Hello, I'm new to the forum, so apologies if I'm asking what has been asked many times before. I'm looking for a cure for loose stools. I don't have any pain, or any urgency to use the toilet during the day or night. It's just that each morning, nearly every day for 12 years my stools are very very loose, sometimes watery like diarrhea, depending on what I've eaten.
I've recently had a hair analysis test done and my potassium levels are so low they can't be measured - which I'm guessing is due to 12 years of loose stools. I also have thyroid nodules, which may or may not be related to the bowel problem. Excuse the graphics - sometimes my stools hold shape but when they do they are still soft and very thin, like pencil thin, or flattish and tapery. Other times it's like cow dung in texture! :-0 The colour is most often yellow. It is 12 years since I've had a nice brown movement (sorry about this, I'm blushing here )!
I'm not on any medication. I tried psyllium husk for a couple of days but it didn't do anything. Maybe I need to increase the amount? I've also just started acidophillus capsules, 1 with each meal, and an enzyme and HCL supplement. But after 3 or 4 days there's still no improvement. Any suggestions for natural remedies would be appreciated. Thank you.
Hi There,
You are not alone. I have exactly the same problem for the past three years. First thing in the morning after my cuppa tea, straight to the loo and Whoosh (like gas excaping) followed by a dark loose or Diareah type movement, Never solid, this happens only in the morning. Other times the movement is pencil thin and like ribbon. I'm on no medication as most do not agree with me. Endoscopys and Colonoscopys done two years ago revealed small Hiatal Hernia and Diverticulitis requiring no surgery. I eat a healthy diet and do not smoke or drink.
Hope someone can can advice us both,
Best Wishes.
Good to hear I'm not on my own, but sorry to hear about your problem. I'll keep checking into the forum to see if anyone can help us. I once read on the internet about a chap who had severe IBS. It was so bad he had to stop working, in fact I think he was practically on the verge of dying, he was so ill. He got cured by going to a fasting clinic. During the 8 weeks or so that he fasted his body had chance to heal itself. When he was weaned back onto solid foods, his stools were back to normal. I can't remember his name, but I don't fancy going down the 8 week fasting route anyway.
Hello Meadowsweet33,
If I went down that route, I Would disappear altogether. I've lost a stone as it is and I was thin before that.
I see my consultant in April. Will see what he recommends. Will keep in touch with you regarding this. I have a Hiatal Hernia and Diverticulitis so this may have something to do with it, we will see.
I'm sure were not alone with this.
Take Care and Best Wishes.
Some people claim to have cured their condition with either Apple Cider Vinegar or Grapeseed Juice. You might be interested in taking a look. Hope all goes well with your hospital appointment. Best wishes to you too and take care.
Last edited by moderator2; 03-29-2011 at 02:08 PM.
Reason: please do not post a commercial website
I went through almost 2 years of constant Diarrhea, sometimes up to 5 times a day...EXHAUSTED! I went through every test you can imagine with no answer as luckily everything was so-called normal..happy for that at least.
Both GI and PCP told me to take a Probiotic Acidophilus, I like the Schiff brand, small tiny pill that doesn't need to be put in fridge. It took almost 3 weeks for things to improve..but thrust me, they sure did....
Now that I am 99% on track I only take one pill every other day, as they can cause Diarrhea if taken too often. Hubby will take one for a few days if he gets constipated. It was a VERY slow healing, but glad to be back to normal.
Good luck...JJ...
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The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to JJ For This Useful Post: Meadowsweet33 (03-23-2011), solofelix (03-23-2011)
JJ,
Thanks for reply. I take a probiotic in powder form which you can add to your drinks or food. (It's a good one) I also eat lots of Probiotic yogurt. Have done this since I had treatment for H.Pylori. I suffer a lot of Gerd symptoms and also have Diverticlitis and small Hiatal Hernia so that might have some bearing.
I see my Consultant in April and will check this out with him.
Solofelix.
The following user gives a hug of support to solofelix: JJ (03-23-2011)
Many thanks for your reply and advice. I do appreciate it. I've started on Acidophillus, I didn't think it was working as it's been a week now and there's no sign of any change ... but if it took 3 weeks for you to see a difference, then I'll keep at it, even for a couple of months if necessary. Thanks again. M. :-)
The following user gives a hug of support to Meadowsweet33: JJ (03-23-2011)
solofelix..Ok so you do have some medical issues which might explain your problem. Hubby had a case of Diverticulitis once and it really was painful for him. They also think he has a Hiatal hernia too, poor guy seems to get everything. They told us this when he had a mild heart attack this past Nov.
Wouldn't it be nice if we had all the answers? I swear this guessing game with so many Drs. etc. can make you nuts. Like I said, I had to research my own way of eating etc. to figure things out, as the poor Drs. did everything they could but we just weren't hitting the nail on the head. I really hope things get better, so please keep us posted, we might learn something too.
All the best....JJ...
__________________
When you come to the end of your rope..tie a knot and hang on!
The Following User Says Thank You to JJ For This Useful Post: solofelix (03-23-2011)
Hi Meadowsweet33,
JJ replied to us both recomending Probiotics for our bowel condition.
I have been taking them and also Probiotic Yogurt daily for over two years and cant say they have helped in any way for me (maybe others).
Hope it works for you .
Good Luck, Solofelix.
Meadowsweet... Yes I'll be honest, after hubby went and bought a big bottle of the pills, as he couldn't find a small one to experiment with, I was like...Oh-oh, more money down the drain!.... Like you, it really didn't have much of an affect on me the first week and a half. Yes I had a few good days but not as many as I had expected. Was sooo sick of trying so many things.
Dr. told me I could take 2 day if needed, so I jumped it up for a few days and then did notice a difference. As soon as I felt comfortable enough that they WERE working, I went back to one a day. Now it's one every other day.
I truly hope they work for you, it sure changed my life. Yes I still get flares every so often, but one day compaired to 24/7 I can live with...
Keep me posted, and all the best of luck...JJ...
__________________
When you come to the end of your rope..tie a knot and hang on!
BTW ladies...my Drs. instructed my husband to make sure he bought a Probiotic Acidophlus...not yogarts etc. And Schiff is the one I really like as it is a tiny pill, inexpensive and doesn't need to be shoved in the fridge.
Have a happy day...JJ...
__________________
When you come to the end of your rope..tie a knot and hang on!
Last edited by JJ; 03-23-2011 at 01:11 PM.
Reason: As usual...Spelling!!!
2. Take Immodium (loperamide) in a dose that gives you 1-2 comfortable, formed bowel actions a day, the dose will probably lay between 1 and 4 tablets daily.
Costco sell bottles of 400 pills for about 10 dollars btw
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Multiple anecdotes do not equal evidence - Me
The Following User Says Thank You to jonnstar For This Useful Post: solofelix (03-24-2011)
Hello JJ, thanks again. If I've no joy soon I'll up the dose, and if there's still no joy I'll try the Schiff brand you mention. I've also ordered some kefir grains as, you'll probably know, the good bacteria in kefir milk is supposed to colonize the gut. Will definately post any success stories. :-)
P.S. thanks for the hug!
Last edited by Meadowsweet33; 03-24-2011 at 04:28 AM.
Reason: Wanted to add a P.S.
Mmm, never heard of cellulone before. Will definately do some more research on your suggestions if the probiotics don't work. Thanks for your contribution. :-)
could it be that you need to increase your probiotics as JJ did? I don't know ... it's just a suggestion, I'm going to try increasing them myself. Also, my kefir grains have just turned up - got them for £4.50. Don't know if you've heard about them, but you leave them to ferment in milk and it produces a yoghurt-like thinish milk drink. The bacteria is different to those in yoghurts in that these colonize your gut, thereby replenishing any lost bacteria through antibiotics etc. I'm willing to try anything at the moment. I've also come across some enzyme tablets called HMOs or HSOs. I
ordered a book by a chap called Jordan Rubin, the book is called 'The Makers Diet'. He was so ill with Chrone's disease that the doctors were going to remove most of his large and small intestine. There is a photo in the book showing before and after pictures. When he was very ill he looked like someone who was starved to death, he was like a skeleton; but 3 weeks after taking this HMO enzyme stuff and sticking to a particular diet he started putting on weight and the diarrhoea was halted. I can't vouch for the diet he promotes - it is based on the diet enjoyed by the Jews in the Old Testament, no pork or shellfish etc, and limited wheat grains - but for him it worked. So maybe it will work for others too.
Last edited by moderator2; 03-24-2011 at 01:10 PM.
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HI, Hope you are well.
Started Grapefruit Seed Extract today along with Aloe Vera Digestive Juice. Prone to Oral Thrush at times, saw some dreaded white spots on my inner cheeks this morning(Arrh...) not that as well. Thrush/Candida can cause bowel problems as well, so that could be some of the stomach trouble.
Do you get other symptoms beside the loose bowel, like pain,gas,bloating, etc. I honestly think there is a lot of digestive problems caused by Candida, and read that Grapefruit seed extract can help.
Will search Cellelone, (dont know what that is).
I will see if I can get Kefir here in Ireland.
Think I will go to the Candida Board and get a message out there.
Solofelix.
I think you should look up Cellulase. It is an anti-fungal for Candida. Didn't have time to read it all, but that is what I think you need to look up as I couldn't find anything on Cellelone.
Let me know what you find...JJ....
Off to do chores!!!
__________________
When you come to the end of your rope..tie a knot and hang on!
Thanks for info,
Will read up on ( Cellulase ) later.
Meanwhile will give the Aloe Vera and Grapefruit Seed a week to see what happens.
These stomach issues must all be connected in some way.
Take Care, Solofelix.
I don't get any other digestive problems except for the loose stools. But after 12 years of loose stools I'm sure it's having its effect, nutrient wise. I had a hair analysis test done last month and it showed excess calcium in my hair and zero potassium. The report said that sometimes if you have excess calcium, it isn't necessarily because you're ingesting too much, but could be because you aren't digesting it properly, so the body starts depositing the excess in soft tissue areas such as hair, muscles and your liver etc.
I don't eat too much calcium so I may have a second digestive problem, possibly not enough HCL acid in my stomach, which was suggested in the hair report. Now I've identified where I'm short on minerals (through the hair test) I've started taking more potassium and a bit more magnesium and I'm feeling so much physically stronger. I also have a thyroid problem, currently under investigation so I've started taking iodine too.
All the best to you. :-)
Last edited by moderator2; 03-24-2011 at 01:09 PM.
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The Following User Says Thank You to Meadowsweet33 For This Useful Post: solofelix (03-24-2011)
)!
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Best wishes to you too and take care.
