constant diarrhoea

[susie1]

Hi
I am new to this site. I have suffered from health anxiety for many years. I am gripped by a new fear at the moment. I have had IBS for a long time. I have sometimes had constipation but mostly griping stomach pains and sometimes a really urgent need to go to the loo straight after eating, usually with violent diarrhoea. However about 3 and a half weeks ago I suddenly had violent watery diarrhoea. tis continued 3 or 4 times that evening and has more or less continued since then. I tried eating a really bland diet for a couple of days and have started taking probiotics. this helped a little. I have a couple of days in that time where I haven't gon to the toilet at all but about 90% of the time diarrhoea has dominated.
My son got married at the weekend and I am a teacher and expecting Ofsted any minute so I know these are things that may have stressed me out. I had a stool sample test last week for a bacterial infection but it was clear. know my GP thinks it is a flair up of IBS but this isn't how it usually affects me. I am feeling really frightened and am convincing myself that I have cancer. I am resisting the urge to google but feel myself going down into the familiar spiral of despair. can anyone help. please. has anyone else had constant diarrhoea like this out of the blue?

[Liziik]

Hello
So sorry you are going through this. I have ibs and although I find majority of the time I can be fine the second I find out I have to do something stressful that's it! For example this weekend I am going away with my boyfriends parents all this week I have not been able to stay away from the loo! I can't even nip out to the shops! I also get terribly sick with it :( sorry if it's to much info. I think the stress of everything doesn't help and although it doesn't effect you normally like this flare ups can change. Also worrying and googling will not make you feel any better. The doctor took a stool sample if anything untoward was going on I'm pretty sure it would have shown up. Try and relax (difficult I know!) and make sure you drink plenty of water too! I really hope you feel better soon

[nomorepanic]

Hi

This is just a courtesy reply to let you know that your post was moved from its original place to a sub-forum that is more relevant to your problem.

This is nothing personal - it just enables us to keep posts about the same problems in the relevant forums so other members with any experience with the issues can find them more easily.

[susie1]

Please can someone else comment on my post. has anyone else suffered from a sudden onset of weeks of diarrhoea? have now convinced myself that I have cancer. My GP has arranged for me to have bllod tests tomorrow - an MOT she called it. Then possibly colonoscopy/endoscopy. I am feeling in state of panic. TMI I gess but my stool have been formed but 'greasy' today. Just don't know what to do. Feeling desperate

[chickpea]

Ask your GP to do a faecal calprotectin stool test, as well as the blood tests.
Blood tests can show inflammation, which might suggest inflammatory bowel disease -but aren't always reliable.
A calprotectin test is much more sensitive, and is used to distinguish between IBS and something that needs further investigation. It saves people having unnecessary colonoscopies or other invasive tests.

When you say constant diarrhoea, do you mean every time you go is loose, or are you having to go many times a day?
Is there any blood? Pain?
Have you lost weight?

There are lots of reasons for diarrhoea, so try not to panic.
I have IBS and Crohn's, which is why I know about the tests you might need.

[susie1]

Thankyou for your reply. It started 4 weeks ago when I had a sudden urge to go to the loo and had 3 totally watery motions within half hour. Then despite feeling like I needed to go I didn't have another vowel movement for 2 days. When I did it was liquid again. This went on for a couple of days and then 2 days off again. Now I need to go a lot and it is quite liquid. today it is more formed but sort of 'greasy' with lots of identifiable food in it. I am sort y tis is so much horrid information

[chickpea]

Have you been tested for celiac's?
Is it worse after certain foods?
Pain?

It seems to be an absorption problem, by your description.

[susie1]

Haven't been tested for cealiac. Don't know if bllod tests will show that or not? certain foods have always upset my stomach. Foe example anything creamy. Went to an Italian restaurant last year and chronic diarrhoea within minutes of eating a mushroom risotto. Lamb is also not good

[lily1]

Ibs can take many forms, diarrhoea, constipation or a mixture of both. In my case it was just loose stools once a day.

Mine lasted for a year. I took some antibiotics for another infection and it stopped so maybe it's a bug?

I know it's hard but try to focus on something else.. I did in my case other C's :( and my tummy troubles stopped!