chronic diarreah

[rhodasoda]

Hi,
My husband has had chronic diarreah for about 1 year now. He probably has diarreah about 6 times a week at least. It is mostly in the morning and after he eats and when he is stressed. Does anyone have any idea what this might be. He is going for a barium enema next week. Thanks to all of those who can help.

[Sunlover]

Does he eat any sugarless candy? When my husband quit smoking he started sucking on sugarless candy (it said don't eat more than 2 or 3 pieces a day or intestinal upsets can occur - and he was eating a whole bag!), he began getting diarrhea like that too!! Until finally I looked at the bag and saw what it said!

[Angela22F]

I wonder if your husband has any food intolerances or allergies? A lactose intolerance, or gluten intolerance (Celiac's Disease), may present as this.

Does your husband have any other symptoms besides chronic diarrhea? Has he kept a food diary of what he eats and when he has these "attacks" of diarrhea? That may be a good starting place.

[Director]

Your husband's symptoms sound vaguely familiar. The only difference, instead of diarrhea six times a week, I have had more than that in a day. Several years I finally went to a Gastro doctor when I began having daily pain along with the diarrhea and after several tests, the doctor said it was Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

That was in 1999 and I still have it today. I have been on Social Sercurity Disability for the past two years and I am on several medications, one being for the pain, which I still have on a daily basis.

I would assume your husband is going to have the lower GI from a Gastrointrologist, and if this doesn't reveal anything definative, he should have a colonoscopy, an endoscopy, and a barrium follow through (upper GI). The problem with IBS is that it's something that can't be determined by a specific test, but is a condition that is diagnoised by a product of elimination. There are meds on the market a lot of people get relief from, but most of them didn't work for me. It becomes a trial and error. I'm on Nexium, Lexapro, Methadone, Cozaar, Ambien, Klonopin, and Elavil. So there are several meds that are used in trying to keep this under control.

How old is your husband? A lot of times that plays a factor in what is going on with having the diarrhea. I am almost retirement age and it seems a lot of people get this when they get older. About 75% are women. Pleaase keep us informed as to how the test goes. If I can answer any other questions or help with any info, please write a post and I'll answer it. Good luck to your husband.