Frequent Bowel Movements

[Anonymouse]

I am an other wise healthy 30 year old male, who for the past 8 years, has had frequent bowel movements, six or seven a day at its worst.  

I think it all started back in the fall of 1996, when I thought I just had a cold, but it turned out to be an upper respiratory infection.  The doctor prescribed some anti-biotics, which I took, and it went away for a short while, then started back up again.  I went back to the doctor and got more anti-biotics, the upper respiratory infection cleared up again, but started to come back, but I somehow fought it off by taking store bought asprin, because I didn't feel like going back to the doctor a third time. (BIG MISTAKE!)

Every time I begin to eat, I have a sudden urge to go.  Immediately after eating, I have a bowel movement, each and every time after I eat.  Its not diarrhea, although it doesn't come out solid, but there is quite a lot that comes out.  I don't know where it's coming from.  I'm wondering if I have some kind of fat storage problem.  Even after I go to the bathroom, I still have constant gas.  The only relief seems to be to sip about 4 glasses of water through a straw, that seems to purge it all out of my system and releave the gas.  

What is really important to note is, whenever I drink any kind of juice, such as grape juice, or any other kind of juice, that's when I get diarrhea.  For some reason I can't digest juice, without getting a really bad case of diarrhea.

I wonder if I have an early form of kidney failure?


Thank You.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

If you are concerned about kidney failure, you can consider obtaining blood tests looking for the creatinine level - which is an indicator for kidney function.

Regarding the diarrhea, there are a variety of causes - including malabsorption, infection, irritable bowel disease, or inflammatory bowel disease.  Regarding malabsorption, you can evaluate for fat malabsorption with a stool fecal fat test or blood test for celiac disease.  Tests for carbohydrate malabsorption rely upon the fermentation of undigested carbohydrates by intestinal bacteria, or direct measurement of the absorption of specific nutrients after a test dose.

You can consider also obtaining a lower endoscopy (either flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) for further evaluation of the diseases mentioned above.  You can also obtain basic stool tests, looking for infection - specifically C Difficile (a bacteria associated with antibiotic-associated diarrhea).

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Thanks,
Kevin, M.D.

[Smitty37]

A related discussion, bowel movements was started.

[brice55]

A related discussion, chroic dirrerioa was started.

[ceo79]

A related discussion, Please Help!!! Unnormal bowel movements was started.

[stepsahead]

A related discussion, my solution was started.

[RyansPlaymate]

A related discussion, Frequent Bowl Movements was started.

[answerthis]

A related discussion, frequent bowel movements was started.

[jandavid]

A related discussion, frequent bowl movements was started.

[tohnni]

I AM A 40 YEAR OLD FEMALE WHO HAS NEVER HAD TROUBLE WITH BOWEL MOVEMENTS BUT FOR THE LAST THREE WEEK I HAVE HAD DIARRHEA EVERYDAY FOUR AND FIVE TIMES A DAY, I HAVE BEEN TAKING IMMODIUM AD AND IT DOES NOT SEEM TO HELP MUCH. I AM GETTING AFRAID TO EAT BECAUSE EVERYTIME THAT I EAT I WILL HAVE A BOWEL MOVEMENT WITHIN 30 MINUTES AND THE ABDOMINAL PAIN IS SO BAD THAT I FEEL LIKE FAINTING AND VOMITING AT THE SAME TIME. MY HUSBAND THINKS THAT IT IS STRESS BUT I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE BEEN WALKING ALMOST EVERYDAY TO TRY TO LOOSE SOME WIEGHT BECAUSE I STOPPED SMOKING AND HAVE GAINED ABOUT 40 POUNDS, IT'S HORRIBLE!! SO IF ANYONE CAN FIGURE THIS ONE OUT PLEASE REPLY, THANKS

[lizziecee]

Hi - your symptoms sound suspiciously like IBD - Crohn's or Ulcerative Colitis. I have had Crohn's for 34 years and can relate to your symptoms exactly - although I probably have more explosive diarrhea than you. I would suggest you should have a colonoscopy, with biopsies, and this will certainly rule out these two disease.
Good luck.

[Anonymouse]

quote from Yoshi:
["antibiotics will upset the flora in your body,causing either yeast infection or diarhea."]

I'm positive that it all started when I first took antibiotics

Are there any over the counter medications, if this is the case?

Is there any way, other than diet, to put everything back in balance ("flora" and all)?

[Anonymouse]

Anonymouse here.  Just wanted to add the following.

How long have you had this specific bowel pattern and what was your previous frequency of defecation?

ABOUT 7 YEARS, MY PREVIOUS WAS ABOUT TWICE A WEEK.

Do you have nocturnal stool?

NOT SURE WHAT THAT MEANS.

Have you lost weight?

NO - I have gained wight over the past 7 years, probably because my metabalism is slowing down as I get older.

Is blood, mucos, pus, oil seen with your stool?

NO

Do you have explosive stol?

YES

Sense of urgency before defecation?

YES

Abdominal or rectal pain?

NO

One must also consider intestinal infection. Have you traveled anywhere recently?

NO

Could you have drunk contaminated water e.g. from a well?

NO

I doubt that too much fiber is the problem, because my only source of fiber is my diet.  That's what I thought it was at first, was too much fiber.

[hmgt]

You should definitely look into the diets that people do to control IBS/Crohn's etc. such as the Selective Carbohydrate Diet.

[yoshi]

antibiotics will upset the flora in your body,causing either yeast infection or diarhea.