Chronic Diarrhea for over 20 years

[cmartino]

In my youth up until I turned 26 years of age, I was always constipated.  Frequency every 3 days.  Never once any diarrhea.  In my 20s I had gotten chlamydia.  Was treated but kept getting reinfected by my partner.  Never knew it.  Found out last year, still had it.  In addition I was on birth control pills for 20 years.  But it wasn't until I tried Prozac when I was 26 for about 8 months when my bowel movements changed from constipation to diarrhea.  And never returned to normal.  I've had chronic diarrhea for over 20 years.  From the years 2001 to 2006 I've been taking 4-6 Imodium tablets a day until April of 2007 when I was infected with a virus my body had trouble fighting.  Ran a high fever for days.  Chronic fatigue took over and I could no longer work.  My Imodium had to be increased to 20-30 pills a day.  Today I take 21 pills a day to keep firm stool.  I have had all tests possible.  Nothing shows.  One doctor says it might be an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine that had migrated from the colon.  The antibiotic used to kill this condition is Rifaximin in high dosages.  I had already taken that drug in 1/3 of the dosage for 15 days and it increased my diarrhea frequency so that I had gone from 21 Imodium daily to 27.  So the doctor won't try the drug.  Wants to give me Lotronex instead.  Last year I got breast cancer.  Afraid the Lotronex will cause the cancer to get worse.  Diarrhea not stopping.  Going to die from malnutrition and dehydration in less than 6 months if nothing works.  Have mal-absorption really bad.  People tell me it's not possible to take the amount of Imodium I take but I do, everyday.  Other people tell me that it's the Imodium causing my diarrhea and to just stop.  Tried that, almost died from heart attack.  Help.  I know there is no one in the world with such an extreme case.  I should just accept that I will die soon from this.  I have a 7 year old son..it tears me apart.

[ozark]

have they tested you for chron's disease or colitis?

[medsfree]

I met a lady in Houston a few years ago. She said she had had chronic diarrhea all her life, and had been scheduled for surgery when she started doing an exercise from the Dahn Hak system called "Intestine Exercise."

She claims that after two weeks, the diarrhea went away and had not come back in two years.

Intestine Exercise is a simple thing, easy to learn and easy to do.  I would venture that it is worth a try.

You could Google Dahn Hak and look for it, join a local center, or just stand easy, place your hands on your belly button, and gently, slowly, suck in your gut and release it, 300 times every morning.  Be aware of sucking in your belly, your sides, your back.  That's it.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Can't say without evaluation.

I'm sure that tests like a colonoscopy, stool analysis for malabsorption and blood tests to exclude celiac disease have all been done or considered.

Otherwise, optimizing treatment for irritable bowel can be considered.  You have already tried the Rifaxmin.  Trials of tricyclic medications or antispasmodic agents can be considered next.

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

Kevin, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com