Does this sound like IBS?

[oregonpachey]

I should probably indicate a TMI in here for poop talk. I probably need to see a GI specialist and at my last physical, my doctor put me on the schedule for a colonoscopy.

For probably 4 years, I have been dealing with chronic diarrhea.  I haven't had a solid poo in literal years. As soon as I am done eating, no matter how small of a meal or snack, I have to race to the bathroom.  I typically go, on average, 3-4 times a day but it's sometimes as few as 1 and as many as 8.  I don't have stomach pain outside the time after I eat and have to race to the bathroom.  I don't have nausea and rarely vomit. 

It doesn't matter what I eat or have eliminated from my diet.  I am getting kind of tired of this and my bum hurts.

All the women in my family suffer from IBS so I suspect that is probably what this is too? 

[fortnightlily]

I would certainly get a GI workup to rule out things like celiac, IBD, gallbladder. IBS is the diagnosis you get after nothing else explains it

[cap]

It could be IBS, it could be one of the forms of IBD, or it could be something else entirely. I would be a bit surprised if it's an IBD, because that typically gets a lot worse if it's untreated. I've had ulcerative colitis for 16 years and microscopic colitis (yes, it's rare, but possible, to have two types of IBD) for about 2 years.

Definitely get yourself to a gastro. If they do a colonoscopy, make sure that they take biopsies as some bowel conditions (like microscopic colitis) cannot be seen with the naked eye.

[audry80]

I have the same issues and have never found a true diagnosis. Dumping syndrome has been thrown around as well as IBS and it being caused by the meds I take. It’s not fun, I know where a restroom is at all times. If I am traveling by car with others, I don’t eat before to prevent any emergencies.

I haven’t been able to link any specific foods but if I eat super clean, my symptoms are better. I travel to Europe a lot for work and never have these issues while traveling there so makes me think processed foods contribute.

[expectantsteelerfan]

Do you take Prilosec or any other anti-reflux meds by any chance? When I started it, this was my life. Almost every time I ate, immediately had to run to the bathroom. I was about to make appts. with GI Drs. and what not when I realized it started around the time I started Prilosec, and looked up side effects, and this was one of them. I stopped the Prilosec, and my bm went back to how they were before starting. When my reflux got really bad again, insurance required me to 'start' with Prilosec because I was on different insurance the first time I was on it, and it had the same side effects. My Dr. switched me to Nexium, and I'm fine on that.

[mofongo]

Have you talked to your PCP about this over the past 4yrs, or have you just silently been living with chronic diarrhea?? When is your colonoscopy scheduled? I would def get the colonoscopy asap, and make sure to tell them your issues going in.

[oregonpachey]

Oct 23, 2024 14:30:47 GMT -5 expectantsteelerfan said:

Do you take Prilosec or any other anti-reflux meds by any chance? When I started it, this was my life. Almost every time I ate, immediately had to run to the bathroom. I was about to make appts. with GI Drs. and what not when I realized it started around the time I started Prilosec, and looked up side effects, and this was one of them. I stopped the Prilosec, and my bm went back to how they were before starting. When my reflux got really bad again, insurance required me to 'start' with Prilosec because I was on different insurance the first time I was on it, and it had the same side effects. My Dr. switched me to Nexium, and I'm fine on that.

Nope, no anti-reflux meds.

[oregonpachey]

Oct 23, 2024 14:33:38 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Have you talked to your PCP about this over the past 4yrs, or have you just silently been living with chronic diarrhea?? When is your colonoscopy scheduled? I would def get the colonoscopy asap, and make sure to tell them your issues going in.

I have just been living with it (bad, I know).

[mofongo]

Oct 23, 2024 14:36:09 GMT -5 oregonpachey said:

Oct 23, 2024 14:33:38 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Have you talked to your PCP about this over the past 4yrs, or have you just silently been living with chronic diarrhea?? When is your colonoscopy scheduled? I would def get the colonoscopy asap, and make sure to tell them your issues going in.

I have just been living with it (bad, I know).

I just feel bad for you! I hope you can get some answers, and solutions. I guess with your family history, it seems par for the course. I was like that with my periods. My mom also had terrible ones, so for 10yrs I lived miserable, until I got on BC at 22.

[fortnightlily]

Just to give you an idea of other types of tests a GI can run, I've had a breath test to check for SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), stool tests to check for parasites, bacteria, and fecal calprotectin which is a sign of inflammation. Blood tests for celiac. So there are other tests they can run besides just a colonoscopy.

And tell your doctor about any and all medications and vitamins and supplements you take. B12 and Magnesium can both cause diarrhea, for example.

[ssmjlm]

Get thee to the doctor! I went through something similar last year for about 6 months before I knew I needed to see a doc. They did a whole bunch of blood and stool tests plus a colonoscopy. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis.

[Jalapeñomel]

Did you, by chance, ever take Accutane?

[vasc]

Any weight loss?

[CloudBee]

You definitely need to see a GI. I'm sure they will request a stool sample ASAP. I do have IBS (or IBD? I can't remember which and it doesn't matter), but also found myself (very unexpectedly) being treated for C-Diff and SIBO at different points in my adult life. Thankful my GI has been on top of things over the years.

For what it's worth, I'm currently in a season where I'm trying to get ahead of my IBS again. I find that I have the most relief from a GI standpoint when I eat absolutely zero processed foods. It's not easy, and it's often inconvenient, but my gut is so thankful and functions at probably 80% vs. living the life you are currently experiencing.

I wish you the best. IBS and GI issues are just so horrible. I SAHM now, and I really don't know how I navigated high school, college, and the corporate world with so many bathroom emergencies.

[cap]

Oct 23, 2024 20:47:06 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

You definitely need to see a GI. I'm sure they will request a stool sample ASAP. I do have IBS (or IBD? I can't remember which and it doesn't matter), but also found myself (very unexpectedly) being treated for C-Diff and SIBO at different points in my adult life. Thankful my GI has been on top of things over the years.

For what it's worth, I'm currently in a season where I'm trying to get ahead of my IBS again. I find that I have the most relief from a GI standpoint when I eat absolutely zero processed foods. It's not easy, and it's often inconvenient, but my gut is so thankful and functions at probably 80% vs. living the life you are currently experiencing.

I wish you the best. IBS and GI issues are just so horrible. I SAHM now, and I really don't know how I navigated high school, college, and the corporate world with so many bathroom emergencies.

It really does matter a lot if you have IBS or IBD. IBS = irritable bowel syndrome. IBD = inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis are the two major types of IBD and are autoimmune diseases. UC impacts on the colon, and the inflammation is limited to the innermost layer, but CD impacts the entire GI system and the inflammation can be in all layers. Both can also lead to extraintestinal manifestations like primary sclerosing cholangitis and uveitis. UC and CD both need to be treated with medication, and there are even biologic drugs that were developed specifically for them. Both diseases can lead to surgeries on one's GI system - I personally know someone who had a total colectomy because their UC was severe and completely unresponsive to meds. Both diseases increase the risk of colon cancer. Both can cause death - not just because of colon cancer, but also because of things like toxic megacolon. 

I have UC - my first flare started immediately after my son was born 16 years ago. I was having diarrhea over 20 times a day at my worst. By the time my son was 4 months old, I was 25 pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight. I have been pretty lucky since as I've been fairly well-controlled on baseline meds, but in the past two and a half years I've also been diagnosed with microscopic colitis (a less common and less severe IBD) and either Sjogren's Syndrome or Mixed Connective Tissue Disease. Once you have one autoimmune disease, it's pretty common to end up being diagnosed with more. 

This is not to say that IBS can't make you miserable and cause a lot of distress. Like you said, GI issues are horrible.

[CloudBee]

Oct 23, 2024 21:48:12 GMT -5 cap said:

Oct 23, 2024 20:47:06 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

...

...

With regard to this post, where I'm sharing my experience, it really doesn't matter that I forgot which letters abbreviate my specific condition. I was taking the time to explain my symptoms to the poster and offering relevant advice. I'm not downplaying your condition, stating that anyone's condition is worse than another, or comparing myself to anyone.

Sorry you also deal with GI issues.

[kath16]

Oct 23, 2024 17:36:36 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Did you, by chance, ever take Accutane?

wait, i have. and i have an IBS diagnosis

tell me more about this please?

[Jalapeñomel]

Oct 24, 2024 8:05:05 GMT -5 kath16 said:

Oct 23, 2024 17:36:36 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Did you, by chance, ever take Accutane?

wait, i have. and i have an IBS diagnosis

tell me more about this please?

There was a lot out there trying to link Accutane and IBD and IBS, and it seems that there is a slightly elevated risk for UC (but not IBS). 


pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9626370/

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3073620/

www.gastroenterologyadvisor.com/news/isotretinoin-treatment-for-acne-slightly-increases-ulcerative-colitis-risk/

[kath16]

Oct 24, 2024 8:13:30 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Oct 24, 2024 8:05:05 GMT -5 kath16 said:

wait, i have. and i have an IBS diagnosis

tell me more about this please?

There was a lot out there trying to link Accutane and IBD and IBS, and it seems that there is a slightly elevated risk for UC (but not IBS). 


pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9626370/

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3073620/

www.gastroenterologyadvisor.com/news/isotretinoin-treatment-for-acne-slightly-increases-ulcerative-colitis-risk/

Thank you!

UC has been ruled out for me, but I appreciate you expanding on this. My IBS seems to have been triggered by my first bout of COVID

[bugandbibs]

In addition to IBS/IBD type causes, I would be thinking about chronic cholecystitis. A complete work-up is a really good idea. Please don't continue to suffer.