Not absorbing fat

[forum contributor]

Anyone know anything about the body not absorbing fat?

Went to the dr this morning and it turns out that I'm not bleeding (thank god!!). Instead, it's a combination of the iron supplements and not being able to absorb fat.

I won't go into the gross details, don't worry. :yrolleyes:

My GI said that he doesn't believe that it's sprue. Rather, with where the pain is that I'm also having now, he is thinking either Crohn's or a problem in the pancreas.

He put me on enzymes called Creon and wants to see me back in one week.

Can anyone help me? I'll take whatever you've got!!!!!! I know absolutely nothing about this.

 

[DanSJVDavis]

Well, I do know the bile salts carries and allows oil/fat to be absorbed by the ileum. If the ileum is flaring or you don't have one, the oil and bile salts won't be absorbed as well, if at all. This is a problem I think I frequently have with my own bowels, and I theorize is also why it feels like I poo fire at times. I have a feeling that along with the bile and oil I'm also passing acid from my stomach that's not being absorbed. Feels pretty much like napalm coming out and whenever I have a lot of heartburn I also will have a lot of pain, gas and D. When my heartburn is under control, so is the majority of my bowel irritation.

 

[forum contributor]

Do you take anything to control your heartburn? I have GERD and take Protonix, which usually does the trick.

I know what you're talking about re: napalm poo!!!!! Those are the times when I am so thankful that I have those bum wipes that cool my butt down after. Does yours ever smell burnt?

I have a lot of mucus and what looks like oil... there, I did it. I shared some of the gross details.

Re: the ilieum, I have one, but it took them a long time to find during my last test w/barium. IDK if the colonoscopies went in there.

 

[imisspopcorn]

I have napalm-explosions as well. That's why I own stock in baby wipes! My gall bladder was removed at the time of my resection. Have you read the posts re: Habba syndrome? My doctor put me on Questran as it binds the bile. It works but the medicine is horrible. When I eat a really fatty meal it's bad news!!

 

[shazamataz]

I don't know a lot about this but apparantly fat is absorbed in the ileum so if it's not working properly then it likely comes straight out the other end. That said, my inflammation is in the ileum and i haven;t had any particular problems with fat (such as cheese and butter) yet - haven't had any takeaways or such for 3 months now though.

 

[D Bergy]

I would guess the body can't absorb it partly because the acid blockers do not allow proper digestion.

Your Gallbladder may not be secreting enough bile either. There are several things that can go wrong, and it may be more than one.

Turmeric is supposed to stimulate Bile production, and Ginger is used for digestion. I do not know how much or if it will help, but it is not risky by any means.

Dan

 

[soupdragon69]

My GI told me that we are supposed to reabsorb something like 27% of our bile salts which help with the break down of fats as DanSJV has already said.

He said he knew immediately where to look and why when my bile salts test returned with my only reabsorbing 3% of my bile salts.

This was minutes before my first colonoscopy and was told immediately afterwards I had ulceration on a scale of 8 out of 10 in my terminal ileum.

I dont absorb my fat soluble vitamins well as a result of this either and ended up having Vit D injection last Autumn as the oral supplements werent being absorbed despite being on them 18mths!

Creon is the brand name used for Pancreatin which is a digestive enzyme.

This enzyme is needed to help break down carbohydrates, protein and fats. From a crohns perspective I can see that your GI may feel this might help you to break down and absorb fats if your ileum is struggling to due to damage from the crohns. Does that make sense?

I give Creon at work to cystic fibrosis patients who dont produce enough pancreatin to do the job mention above. They also suffer from excessive mucous in certain organs like the lungs and gut which makes absorption difficult for them.
This mucous is different to what we as crohns sufferers would deal with.

Hope my ramblings help. Sorry I am not about much at the minute as have ALOT going on. I do read when I can hence my post here!

Thinking of you all. ((hugs))

 

[forum contributor]

To everyone - thank you SO much for responding!!!

I started the Creon on Friday (late) afternoon. I didn't feel too much better, but a little (I'll take anything at this point!!!). On Saturday, I felt much, much better! Josh has been having to remind me to take the pills, but so far, so good!

When I was at the doc, laying on the table and looking at one of the pics of the stomach on the wall, I was wondering if he had looked in my ilieum during any of my colonoscopies. Did I remember to ask? Course not. But I have another appt on Friday, so I'll definitely ask then!

Should I be worried at all?

 

[wild_one353]

i had this same problem when i was at my worst.

stayed very strict with my vitamin regimen, ate nothing but fresh and cooked veggies, and supplemented with coconut oil, cinnamon, honey protein shakes, and took 10-20 grams of psyllium a day for six weeks straight.

diarrhea and blood disappeared, mucous disappeared, fatty bowel movements went away as well. this was before i was even taking pentasa, of which i dont even have to take the full dose, i only take it to help me out once and a while my goal is to become completly free of meds asap, and i will find a way, and i am well on my way.

crazy thing is that the results stuck, meaning im not dependant on psyllium to retain the results ive gained from it. Ive moved on to eating grains since then also.

 

[DanSJVDavis]

Now, I was told that colonoscopies don't go up into the ileum. There's a spincter or valve there or something that closes the two areas off, IIRC. The colonoscopy just looks at the colon from the rectum to the very terminus of the terminal ileum. I may not be 100% on there being a valve, but I do remember being told that a colonoscopy doesn't go into the ileum. The only way, IIRC to check the ileum is through the lower GI with small bowel follow through. Or by using that camera pill thing they got now.

 

[crohnsproof]

Dan, that was also my understanding. My doctors have tried going thru the valve area with no success.

 

[Lisa5326]

My dr took biopsies from my terminal ileum during my colonoscopies...so I think in some people at least, the ileocecal valve (that's what dr called it) can open when prodded during a scope. I don't think they can go too far though.

 

[CrohnieCarolyn]

My ileocecal (sp?) valve is gone from my surgery. This is the valve that separates the large bowel from the small - My doc told me that he can see into the small bowel - maybe because my valve is gone? I don't know...Also, because this valve is gone and 18 inches of small bowel is gone resulting in short bowel syndrome, (interference of bile salt absorption) the diarreaha is worse.

 

[shazamataz]

Mine was diagnosed in the ileum through colonoscopy. apparantly they can get in there depending on what's going on. Mine went in 3 cm (so the report says) before getting stuck at a stricture.

 

[drew_wymore]

They got into my ileum during colonoscopy if I remember right it was 5mm

 

[forum contributor]

Oh... yay...

Went to the GI today. Going to have a cat scan on Monday morning. Looking for either Crohn's or something wrong with my pancreas (what wrong exactly, I have no idea).

Hurray barium! uke_r: