Stool sample query - help!

[captaincrash]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the site today. I've been undergoing some testing which are all indicating IBD however my doctor wants me to send off a stool sample to 100% rule out any infection (as I work in healthcare), before referring me to a GI doc.

My question is this, my doc said that I should send off a sample of diarrhoea as the lab will often refuse to test formed/solid stools for infection if they don't think it looks "loose enough". The problem is, I don't have diarrhoea at the moment, my stools are normal, and I obviously can't forecast when my next flare up will be. I was considering taking some laxatives but I'm concerned the this may show up on the test and the doctor will think I've been inducing my diarrhoea all along. So, has anyone encountered this problem before, or should sending a solid stool sample off be fine as it will elicit the same results?

Thanks,
Rebecca

 

[DustyKat]

Hey Rebecca,

I don’t know that simple laxatives will alter the result of a stool sample.

My kids never had diarrhoea as a symptom of their IBD when being diagnosed but they both had stool samples done more than once to rule out infection, test for blood, etc as a cause of their abdominal pain. So yeah, theirs was tested when solid.

The doctor wrote the request so the lab had no choice but to test.

Dusty. xxx

 

[captaincrash]

Hi Dusty,
Thanks for that, I'll go ahead and just send off whatever I can get. It seems a little daft to say it has to be diarrhoea in the sample, as we all know things just aren't that predictable!

Rebecca x

 

[DustyKat]

Good luck hun. I hope the lab is sensible about it and does all that is requested.

Dusty. xxx