floating feces???

RN~in~CT · Dec 13, 2003

If I recall, stool that floats is high in fat ~ known as steatorrhea.

LydiaGreen · Dec 13, 2003

Really? One of my classmates is a healthfood and herbal remedy nut and insists that if your stool doesn't float you aren't healthy and that if your stool sinks you are very unhealthy!

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2003

I know with steatorrhea the stool may float, but the main characteristics are bulkiness and foul smelling. I ran across research that stated you know you have enough fiber in your diet if it floats, but I am just unable to actually come up with real documentation.

maire, ASN, RN · Dec 13, 2003

Only in a nursing forum...:chuckle

RN~in~CT · Dec 13, 2003

"A floating stool and easy passage indicates that your diet has enough fiber"

interesting....got the above from the following article:

http://www.hughston.com/hha/a_15_2_5.htm

NurseDixie · Dec 13, 2003

That's right, if your stool floats, you are eating a sufficient amount of fiber in your diet.

Steatorrhea means that there is a lot of fat, sometimes you can see the oil floating on the surface of the water in the toilet and it stinks really bad.:imbar

road runner2003 · Dec 13, 2003

I never would have guessed it - a floating stool indicated healthiness or enough fibre consumed in ones diet. Actually the only thing I knew about floating stools and recall reading some time ago - there is a connection between floating stools and CF. I know there is more to it.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 13, 2003

My boyfriend got a laughing charge out of this thread "I can honestly say this is not a subject that anyone in my career has discussed".

(He's a engineer for a medical wiring manufacturer)

But i would assume that if feces are floating, maybe gas is trapped inside?

BunnyBunnyBSNRN, ASN, BSN · Dec 13, 2003

Originally posted by maire
Only in a nursing forum...:chuckle

Amen to that!!

:roll :roll :chuckle :roll :roll

Gigglesforall, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2003

Hey thanks for the comments everyone. That article was just what I needed. Sorry for the unpolitically correct topic!! Hope your feces are floating!!! :roll

mother/babyRN, RN · Dec 14, 2003

Generally someone who is very healthy with a high fiber diet and less the preservatives does have floating stool and not so smelly stuff sans flatus....Health stores have books on it and many high fiber related books give you bibliographies on where they compiled their material (no pun intended)....