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Thread: Bowel problems

  1. #1
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    Bowel problems

    I haven’t posted for a while as I’ve managed to keep my health anxiety in check but before things go too far I would be grateful for a few other views on the matter. I’ll try and not ramble too much .

    Ive been having bowel issues more frequently since September. I was on holiday and had one occasion where I had to rush to the loo one night with diarrhoea then things were ok again. On returning from holiday it happened again twice in the first week back, again a couple of visits to the loo then I was ok again and it didn’t happen again for 6 weeks then it happened again. in those 6 weeks I did sometimes have a bit of a gripey stomach but nothing happened. So I tried to forget about it.

    i have been keeping a diary of what I’m eating when I have the loose stools to try and figure out if there is a trigger and I can’t for definite say that there is anything in particular that sets me off but when it happens it is usually a couple of hours after I’ve eaten. Except twice when it was in the middle of the night. All in all since the beginning of September I have had loose stools 10 times and as I mentioned have had weeks in between where I have been ok, although sometimes a bit gurgly and crampy.

    I have lost about 14lbs in weight since September but I have been dieting and exercising so this was intentional but I haven’t put any weight back on over the Christmas period which is unusual considering the amount of chocolate I consumed. But then again when I’m anxious I lose my appetite anyway.

    I had to go to the doctor anyway for the results of a recent heart scan (I have a minor heart condition that is monitored) so I told the doc about it. As a result I have had a blood test and two different stool tests. I have also just had a flexible sigmoidoscopy as part of the normal over 55 bowel screening in this area. That was clear. No polyps and reported as normal. It’s taking quite a few days to get back to normal since that procedure however! Still not quite right. I also don’t have any bleeding which I suppose is a positive.

    However, I find myself falling back into the health anxiety rabbit hole again. I am back to the docs next week to find out the other results but I can’t get it out of my head that this might be something serious. My aunt (dads sister) who is in her seventies has cancer which started as a polyp in her bowel and this is on my mind. I can’t even remember if I mentioned this to my doctor ☹️.

    Im not asking for a diagnosis. Just other perspectives on the situation. Is anyone else like this?
    I’m already in the system and the ball is rolling but could this just be ibs or random food intolerances? I have been up and down with anxiety over the past year. One thing after another that I have been seriously stressing about (family stuff) and I know anxiety can play havoc with the digestion, but I’ve always been anxious and never had symptoms like this before, or at least they never lasted so long.

    So on the positive side, the flexi sig was normal, I’ve no bleeding and the diarrhoea is not constant but on the negative side this has been going on for nearly 5 months, family history, softer than normal poos, gripey gurgly stomach at times.

    Thanks for reading. Any thoughts?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    247

    Re: Bowel problems

    Just wanted to let you know you’re not alone with your bowel issues. Three and a half weeks ago I had what I assume was a stomach virus because I vomited a few times and had several episodes of watery diarrhea. I’m still having diarrhea off and on. A couple of times I noticed blood on the toilet paper so I saw my proctologist this morning because I do have internal hemorrhoids and history of fissures. He gave me a shot in the hemmies and some cream for the fissure. He suspects the blood is from those things but had no answer for the diarrhea. Sometimes I’ll have only diarrhea once a day. Other times I’ll have a formed BM or semi formed one followed by diarrhea a couple hours later or after I eat lunch. Other days I’ll have one or two formed but soft BM’s. I haven’t lost weight or anything. Anyway he suggested an appointment with my GI doc. I saw my GI doc’s assistant a couple of weeks ago and she thinks it could be post infectious IBS. But if I keep having issues I’ll ring the GI doc and get in with him. Bowel issues are the worst though! So I understand the anxiety it creates. Hang in there and see what your blood/stool test results say and go from there. But having diarrhea only 10 times since September really doesn’t sound worrisome to me.

  3. #3
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    Re: Bowel problems

    I have Crohn's and IBS and having diarrhea is "normal" for me but it is the IBS that causes it the most.

    I usually have upwards of 5 bowel movements a day!

    It could be simply IBS but see what doc says.
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  4. #4
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    Re: Bowel problems

    Thank you both. Although I have had the full on diarrhoea only 10 times, I’ve also had softer than normal poos on occasions too and lots of cramping. I know ibs is horrible but I would prefer that to having the alternative.

    I know I have to wait and see what the test results are and where we go from there but the waiting around and overthinking is a nightmare.

    If I hadn’t gone about my heart scan results, I would probably have put off going to the docs at all. I know how much of a state I’ve got into in the past and really didn’t want to go down the testing route again. But I’m on that rollercoaster again! I know I sound overly dramatic and a bit pathetic but I don’t know where to turn. Everyone you talk to in real life will have a guaranteed horror story about someone they know who ended up having cancer etc so this is my only outlet.

    Thanks for listening. I feel dreadful and my anxiety is sky high ☹️
    Last edited by Humly; 30-01-20 at 13:26.

  5. #5
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    Re: Bowel problems

    Just as I thought things were settling a bit, I had a midnight dash to the loo last night.

    I am also losing weight which is worrying me especially as I’m not eating healthily any more. I fear that cancer has finally got me after all the years I’ve worried about it 😢

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
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    55

    Re: Bowel problems

    Quote Originally Posted by Humly View Post
    Just as I thought things were settling a bit, I had a midnight dash to the loo last night.
    I am also losing weight which is worrying me especially as I’m not eating healthily any more. I fear that cancer has finally got me after all the years I’ve worried about it 
    From my experience, just some info that may help your anxiety. November & December I had diarrhea and stomach pains/cramps. Lost almost 20 pounds.6 trips to my doctor, 2 x-rays, CT scan, 3 rounds of blood work. Was sent to GI doctor for endoscopy/Colonoscopy. All said and done, I have Gastritis..inflammation of the stomach (minor, per the doctor). Put me on Omperazole and sent me on my way...I can tell you for a fact, the anxiety I had was made 10 times worse by my fears. It's hard, but try to stick with healthy foods right now. Will calm your GI tract. Try and stay away from soda drinks, caffeine, liquor, high fat fried foods, until your system settles down

  7. #7
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    Re: Bowel problems

    Thanks Conelrad.
    It’s so difficult to get a grip on my fears. I will try and sort my diet out. I usually eat pretty healthily anyway (not so great lately at times) but need to stay away from the wine, which tbh I drink for the wrong reasons.

    Still don’t know what’s going on. Been getting some awful cramps but no subsequent trips to the toilet. Then the pain passes. I woke up at 1 am with this pain this morning, then it passed.
    The pain during these cramps has been in the lower left side, the same place where I had the pain while they were doing the flexible sigmoidoscopy. But that was over a week ago now so surely it can’t be from that.

    I am still very stressed about other things in my life but that’s not unusual for me. I’ve never had these symptoms with it before though ☹️
    Last edited by Humly; 05-02-20 at 09:44.

  8. #8
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    Re: Bowel problems

    Well I’m off to the docs this morning for poo test results so keep your fingers crossed for me.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
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    247

    Re: Bowel problems

    Fingers crossed! Let us know what you find out.

  10. #10
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    Re: Bowel problems

    The docs appointment went ok I suppose. I went in with a few notes written down but I was so flustered I didn’t get everything across so I left thinking I hadn’t mentioned some important points.
    Stool samples were ok, nothing to report and presumably the blood tests were ok as well as doc didn’t mention anything.
    I’ve had more blood taken to test the CA125 level (ovarian cancer?) and I’m going for a scan today to check the ovaries.
    Things were starting to get back to normal in that I had a normal morning poo a few days ago - hooray - but the very same evening I had another dash to the toilet ☹️. I just can’t figure out what I’m eating to set things off because I can eat something and be ok then the next time I eat the same thing it sets me off.

    I’m also kind of worried that I’ve lost a bit more weight and I’m eating chocolate and crisps a lot.

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