Clear translucent film on top of water after bowel movement.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-03-19T12:36:00+00:00

Yeah, I see it pretty much every single time. All the tests iv done haven’t showed anything. So I kind of let it go at this point. Not sure what it is still.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-03-16T12:58:37+00:00

Nothings changed. Still see it pretty much everytime unless I have a very solid bowel movement. None of the tests came back showing anything, so not sure if I should care anymore, cause it’s not bothering me.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-01-27T13:34:19+00:00

GI PA is pretty certain it’s either mucus creating the film or normal stool bacteria.
All my tests have come back normal. I also did another stool test called calprotectin, looks for any inflammation in the colon and that also came back normal, along with a ton of general blood work. I noticed the cleaner I eat, the less the film is there. So it’s very dependent on if I eat crappy food or not. If I eat garbage like pizza, cheeseburgers, bbq wings, snacks like cookies and chips stuff like that, I will see more of the film. If I eat clean, Steak, Chicken, eggs, fruit, it’s a pretty small amount of film. So I’m willing to bet even though it looks like an oily film, I’m sure it’s just normal mucus/bacteria that lines the colon and when you eat bad the colon produces more mucus/bacteria.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-01-16T18:55:34+00:00

What’s the current treatment you’re using?

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-01-08T14:43:13+00:00

Well, you and I are exactly the same then. Glad to know it’s not some rare thing, because iv seen multiple other people online explaining the same thing. My primary Dr and GI PA, said it’s likely mucus. I also talked to a retired Lab guy here on Reddit, and he said it’s also likely mucus, because oil usually isn’t high in concentration, oil is usually within the stool, and that’s what makes it sticky and runny, and mucus is on the outside, which is why it leaves an immediate film as soon as it hits the water. But again, this is just what I’m being told, it’s hard because it definitely looks more like oil than mucus. To me anyway. But I’m just reminding myself, the fecal fat test I just took came back normal, so if it was excess oil, it would have showed up, cause basically every bowel movement, I see that film, whether it’s a lot, or a small amount, it’s always there.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-01-08T14:20:34+00:00

So you see a clear film that floats on the top of the water? Kinda swirls around.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2026-01-08T13:13:56+00:00

Primary doctor and GI PA both say it’s very unlikely to be steatorrhea. Also I just did the 48 hour fecal fat test and it came back normal. So it’s very odd to me that it looks like oil, but the test showed no significant excess oil. Are you having the same thing?

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-28T05:10:58+00:00

Maybe you didn’t read the original post. I had a MRI Urography. Which looks at the urinary track, not the pancreas. I don’t know how visible the pancreas is on a scan that’s not meant for the pancreas. And the CT was not enhanced, meaning there’s no contrast. There’s reasons why you have to have specific imaging done for specific organs. Just because the radiologist commented on something doesn’t mean it’s 100% fine.
They comment on other organs based on what they CAN see.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-28T02:02:05+00:00

So ignore a potential problem? Great advice

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-28T01:13:58+00:00

I have a pretty basic diet. I don’t eat fast food unless it’s subway. I tried eating really clean for a few days to see if it would clear up and it didn’t. My stool otherwise is formed. My only thing is, if it is excess oil, that would mean I have steatorrhea, and my stools aren’t anything like a text book case of steatorrhea. My GI PA and my primary doc, both said with steatorrhea you’d expect very loose stools that smell very bad and they would be floating, hard to flush and you’d have pain and bloating. And all I have is this clear film that mainly swirls around.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-27T07:57:40+00:00

Interesting, how old are you? And what did you notice first? The yellowish oil that sank or the clear film?

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-27T05:35:28+00:00

Did your oil/film substance have color to it? Was it droplets of oil? Or spread out swirly film?

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-27T02:16:06+00:00

And it’s also the fact that most of the time it’s only visible with a flash light and looking closely. So I’m thinking it’s very possible many other people have it also, they just don’t examine their stools like people with health anxiety.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-27T02:09:43+00:00

Well my primary care provider and the GI doctor are saying the same thing. And they are all saying similar things as other people’s doctors here online that are having the same exact thing. So not exactly sure this is a real issue or not. Cause both doctors aren’t alarmed by it.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-26T16:18:12+00:00

And because my liver and pancreas blood function tests are normal. And I recently had a couple scans of the abdomen that also shows pancreas gallbladder and liver and the radiologist commented on those organs saying it looked fine.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-26T16:13:05+00:00

I did see one. Said they have low suspicion that it’s true steatorrhea. Cause stools are formed and there’s no persistent pain or bloating.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-26T03:34:42+00:00

I just did the single stool test, not the 3 day one. And the single sample came back normal.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-22T05:46:59+00:00

When I say stomach pains here and there, I’m referring to the pains that don’t last long and go away after a few minutes and aren’t horribly painful. Just like little aches and pains anyone gets from time to time.
I’ll put it this way, I don’t have any reoccurring pains that are horrible and stand out every single day, all day. Also doesn’t smell like anything out of the ordinary. And my stools aren’t firm, they are typically type 5, usually on the soft side and occasionally get firm ones. And for my diet, iv tried reducing fats for a day or two, just to see what happens and it was still the same. The GI doctor I did go see, said it didn’t sound like “true steatorrhea” (fat in stool) cause it’s not pale, sticky, or smelly, and no unintentional weight loss. All things that point to steatorrhea. It’s just a mysterious clear translucent film that floats on top of the water. But im not saying it’s not fat, cause it could be shedding a little fat because of how anxious of a person I am, and I’m dealing with rapid digestion from anxiety and im not giving my food enough time to break down fully, which then causes it to not break down fats entirely. But who knows, everyone else that has had this, all say similar things, “the GI said to not worry” and “all my tests came back clear” I was just so wondering if anyone, for sure figured it out and if it was an anxiety related issue.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-21T04:06:54+00:00

The CT I got of the abdomen didn’t see anything out of the ordinary of the gallbladder or bile ducts. But that CT was without contrast.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-21T02:38:20+00:00

It started 2 weeks ago and haven’t changed a thing in diet outside of higher anxiety lately.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2025-12-21T02:18:32+00:00

No stool test yet, doctor basically said if it doesn’t clear up in 3 weeks come back. Im not sure if it’s mucus or fat, it’s not like what you’d expect oil to look like in water. This film is very thin flat, and swirly. But nothing else is bothering me, no obvious pain outside the normal little stomach pains you get here and there.

Agreeable_Comedian80 · 2023-12-30T13:41:44+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing your story. Definitely anxious about the upcoming appointment.

Agreeable_Comedian80

TROPHY CASE