I'm glad you asked this question. I noticed the same thing with me. I've seen the sesame seeds and corn before. But I recently had a BM that was on the loose side. There was something red floating in there that freaked me out, I thought it was blood. I actually took it out on a piece of paper towel and looked at it and thought what the heck is that????????? It was a piece of red pepper! Then I remembered I had red pepper in my salad that night. I've only recently started eating red peppers, so it was the first time I had ever noticed that.


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## 21883 (Jun 9, 2005)

Thanks ArizonaJNZ. I actually had a gastric empty study, which showed my stomach emptied at a normal rate. (I'm a diabetic, so they were looking for signs of gastroparesis to see if that was causing the bloating.) I saw a new doctor today, who said that it can be normal to ocassionally have undigested food in your stool, but the sudden onset of it and regularity of it tells him that something else is going on. I'm doing a "Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis & Parasitology" test to see what's up...apparently it tells you everything that's going on with your digestive system. Will keep you posted.


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## Guest (Jun 21, 2005)

REPLY TO TILLIE: What exactly does that test involve? Is it invasive or done by blood work or what? ~Charlotte


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## Vicky19 (Mar 17, 2003)

i get this with lettuce too. and when i ate tomato it happened.


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## garywest (Apr 7, 2000)

Hello folks I am having probs figuring this groupee account. I am a regular here and have posted several posts under name garywest.I just registered under name gary5500 in groupee account.I saw a post reg constipation and was wondering if OXY-POWDER really works? Any side effects? email me appreciate it.Kindly reply I did visit the website.thanksGary


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## 21883 (Jun 9, 2005)

> quote:Originally posted by ArizonaJnz:REPLY TO TILLIE: What exactly does that test involve? Is it invasive or done by blood work or what? ~Charlotte


It's a stool analysis...you collect samples for 3 days, then send it to the lab (they provide everything you need to collect and ship it). Your doctor has to order it, and will give you the kit. It's kind of gross, but it's worth it if they find something out. The lab is Great Smokies Diagnostics...their site has info on this.


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## 21883 (Jun 9, 2005)

I got the results back from the comprehensive stool analysis. Turns out I have some excess bad bacteria ("potential pathogens") living in my GI tract. (Specifically Citrobacter and Klebsiella.) From what I understand, this could be causing my IBS symptoms. I also have a major deficiency in one of the "friendy flora" that aids in digestion (Bifidobacteria). And I also have an overgrowth of yeast in my colon. Here's what the lab has to say about that:"In the last few years, colonic yeast infections have attracted attention and controversy as a possible cause of chronic complex illness. Many investigators suggest that an intestinal overgrowth of Candida albicans (and other intestinal yeast) may be involved in food allergy, migraine, *irritable bowel,* asthma, indigestion and gas, depression related to PMS, vaginitis and chronic fatigue."My doc prescribed the antibiotic Cipro for the bad bacteria and advised me to take supplements to restore the friendly flora (bifidobacterium).Anyway, there was no concrete answer about whether or not all of this is causing the undigested food issue, but I suspect it's related. I will update in a few weeks on whether or not it goes away after the treatment.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I'm a little unclear as to how changing bacterial flora in the colon would effect how well food is digested, since that is pretty much completely over by the time it hits the colon, and I don't think bacteria can do much to the chuncks at that point.Undigested matter is common in the stool of all animals (one way to figure out what the scat is from is by pulling it apart to look at undigesed bits).When stool is more formed I think people can see the bits less. Usually if you want less undigested bits in the stool, Mom's advice of chewing more usually works.K.


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