Colonoscopy

[daniel]

I'm gonna have a colonoscopy test this Friday.
I'm having digestion problems for about 3 months now, bad smell, greasy and a bit constipation now and then. I really want to know what's going on inside my stomach. Does anybody have done this before? Would this help me find out what's wrong with my intestine?

In the instruction it says I should take 4 liter of that Klean-prep solution the day before. But I don't want to take all that chemicals. Do you think juice fasting would help? If I be on a juice fast for 2 days does it clear up my colon completely?

Thanks

[katchmoleen]

The juice fast can actually have the opposite effect of shutting down your digestion. You could go in and get a colonic, though. You just have to make sure there is nothing left in your colon. The Kleen Prep does that fer sure!

From the symptoms you describe, I would insist that your doctor give you a blood test for celiac disease (autoimmune disease resulting from intolerance to gluten.) The greasy smelly stools is a symptom of that. Even if the test is negative, you might try avoiding gluten and see if you improve. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and many processed foods.

[Revvell]

I'm gonna have a colonoscopy test this Friday.
I'm having digestion problems for about 3 months now, bad smell, greasy and a bit constipation now and then. I really want to know what's going on inside my stomach. Does anybody have done this before? Would this help me find out what's wrong with my intestine?
Hard to tell if they'll find out. If they do, they'll probably want to operate.
One of my students did this for bleeding. Found out it was hemmoroids. (sp) They want to operate.


In the instruction it says I should take 4 liter of that Klean-prep solution the day before. But I don't want to take all that chemicals.

They wont do it if you don't do what they say.



Do you think juice fasting would help? If I be on a juice fast for 2 days does it clear up my colon completely?

Thanks

I doubt 2 days will take care of years of ab-use. Did this just come about two days?

My suggestion ~ green smoothies with a variety of greens and a series of colonics.

[daniel]

From the symptoms you describe, I would insist that your doctor give you a blood test for celiac disease (autoimmune disease resulting from intolerance to gluten.) The greasy smelly stools is a symptom of that. Even if the test is negative, you might try avoiding gluten and see if you improve. Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley and many processed foods.

I've been 100% raw for about 6 months. The first 2 months was perfectly fine, this problem just started from the third month with a painful passing and since then I always have this problem.
so I don't eat grains. Just a bit of sprouted flax seeds once a while in my GS. I usually have 2 glasses of GS, a handful of soaked nuts and green salads for the day.

[Dararaw36]

I'm gonna have a colonoscopy test this Friday.
I'm having digestion problems for about 3 months now, bad smell, greasy and a bit constipation now and then. I really want to know what's going on inside my stomach. Does anybody have done this before?
I've had this done before.


Would this help me find out what's wrong with my intestine?
It might help you find out what's going on in your intestines.


In the instruction it says I should take 4 liter of that Klean-prep solution the day before. But I don't want to take all that chemicals.
They will not do the procedure if you don't do as they say. However, I believe the Klean-prep should be much like magnesium citrate right? I know I could be wrong about what you have, but I know that's what they used on me the last time I had a colonoscopy. I'm sure you could ask them if that's what you could use.


Do you think juice fasting would help? If I be on a juice fast for 2 days does it clear up my colon completely?

Thanks
I think this might help, but wouldn't be enough for your doctors.

[spicyfull]

I had this done 6/23/09 while on a Juice Fast. I went to have the precription filled and did not want to pay for it. So I didn't take it. I stopped Chlorella for 3 days as they requested. Drank NO Beets or any Dark Staining Juices. Two days before I went in I took a Dieters Tea. They did ask me if I took the Prep....My answer was YES. They had NO Problem and I also did not take any Meds. for the Procedure. Before I had this done, I had a QUITE Stomach. Now I can hear Water making its rounds. They won't see me in 10 years.

[VeGenesis]

I had a colonoscopy test - it really wasn't a big deal. The meds really clean you out and actually made me feel better for a couple days!

I agree with katchmoleen - I had all your symptoms and it ended up being Celiac Disease. If you find out you can take care of this with raw food easy enough. I am trying to post things at http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/group.php?groupid=17 to try to help people with Celiac on raw food.

Most people think, oh, all I have to do is stop eating wheat, barley, and rye. But the real problem is cross contamination. It is like everywhere! Also about 20% of people with Celiac also react to a protein in corn - I do.

In fact, the only grain I have found I can really tolerate is sprouted Millet. It is a problem with the sharp fiber of grain and the damage Celiac does in the intestines, not the gluten in gluten free grains.

I have found wheat berries in both my mung beans and the millet. So somewhere they are together, in some machine or in some truck. I inspect all my sprout seeds very carefully. Then I rinse them before and after soaking.

Remember that "wheat" has about 50 different names. Likewise barley comes in flavors like malt too!

If you are totally off grain for a couple months, the Celiac test may show a false negative. It is best to test first before starting gluten free.

A few things to check...

1) Do you eat enough fruit? You don't mention it. Fruit speeds thing up a little. Good news for people with a long or slow large intestine.

2) Do you share your kitchen with someone eating gluten? Eating out of a bowl that was used for pancake batter, then washed well with soap, then used for my food, made me sick. Too much gluten! My wife totally banned gluten from our home and repainted the kitchen after steam cleaning!

3) Check other products you use for gluten. Stuff you get in your hair like shampoo or conditioner? It gets on your hands and into your mouth. I react to 4 parts per million! That is like taking a capsule of gluten, mixing it into a room full of food and then eating half a cup! Or the same as shampooing your hair with a gluten containing shampoo, a tiny amount gets in your mouth and you spit it out! Or you let your hair dry, comb your hair, then eat an apple (from hair to hand to apple to mouth).

Check lotion too. Then consider other things that get into your mouth... I will not kiss my wife after she eats a single piece of bread or a piece of breaded chicken wing. She needs to brush her teeth, wash her face with gluten free soap and wait 12 hours.

Watch out for soap in the bathroom at malls - I bring my own!

Likewise check your tooth brush, tooth paste, bath soap, or anything else that comes in contact with your body. Wife's perfume? Gluten hides everywhere.

I have found it in soy sauce, rice noodles, and "all natural dried herb seasoning."

Soy, rice and all real herbs have no gluten. Each of these had wheat added.

But the package will likely not say wheat.

If you really have Celiac like I do, any of these can cause your symptoms.

Are you taking any medications. A lot of these have wheat in them. You gave to really check and often call the manufacture.

Do you take supplements? Unless they specifically say gluten free, they likely use wheat gluten as a binding agent.

As you can see it is a little harder to avoid gluten than just stop eating grain.

4) Also Flax is known to cause colon problems if you are not drinking enough water.

5) Rule of thumb for water, your weight in pounds expressed as ounces of water.

Say you weigh 96 pounds, that would be 96 oz of water. That is 12 cups or 3 quarts.

Personally, I start my day with 5 quarts of water, consumed within about 100 minutes of waking up! It is wonderful! I drink a pint every 10 minutes. I will then drink three more quarts before the day is over. Yes, that is two gallons of water. If you ever drink 2 gallons of water a day for a week you will find out how good you feel!

[daniel]

@spicyfull :
Thanks for your comments. I will do the same juice fast.
So did the test actually help you with anything or it just gave you stomach growling?

@VeGenesis:
Good to know about Celiac. I think my case is different, I used to have breads and pasta before going raw 6 months ago and I didn't have this problem or at least it wasn't as severe as now. I do eat a lot of fruits. I think I will try to put away flax and hemp seeds for a while to see if it makes any change. I ususally mix a bit of them (less than half cup) in my green smoothies.

[rawmiss]

So here is what is in KLEAN-PREP, the major ingredient is Polietylenoglicol and I can't figure out what that is. But, after reconstitution KLEAN-PREP is mostly sodium. This makes it a fancy "salt water flush" with a touch of aspartame and vanilla flavor.

If you are familiar with salt water flushes (such as are done on the Master Cleanse) you mix water with salt and drink it, the body's reaction to the high concentration of salt, triggers it to flush the poisonous salt out of the body ASAP along with everything else in the colon. So since the body is going to eliminate everything in the colon, I don't think that you are going to be absorbing much KLEAN-PREP into your body.

This link explains it more, in fact it has info on "lying on your side to move it through your stomach". I would read this before taking the KLEAN-PREP since it is basically the same thing, except that I've had the salt water flush "fail" while the KLEAN-PREP seems more of a sure thing.
http://www.cleansingorsurgery.com/saltwaterflush.htm


http://www.angelini.it/public/schedepharma/klean_prep.htm
Each sachet of powder for preparation of extemporaneous solution contains:

Polietylenoglicol 3350................59.000 g
Anhydrous sodium sulphate......... 5.685 g
Sodium bicarbonate................... 1.685 g
Sodium chloride........................ 1.465 g
Potassium chloride................... 0.7425 g
and
Aspartame............................. 0.0494 g
Vanilla flavour......................... 0.3291 g

Concentrations after reconstitution:

Sodium............................... 125 mmol/L
Potassium............................. 10 mmol/L
Sulphate............................... 40 mmol/L
Chloride................................ 35 mmol/L
Bicarbonate........................... 20 mmol/L
Polietylenoglicol................... 17.6 mmol/L
and
Aspartame........................... 0.0494 g/L
Vanilla................................. 0.3291 g/L

[kherd2]

hi, daniel. i love everyone's input. all have you have saved me from doctors and nurses. good luck daniel. i hope all comes out well. the health food store and this forum has saved my life. :)

[VeGenesis]

@VeGenesis:
Good to know about Celiac. I think my case is different, I used to have breads and pasta before going raw 6 months ago and I didn't have this problem or at least it wasn't as severe as now. I do eat a lot of fruits. I think I will try to put away flax and hemp seeds for a while to see if it makes any change. I ususally mix a bit of them (less than half cup) in my green smoothies.

I used to think that way too. Anyway, people with Celiac who consume a lot of gluten usually do not notice these kind of symptoms because their intestines are so badly destroyed. First symptoms are usually diagnosed as some other syndrome or disease.

When I noticed the symptoms you are having was after I started cleaning up my life. After I reduced my intake of gluten (like you) without realizing it in my attempt to lose weight (the low carb SAD diet). The low carb diet was a failure, but later, after it was "discovered", then they asked me about about the symptoms! I had! Ha!

According to ALL the Celiac websites I have seen on the Internet, they ALL agree that people with ANY ONE symptom should be tested. You are displaying enough symptoms that a nurse (with Celiac experience! From other posts!) and one of the founders of the Celiac Society of the Philippines both recommended you be tested! That is called wisdom. Unless you know what the problem is... exactly... you should be more serious about this.

Celiac Disease is the most deceptive disease you can have. Its ONLY treatment is to remove gluten from your life. Doctors, Drug companies, hospitals, makers of creams, lotions and tooth paste, no one makes big money on Celiac Disease - so do not expect anyone will test for it until after they slice and dice you! I was near death. My brother lost a leg to infection, my other brother lost his toes and part of his foot, I am sure this has secretly taken the lives of a number of my family. All this suffering is so easy to prevent with a little knowledge of if you REALLY have it or not. The only way to know is to be tested.

Out of 10,000 people in America, about 100 will have Celiac. Out of the 100 who have Celiac, 3 will be enjoying the benefits of a gluten free diet, 97 will be suffering with Celiac, and if you tell them about it they will say, I don't THINK I have it because... (fill in the excuse - anything to escape a simple blood test!).

Tip. of you really want to KNOW, eat heavy gluten for a few days - then go get the blood test. If you are in Canada I heard there is a home test you can do. On another raw food site I hear about someone who ate gluten rich sprouts for 3 days, had the simple Celiac blood test, it was positive, went gluten free raw food and got the gluten out of their home, and two months later was in the very BEST health of their life! That was their choice.

You have symptoms that are RARE among raw foodists - except for a few with Celiac. People who eat raw fruits and veggies do not get smelly oily stools!

I Googled your words, "bad smell, greasy and a bit constipation" - the first site on the list (NOT RFT) mentions Celiac Disease!

The fact that others are healing their intestines from Celiac does not help you. Being Raw is all about choices. We are here for a lot of different reasons. One thing we all have in common is that we discovered more about a lot of things since we got here. For example, regardless of the reason a person starts raw food... both different improved health issues and a spirituality thing of some kind are always present when they pass the year raw mark. Even if they started this to be kind to animals or environmental concerns of the planet!

I hope you will at least tell your doctor that a nurse who is familiar with Celiac Disease and a founder of the Celiac Society of the Philippines both suggested that you may have Celiac disease and what does your doctor think about that? It is a simple question anyone can ask for free.

Better still, eat gluten (raw vegan gluten, of course!) for a few days to a week and then go get the simple blood test. It is like 85% accurate. Then take it from there. For me, finding out that I had Celiac Disease was the best thing that happened to me! I finally had an enemy that I could really fight! Not just some pile of unrelated shadow symptoms that may be this or may be that!

Some have noticed how enthusiastic I am about raw food... true enough! The first thing I do in the morning is drink water, 5 quarts for about 100 minutes - and read and post on raw food sites. Often about gluten free raw food! It is my passion!

Good luck Daniel with your test. I really hope you find the solution to your life issues like I have found mine. It is wonderful to week by week (sometimes day by day) grow stronger and more healthy. It is wonderful life we all are living. It is fantastic to go for a walk and smell the fresh clean air after it rains and take time to smell the roses (instead of that black hole called coffee and a donut hole!). Enjoy your life Daniel - that is the real reason we are all here! To seek a better path. To find the truth and enlightenment about a great many things. The really SAD part of eating SAD is the denial of reality. So fill your life with joy!

[katchmoleen]

Hey, Lan, I have heard of people who did a gluten challenge for many months, only to be tested negative (and they were sicker than a dog). That happened to me, so I actually do not have an official celiac diagnosis, but I do know that gluten ingestion makes me very ill over time. So just a few days of gluten ingestion might not give a positive blood test. But.....if one has been eating even a little gluten all along, the test should be positive. (I was gluten free for about 4 months, did 2 weeks of gluten challenge, had a negative blood test (this was years ago, they may be more sensitive now too) and refused the biopsy because my reaction symptomatically to the gluten challenge was so definite.

It is amazing to me that doctors STILL don't test for this. I often suggest it to people and when they ask their doctors about it, the doctor pooh-poohs the suggestion.

Anyway, Daniel, it would not hurt to get the blood test as you are doing all the other suggestions. You never know, it might be that. Celiac disease is the great pretender, so even if you did not have gastro symptoms before, the irritation of raw might have been enough to bring it out of hiding (it can go into symptomatic remission, while damage is still being done.) And you might have had some non gastro symptoms that you did not even connect to what you were eating.

[askcassyfirst]

Having worked in the digestive care industry for 5 years, I could say a lot here, but the others have pretty well filled you in.

The one comment I will make is that your greasy stool also sounds like you may have a deficiency in the lipase enzyme, or a gall bladder weakness. Both issues can easily be affected by taking enzyme supplements and through TCM / acupuncture. But it could also be a flora imbalance, as excessive fiber even if combined with good bifido bacteria can also lead to gas and fermentation.

My personal experience with raw (and I've been on this path since '03) is that you really need to listen to your body and keep your raw diet balanced or you can create a deficiency. This can cause pain, indigestion, and other issues, but is easily rectified if you do the research. It is no different than any other way of eating, raw or otherwise. The key is listening to our body...it is telling you what to do if you know how to hear it.

Since you are committed to the test, I would encourage you to do the prep. While it is not exactly 'fun', it will clean your system out not unlike a salt water flush. The less that is left in your intestine, the easier it will be for them to see what you have going on down there...

Then, when you know what is going on you can best formulate your diet to address the situation.

Hope this helps!

-Cassy

[VeGenesis]

So here is what is in KLEAN-PREP, the major ingredient is Polietylenoglicol and I can't figure out what that is.

Hi RawMiss!

Cute handle - you sure are Not remiss in your research!

How about a little translation help?

The Generic name of both Polietylenoglicol 3350 (inside the USA) and Polietilenglicol 3350 (outside the USA) is:


Polyethylene glycol 3350 (http://www.google.com/search?q=Polyethylene+glycol+3350)

.

[VeGenesis]

Hey, Lan, I have heard of people who did a gluten challenge for many months, only to be tested negative (and they were sicker than a dog). That happened to me, so I actually do not have an official celiac diagnosis, but I do know that gluten ingestion makes me very ill over time.

Hey katchmoleen, good morning from tomorrow!

You have my deepest sympathy! I am going to argue one point...


an official celiac diagnosis

"The official Celiac diagnosis" is when you are gluten free and other symptoms are relieved. Sadly, most doctors today will not make this diagnoses without some test backing it up. So people suffer.

Here are the best statistics I have.

15% of people with Celiac will have a false blood test (regardless of how much gluten they are eating!).

25% of people with Celiac but living on a gluten restricted diet will have a false blood test. In the Philippines we see this a lot because the very traditional Filipino diet is gluten free. Asians, including Filipinos, were once thought to be nearly Celiac free! Now with the invasion of American food (they added wheat to soy sauce to make it faster and make more profit!) and fast food like McDonalds and Pizza hut and some home grown ones like Jollibee (a McDo wanna be we are now exporting back to America!) It terns out that Filipinos likely have MORE Celiac genes that whites! ONE WEEK of high gluten food will catch the extra 10% (25% minus the 15% who will always test negative).

3% of people with Celiac who are eating a gluten diet will test negative for Celiac even with an intestine biopsy! (Mayo results) The biopsy is considered to be the Gold Standard for Celiac tests!

DNA testing for the two genes is 100% (and also costly) at determining if you have the right stuff to have Celiac. Actually it determines if you can pass it on to your kids. Because not all people with the genes actually get Celiac. We have seen this too... For example, "Lola (Grandma) lived on a farm and ate whatever she want her whole life!" "Whatever she wanted" is likely brown rice, a little fish once a week and a lot of veggies and fruit! Still SAD (Standard Asian Diet) but gluten free. She brushed her teeth with the leaves of the tooth brush tree (no gluten soap, tooth paste or perfume), and never had any problems! How could she have passed to her granddaughter Celiac Disease when she never had it? (Granddaughter in college eating pizza, burgers, cake, sandwiches, etc. Full of gluten!).

The problem is in the concept... NO ONE is designed to eat gluten. (But don't ask the wheat growers association that! They want to believe Celiac is a myth!) Some people are lucky enough to have a body that rejects it. People who have Celiac have a body that runs fantastically on real food!

Remember that researchers only began to understand Celiac Disease in 2005! Almost all doctors today started medical school before that! The biggest fan of testing are the third year medical students! Find a teaching hospital - ask an intern! There are no big drug companies pushing information on already established doctors.

30-50 years from now when most of the doctors of today are retired - EVERYBODY will know about Celiac! Sadly, people like Daniel who would likely benefit from just a week long gluten challenge and testing (it catches 85%), will go untested and continue to suffer.


Anyway, Daniel, it would not hurt to get the blood test as you are doing all the other suggestions. You never know, it might be that. Celiac disease is the great pretender, so even if you did not have gastro symptoms before, the irritation of raw might have been enough to bring it out of hiding (it can go into symptomatic remission, while damage is still being done.) And you might have had some non gastro symptoms that you did not even connect to what you were eating.

Excellent point and worth repeating. There is NO standard symptoms for Celiac! (I really hate calling it a "disease" because the Celiac condition is 100% natural!)

Some people's first symptom is their leg gets cut off due to an infection! Others first symptom is a massive heart attack or even death! Others like me have so many symptoms the doctor tells you, and I quote, "The problem with you is that we don't know what keeps you alive." end quote!

What kept me alive? Today I will freely tell anyone it was my search for Celiac, that present God gave me when my father and mother conceived me! And my search for Living food with perfect DNA that is a fabulous match for my DNA including my two Celiac genes!

Advice For Daniel, (and anyone else getting a colonoscopy), if you are going to get the colonoscopy, ask the doctor if he will enter the small intestine and do a biopsy there for Celiac. This is standard procedure for one doctor here. The test is not as reliable as the standard biopsy (because it is only in the end of the small intestines) but what is amazing is how many cases of Celiac he actually discovers! Your doc will be there already (checking the connection between the small intestine and the colon). So taking a biopsy is simple - you will not feel a thing! I think it is a lot better than when they stick the camera down your throat! :eek: (Gag me with a spoon!) Been there, done that, both ways! The colonoscopy is easy!

[VeGenesis]

Good added points Cassy!

Flora balance is important.

I would add just one thing... Keep a journal, log or diary of what you are eating. See if any patterns show up. Most of my other allergies were detected this way - then confirmed by tests when I showed my "proof" to the doctor.

Doctors, nurses, and people on this board, are not perfect! Your body is speaking to you. You are your best doctor when it comes to identifying symptoms and what you are eating.

You can also do a painless free test too. Go learn about gluten, what is Gluten's many names. Then start reading. Read the labels on your shampoo, soap, tooth paste... really anything that touches your body or the body of someone you touch! (Fabric Softener?) Of course check everything that goes in your mouth. It may surprise you how much gluten is out there.

Make notes in your journal too about other things. I kid you not that we have had reports of a local "flavored massage oil" with gluten in it! One lady reported that the only time she had "gluten attacks" (her's are uncharacteristically sudden) is when her husband comes home from working overseas. We though about kissing (it happens to me) but they said when he is home, he is also gluten free! The gluten source? A certain brand of local condom, switching brands solved the problem. (This is serious - no jokes ok?)

SAR's, Bird Flu, Swine Flu have made a market for a product not seen before in most stores in the Philippines, hand sanitizer! I have already discovered one with gluten.

Keep a journal, read labels - know what you are putting in and on your body. Be aware of what your body is telling you! Very good advice Cassy!

[rawmiss]

The Generic name of both Polietylenoglicol 3350 (inside the USA) and Polietilenglicol 3350 (outside the USA) is polyethylene glycol


Thanks. So the function of polyethylene glycol in the Kleen Prep solution is to prevent the Kleen Prep from being absorbed. This makes it different and maybe better acting (aside from the toxic effects of polyethylene glycol) than the salt water flush.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whole_bowel_irrigation
Whole bowel irrigation was originally developed to cleanse the large bowel before surgery or colonoscopy.[1] Initially a solution of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium bicarbonate was used but this electrolyte solution was shown to be absorbed by the body, sometimes leading to complications. To solve this problem a specialized irrigation fluid was developed consisting mainly of an iso-osmolar solution of polyethylene glycol.[2] With the polyethylene glycol solution there is negligible fluid or electrolyte absorption and several studies have shown the overall safety of the procedure. Whole bowel irrigation was also suggested as a possible treatment for toxic ingestions.[2] WBI has the effect of mechanically flushing the ingested poison out of the gastrointestinal tract before it can be absorbed into the body. A study provided evidence that whole bowel irrigation is an effective and safe gastrointestinal decontamination procedure for acute poisoning.[3]

[daniel]

I will try Celiac treatment since you are saying gluten is not good for human. I will make sure my shampoo and tooth powder are gluten free. I don't use any lotion or deodorant just coconut oil. My understanding is that seeds like flax seed and hemp seed are gluten free. I only use fresh herbs and whole foods in my diet and I live alone. It looks easy to do this.
How long does it take to heal Celiac symptoms?

[daniel]

The one comment I will make is that your greasy stool also sounds like you may have a deficiency in the lipase enzyme, or a gall bladder weakness. Both issues can easily be affected by taking enzyme supplements and through TCM / acupuncture. But it could also be a flora imbalance, as excessive fiber even if combined with good bifido bacteria can also lead to gas and fermentation.
-Cassy

Should I take specific enzyme supplement? Do you know any good raw brand for these supplements?

How acupuncture can help it? Is it a specific kind of acupuncture for that? Do you know any specific kind of TCM I could use for that?

How can I help my flora imbalance?

Thank you

[askcassyfirst]

Acupuncture has a good history managing gall bladder issues which are one of the leading causes of impaired fat digestion. Countless folks have their gall bladder out because it functions improperly, but acupuncture is a good option because if it works you can save your organ. I went through this several years ago and wrote about it on my blog. I had been miserable, but my TCM doctor turned my digestion around.

Also, bile, made by the gallbladder, in association with lipase from the stomach and pancreas all work together to break down fats. That's why I suggested enzymes...

Re: Enzymes...if your goal is complete meal digestion, look for a broad spectrum enzyme. I prefer not to specify a brand, as I have a personal commitment to not advertise/prosthelitize on forums if I can help it. (I'm in the industry) The main thing is that you want to get what you pay for, (no fillers and junk) and the product should be experiential...in other words, if it is working, you'll know it. If you'd like free info on enzymes, I can certainly point you in the right direction...

Hope this helps.