Question about my stools?

[Tatin109]

Sometimes when I use the bathroom, I look in the toilet and see like a film atop the water after I go poop? It looks like it's a lot of tiny white particles all bunched together to make like a slight film on certain places in the water? I have been having chronic loose stools/floating stools on and off, there are days when my stools are fine and days when they are loose/floating. I have been diagnosed with an allergy to soy and I was eating soybean oil/soy lechitin up until recently where I have been cutting out almost all soy. Could this film be related to a food allergy, or could it be part of a bacterial overgrowth problem? I had blood tests in the past that had showed Eosinophilia which was originally thought to be the result of food allergies, but I am wondering whether it could be part of bacterial overgrowth? I am also slightly allergic to sunflower seeds and I ate some chips yesterday that had sunflower oil, I do not know if that could be the cause of this floating film?

Also, is bacterial overgrowth capable of being on and off like this?

[Mas1220]

Tatin109
Was Researching symptoms online and yours most closely resemble what I've been experiencing. Did you discover the issue/cause?

[patient915]

What did the first two hydrogen breath tests for SIBO show?  This bacteria will almost never lead to anything serious.  You are treated using a combination of certain antibiotics and probiotics.

[peaches1944]

I saw my Gastro doctor who have been treating me for h Plyroic. been place on Antiboitics,Nexium,and other anacids for my problem.  I have the breathing test twice and was told I need to have another breathing test in two weeks  I  want to know if there is a cure for this bacteria.  If the third breathing test is positive I was told that I would be refer to an Infectious disease clinic.  Is this a bad bacteria which could lead to something real serious?

[patient915]

You could have SIBO.  The test for it is called a hydrogen breath test and it is relatively easy to undergo.

[Tatin109]

The gas usually has a more foul odor prior to having  a looser than normal bowel movement, which I have periods of time where my stools are loose and floating and period which are more normal and usually within the normal period the gas is less foul. But I don't know what this is all about with the alternating periods of loose stools and somewhat normal stools, I am thinking it is my body might be fighting bacteria and clearing it up, but then the bacteria eventually accumulate again and that is causing my issues? It's only a hypothesis.

[patient915]

Does the gas that you pass have a strong odor to it?

[Tatin109]

I have been to doctors, including a GI, family doctor, and allergist; but this is something I've not mentioned, it didn't seem to bother me as much in the past, but now it's worrying me that it may be fat or oil, although it does not really remind me of looking like fecal fat, but I do not know what it looks like to have excess fecal fat. I also do pass gas quite often, including belching and farting.

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  This could be related to the food allergy.  I would say it is unlikely that it is related to a bacteria overgrowth.  Have you seen a doctor about this?  Do you pass more gas than usual?