What is this oily looking film on the toilet water after a BM? Is it really IBS?

[danny763]

I have been to my GP in the UK several times and after having a blood test for Celiac disease (negative results), also to check for antibodies related to UC/Crohn's (also negative), I've been "diagnosed" with IBS and minor hemorrhoids which I was given suppositories to treat. The hemorrhoids were assumed because I'd seen some light blood spotting on the toilet paper from time to time, and occasional itchiness around the anus waking me up in the night.

Whilst the hemorrhoids diagnosis seems likely,  I'm not convinced that IBS is correct because I have NEVER had any pain associated with my BM's. Occasionally I feel bloated for a day or two, but never any cramps or pain before/after a BM. Likewise, I've never felt sick, lost weight, or lost my appetite.

My only "real" symptom is an inability to NEVER have a "normal" bowel movement for 2-3 years ! I have 4-5 days of fairly loose stools (occasionally diarrhea), followed by a day of constipation, followed by a another period of loose stools and repeat. My gas and stools are normally quite unpleasant smelling; I only have 1 BM per day.

I've been following the low FODMAP diet religiously for the last 10 days, and I've seen no improvement in my stools. However, whilst the low FODMAP diet excludes most Gluten it does allow me to eat normal porridge oats, hence why I'm suspicious that this could still be an un-diagnosed gluten problem. What do you think? I last ate porridge oats 5 days ago and still today my BM is fairly well formed but the top of the toilet water has a very thin/oily like surface with small specks that look like something you'd see in the top of a petri dish. Could the oats really be affecting me 5 days later?

Or could it be something totally different - I've seen SIBO mentioned online or possible Candida overgrowth? I also saw Steatorrhea mentioned but I don't believe this because my stool looks a fairly normal dark-ish brown colour.

So far my GP has refused to refer me for any further allergy testing etc as she says that the methods used are still not 100% proven.

The only other thing I can think of is around 3 months ago I had a random patch of dry skin, which looked a little like eczema, appear on my elbows which healed itself after around 1 month.

A bit of background: I'm a caucasian male, 28 years old, otherwise very fit and healthy in the gym 5 times per week, running half-marathons and always trying to eat a balanced diet with plenty of whole grains, vegetables and unprocessed meat.

[purple1234567]

The film you see could be excess mucus- which is pretty normal for IBS.  If you feel strongly that you might have a gluten sensitivity though, I don't see the harm in giving up the oats and seeing what happens.