Stool sample

[Fluffymum]

Hi again
I finally saw my gp and told her my symptoms, she thinks it's IBS but I've got to provide a stool sample which will check for inflammation etc, do I wait for diarrheah or is any sample ok? (Sorry if yuk I just wasn't sure)
I was having loose stools after every main meal for a while and a lot of cramping pain but now that's stopped but I'm finding it hard to go now and feel sick a lot of the time does this sound suspect?
Thanks

 

[Agent X20]

Wow! I've had endless fun trying to provide stool samples in the past... it's an art that they neglected to teach me at school and (for me) seems to induce instant constipation.
The best way I found was to get some small plastic containers from the pound shop and wedged one in the bottom of the toilet bowl... it helped to wedge it in with a bit of toilet paper. My sample tube came with a little "ice cream scoop" which then facilitated getting a small sample from the container into the sample tube.
Personally, the whole enterprise was so difficult, I decided that the path lab will have to go with what I could provide... it's hard to say what is a typical stool sample for a crohnie anyway.
Maybe someone else will come up with a better suggestion.
Good luck.

 

[Axelfl3333]

Any sample will do,just not one that's landed in the toilet bowl.

 

[valleysangel92]

Hello, I would say whatever you can get should be okay. I've given in watery samples before and they've still been able to get the information they needed. As for being suddenly constipated that's what we in the UK would call sods law, when you'd rather not be going you can't stop and then when you need to go you just can't make it happen. I think the majority of us have had this at some point .

The cramps could simply be from not being able to go, constipation and gas build up can be a lot more painful than people think, especially for people who's bowels are weakened by inflammation or other damage.

If this persists and doesn't settle it might be worth just going back for a chat with your doctor. It you find that you start to vomit or develop severe pain then even a visit to the emergency room could be a something to consider incase you have a blockage somewhere.

 

[valleysangel92]

Oh, just to add, try not to get any urine in the sample as this can interfere with the results.

 

[ronroush7]

Just provide her with any sample.

 

[Agent X20]

Oh, just to add, try not to get any urine in the sample as this can interfere with the results.

Yes... forgot to say, try and empty your bladder completely before you try to capture any of the hard stuff.

 

[nitty]

You can only do your best. If, when you do the sample, there are areas of the stool that have differences (e.g. formed stool but with softer bits or blood or mucous) try to include a bit of everything. It's one of the necessary evils, I'm afraid.

On a lighter note, many years ago when I was a student nurse the first stool sample I had to collect was from a man who was not managing to digest his food AT ALL. I will never forget trying to chase a couple of garden peas around the bedpan with the liitle spoon bit to include them in the sample!!!

 

[littlemissh]

Cling film on the toilet is the easiest way to get a stool sample I've found.

 

[Fluffymum]

Thanks everyone especially the garden pea story lol.
Infind out the results in 4 weeks