constant symptoms

About a month ago I had a UTI and was put on Sulfa. Then a week
later came down with a high fever which only lasted a day. Went
back to the doctor who said UTI infection was gone but didn't know what caused the fever and put me on more sulfa and augmentin. Next day had horrible diarhea (diarrhea) which lasted for 3 days. Went to the OBGYN who took my off the sulfa and kept me on the augmentin. Diarhea (diarrhea) slowed down and seemed to be getting better.

However, it won't go away. Every time I think it is gone I get it back again. I have horrible stomache aches & dull abdominal cramps that are only relieved by the movements. The cramps are frequently in the morning (but not always) as is the diahrea problem. Eating out or eating anything new completely upsets my stomache. Its been about a month and I am starting to worry. Called my internist who just says to drink liquids and take immodium which I have tried. The only other thing that I can think of is that I recently stopped birth contol pills. I am not pregnant but could it be a hormone change causing the diarhea (diarrhea)? Please Help!!

[robyn]

Sorry...forgot to include my history. 29yr old female. Up until now had no stomache problems. Had a CAT scan of my abdomin (abdomen) done a year ago with no probs. Until a month ago my bowel movements were about every other day and pretty normal. Now, they are ever day. When it started it was unbearable diarhea (diarrhea) which was just liquid. Then it got pasty and now it is somewhere in between. Also, my recent cramps and dull pain in my abdomin (abdomen) start right under my breastbone and go lower. No weight loss or other probs that I can see. Just the stomache aches and diarhea (diarrhea) which has been going on for about a month. And, the unexplained high fever about a month ago which went away. Thanks!!

[david]

It may be a gall bladder problem.  My girlfriend has had similar problems and has been able to feel better by modifing her diet.  She has to stay away from dairy products and fatty foods and we think meats are a bit problematic as well.  She had a couple of gall bladder attacks several months prior to the onset of the nausea and diarhea (diarrhea) but I'm told that not all people have the attacks.  Then she didn't feel well until she made the change in diet.  Some people do well with fasting and drinking a cup of apple juice and olive oil every day for 3 days or so every month as well.  The normal tests for this are ultrasound to check for stones & then if none are found, a nuclear test is performed to check the actual gall bladder function.  Good luck in identifying your problem.

[nathal]

3 years ago I took Clomid and had similar symptoms to yours for 1 year. My RE put me on birth control and symptoms cleared. Yet, after I stopped the pill symptoms came back.  My problem is slghlty different than yours now because I have chronic nausea. Yet, I get diarhea (diarrhea) from time to time, and especially during cycles I noticed that diet plays a huge role as far as controlling digestion.  For example, steam rice and chicken, oat meal, solid foods help process firmer stools (sorry for mentioning stool but that's the point).  Eliminates green and red peppers, orange juice (in moderation) and alcoolic drinks.

[Mary]

Robyn,
HI. My name is Mary, I am 23 years old and have the same problem
you have. It stareted about a year ago. Everything i eat causes
intense abdominal cramping and I automatically have diarhea (diarrhea). I
was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. It sounds like that is what it is. I also have severe pain which they are still trying to diagnose. However i live off of Imodium (immodium) ad and they
have me on a prescripton drug called Donnatel. That helps with the spasms that are causing Diarhea (diarrhea). You might want to check with your doctor on that. I am so sorry you are going through this because I know I would never wish that on anyone. Good luck!!
                                   Mary

[Elizabeth LaB]

I had the same problem and my doctor told me that when a person takes an antibiotic it kills off certain germs but not others and once in a while people can get an intestinal problem afterwards called pseudomembraneous colitis, which requires further treatment.

[Kelly B]

See my other comments to other questions if you can.  Look up Celiac Disease.  check out www.celiac.com
Mu husband had the same thing and had to specifically ask his GI doc to test him for it.  This was after his gall bladder was removed (they thought that would take care of the problem) and thousands of tests!

[Rob G]

"Next day had horrible diarhea (diarrhea) which lasted for 3 days. Went to the OBGYN who took my off the sulfa and kept me on the augmentin. Diarhea (diarrhea) slowed down and seemed to be getting better"

Diarrhea is one potential side effect of Augmentin.

Rob

[Dyanna]

Oh please help... I am a 33 year old, healthy, female.  My diet consists of at least 10g of fiber / day and i work out at the gym w/ weight training as well as cardio at least 3x / week.  I have no children and live a virtually stress free life..ie..awesome marriage, no money problems, successful career etc.  so you say i've got it made..NO WAY, here the problem for the last month or so (of and on throughout my life) i have had diarreah (diarrhea) (about 6 or 7 times / day) uncontrollabe and mostly liquid.  Imodium (immodium) helps when i can't be near a bathroom and this i can deal with but the constant rumbling (no pain) on my left side even is so loud it keeps my husband up at nite. I have been to the doctor and they say that i am as healthy and fit as a 17 year old.  please can anyone relate and how do i stop this problem?  I have tried to cut out the fiber, cut down on it and cut out the fruits and veggies then i just feel sluggish.  HELP

[righnote]

Augmentin has aspartame (Equal,NutraSweet) in it. The aspartaem is what is causing the diarrhea. Lucky you didn't have a seizure--then they would diagnose you with 'NES'  Non-explained seizures.  I know a victim who found the aspartame in her Lactaid Vanilla Twist, got well and then had her first seizure in months when her doctor gave her Augmentin.  

In 1995, the FDA was forced to reveal, under the Freedom Act, 92 symptoms caused by asparatame.  Diarrhea is No. 7. The other top 10 are headache,dizziness, mood swings, comiting and nausea, abdominal pain and cramps, change in vision, diarrhea, seizure and convulsions , memory loss, fatigue, weakness.

If you recognize these symptoms, surf over to www.dorway.com
There is a support group and/or email me at ***@**** other web sites are http://aspartamekills.com, www.presidiotex.com/aspartame and www.holisticmed.com/aspartame

I am a reluctant expert on aspartame poisoning having read 10,000 cases myself--sent to Mission Possible, the grassroots, cyberspace organiztion that warns the world about the neurotoxin, aspartame

[bmh2]

BMH2,

To anyone that wants to try and help me.  This all started about 5 years ago, right before my freshman year of college.  At first I was constipated for about a month,feeling like I always had to go to the bathroom, but could never go, only a tiny bit would empty out.  A little bit later I noticed that I had no appetite and was just eating because I had too, I still don't get any pleasure from eating.  Then a little later, I noticed little brown spots on my back in sort of a cluster.  I couldn't count how many times I have been to the doctor for this.  I have had just about every test you can have done, catscan,upper GI, colonoscopy,about 20 CBC's.  Everything appearred normal, so they say.  Then they thought I was mental and put me on all of these prescription drugs that I still take.  I know in my heart that it is my body, not my head that is causing these problems.  The latest thing that I have noticed is my muscles in my legs seem to be wasting away or just fading away slowly.  The doctors think that it is IBS, but I only have half of those symptoms, and I know its not.  If you have any thoughts on this, anyone, doctor or patient,please try and help me.  I have mostly lost faith in doctors because when I talk to them they don't seem to care, I think there minds on their mutual funds, along with there hearts.  Write back please.  I need some answers.

[spunkyzz]

fibromyalgia maybe?
i have alot of those symtoms (symptoms) plus more.

[Chandler Casadine]

Hi,
     I have had the exact same problem for about two years now.
I have frequent cramps in the morning, but sometimes they come later and some days they don't come at all (however this is a rare occurance) it is almost everyday sometimes worse than others.
     I have also noticed that if I eat out or experiment with new and exotic foods it almost kills me with the pain. The cramps are usually acompanied with cold sweats and sometimes gas.
     I have noticed if I eat and chew my food slowly it drastically cuts down on the risk of cramps. Many times if the cramping gets really bad the only way to get rid of them is "using the rest room" these bowl movements are always diarhea (diarrhea)
and after they are over the cramping desist. Also if I drink plenty of liquids at meals it also cuts the risk of my cramps and diarhea (diarrhea). I recently found a medicine called Immodium Advanced chewable tablets I generally take one in the mornings even if I have no sign of cramps coming on just so I can prevent this. Also try eating less until you are satisfied not stuffed full like most people do. Also if you have gas on your stomach try burping or other means of getting rid of it, but don't do this around others for the sake of manners!
    If you try all of my advise you will most likely see better results.

[Concerned lady]

I agree with all the above suggestions. Definitely AVOID NUTRASWEET (also called "Equal" & "Aspartame). Nutrasweet is extremely dangerous & harmful!

Also, try taking ACIDOPHILUS/BIFIDUS (in capsule or liquid form) which are beneficial bacteria ("probiotics"). These good bacteria need to be put back into the large intestine because they get killed off by antibiotics. These good bacteria can stop the diarrhea caused by antibiotics, and also help with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and these good bacteria help many other intestinal problems. I can't say enough good things about Acidophilus/bifidus, including from my own personal experience.

Consider taking DIGESTIVE ENZYMES with meals. If you have an ulcer problem, or GER (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux), try "Acid-Ease" by Prevail. "Acid-Ease" has digestive enzymes to digest fats, carbohydrates, & fiber, plus gentle herbs like "Slippery Elm", "Marshmallow root", etc. to soothe, coat, heal & nourish the stomach, etc. The "Acid-Ease" does not contain "Protease", a protein digesting enzyme, because protease is irritating to "ulcer" type folks. My husband likes "Acid-Ease".

If you don't have ulcer problems or severe GER problems, consider trying digestive enzymes like "Total Enzymes" by "Nutri-West" (1-307-358-5066), which I like. These do include "protease", plus some additional enzymes that "Acid-Ease" doesn't. I first discovered these while at a Chiropracter's office.

Another important enzyme to consider trying is LACTASE, which helps digest milk sugar (LACTOSE), in case you have a lactose intolerance, which causes cramps and diarrhea & bloating. Try taking the lactase enzyme ("Lactaid") with the first bite or sip of any milk product, including yogurt, and even some MEDICATIONS, including homeopathic tablets.

If the "Lactaid" tablets cause stomach upset themselves, due to additives in the "Lactaid" tablets, try the liquid form of "Lactaid" (comes in liquid drops), which has fewer additives. You can save money by ordering direct, by calling 1-800-LACTAID.

I have lactose intolerance, which I discovered "empirically" when I found that "Lactaid" stopped the symptoms that I used to get about 30 minutes after drinking a milkshake, or even eating yogurt. Because the symptoms are a "delayed reaction", many people don't realize that they are lactose intolerant.

If you might have an ULCER, try fresh organic carrot juice, fresh organic cabbage juice, DGL (De-Glycyrrhizinated Licorice), which is a "safe" form of licorice that does not cause high blood pressure & does not cause sodium retention & does not cause fluid retention (edema). DGL chewable tablets must mix with saliva to be effective. Also try "Slippery Elm" to help ulcers.

Do check on the possibility of CELIAC DISEASE, too, which causes diarrhea. There are support groups for Celiac Disease patients. If one is a "Celiac", the "cure" is to avoid GLUTEN. Gluten is found in WHEAT, RYE, OATS, BARLEY, & BUCKWHEAT. "Safe" grains are rice (brown rice is more nutritious than white rice), corn & maybe millet. But avoid corn because many are allergic to corn. There is disagreement as to whether millet is safe or not.

Diarrhea can lead to a "malabsorption" problem, so consider taking gentle vitamins, minerals, as "supplements", especially Vitamin B complex (WITH FOOD & WATER). Don't overdose on supplements. Too much is just as bad as too little.

Go to health food stores and read books, and ask for ideas from customers and store employees. Try finding a really good Gastro-Enterologist doc. Check into finding a very good Chiropractor & Acupuncturist too.

Good luck to all! I've been both a patient and a nurse, and am into holistic health whenver possible.

Concerned lady.  ***@****    and my website is http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com