Questions in the Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum have been answered by Dr. Kevin Pho who is board certified in Internal Medicine and by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Subject: Re: ANXIETY & DIARRHEA
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum

Topic Area: Diarrhea

Posted by AB on July 07, 1999 at 09:43:32

I AM A 26 YEAR OLD MALE HETEROSEXUAL AND HAVE RECENTLY DEVELOPED A RATHER PERSISTENT CASE OF DIARRHEA THAT HAS CONTINUED FOR APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AND A HALF. ACCOMPANYING THE DIARRHEA HAS BEEN SOME DISCOMFORT IN MY LEFT TESTICLE, SWOLLEN GLANDS AND A SLIGHT FLUISH FEELING THAT IS NOT INCAPACITATING. I HAVE BEEN VERY ANXIOUS,STRESSED AND FATIGUED. I HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY CONCERNED BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLE INDICATIONS THAT THIS MAY BE RELATED TO AN HIV INFECTION (I AM PRESENTLY WAITING FOR ANOTHER WEEK TO RECEIVE MY TEST RESULTS) AS I RECENTLY ENGAGED IN SEX FOUR MONTHS PREVIOUSLY, EXPERIENCING A FLU A MONTH AFTER,WITH A RATHER SUSPECT WOMAN. I WORE A CONDOM BUT I MAY HAVE HAD AN UNCOVERED LESION IN MY GENITAL AREA. MY MOTHER SUFFERS FROM THE IRRITABLE BOWEL DISORDER AND I HAVE CONSIDERED THIS AS A POSSIBILITY AS WELL. THERE IS NO BLOOD OR MUCOUS IN MY STOOL AND IT ALTERNATES BETWEEN BEING WATERY AND OF A SOFT CONSISTENCY WITHOUT BEING OF MY MORE NORMAL CONSISTENCY . I CONTINUE TO HAVE MY BOWEL MOVEMENTS WITH THE SAME FREQUENCY AS ALWAYS ALTHOUGH OF COURSE NOW THEY ARE DIARRHETIC. IT DOES NOT HURT WHEN I PEE BUT THE OPENING OF MY PENIS IS OCASSIONALLY ITCHY. MY CONCERNS ARE MAKING ME EXTREMELY ANXIOUS AND ALTHOUGH I RECOGNIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS BEING HIV RELATED, I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING OF ANY OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR THESE SYMPTOMS IF JUST TO MINIMIZE MY STRESS WHILE WAITING FOR MY BLOOD TEST RESULTS. THANK YOU.

Posted by HFHSM.D.-Gastro-RF on July 10, 1999 at 08:55:07

Dear AB,
Most individual qwith acute diarrhea ( less than 21 days) have an infectious etiology (viral, bacterial or parasitic) that is NOT related to HIV infection. A series of stool cultures and examinations would be needed to exclude an infectious cause. Investigations for other causes e.g. liver, pancreas, intestinal diseases usually is not undertaken until the symptom has persisted for 3 weeks.

This information is presented for educational purposes only. Ask specific questions to your personal physician.

HFHSM.D.-Gastro-RF
*keywords: diarrhea
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