Abdominal Discomfort for around 4-5 Days

[mbaud]

I am a 28 year old male.

For around 4 or 5 days, I've had intermittent abdominal pain that feels like gas cramps, or like the pain that often precedes diarrhea. The pain is not constant, but comes and goes. I haven't eaten much as a result. It is occasionally sharp and moves around a bit.

The night before the pain began, I was at a bar where I drank moderately. For the past year, it has been typical for me to have diarrhea after a night of drinking (which I did, but only once the following morning). After that, my stool has been solid, but somewhat mucousy and foul smelling.

During the past 5 years, I have had the following tests performed: 1 year ago - upper endoscopy for GERD (revealing inflammation of the esophagus); 4 years ago - colonoscopy for some abdominal pain and stool irregularities; 4-5 years ago - 2 abdominal/pelvic CT scans (1 to rule out appendicitis and 1 later for suspected kidney stones).

I had been taking Prilosec off and on for GERD for a few weeks at a time. I stopped a few days ago. Yesterday, I began taking a acidophilus supplement.

My largest concerns are that these non-specific symptoms are caused by a malignancy of some sort, and that it is in my small bowel -- which hasn't ever been directly imaged. Although I realize such a cancer would be rare at my age, I have been exposed to a substantial amount of radiation from the CT studies--which I fear may have a health consequence at some point.

I would be grateful for any insights you could offer.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
I can understand your concerns. While, it is good to avoid CT scans etc, the ones you have had may have increased the risk for cancer. But a direct correlation is difficult to make. Also, just because you have repeated scans, it does not mean you will get cancer. Your symptoms can be due to several factors.
Chronic diarrhea can be due to parasitic infestations.  Other causes are irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, malabsorption syndromes, pancreatic diseases, diabetes, hyperthyroidism etc. If celiac, Crohn’s and other problems have been ruled out then lactose intolerance and IBS are the possibilities. Gas in stomach, burping, diarrhea all go in favor of IBS. Pancreatic enzyme disorders, liver dysfunction, HIV, cancer of the gut, and infections by parasites other than giardia can all cause persisting diarrhea. Lyme and lupus are other possibilities that present this way.
The stool color can vary with diet. If your diet does not have fiber, fruits and vegetables, it is likely to be pale colored. Also, liver and pancreatic disorders can cause pale stool. Also, since the symptoms usually start after drinking, it can be alcohol allergy or liver or pancreatic disorder. Please discuss this with your doctor (GI doctor).

I sincerely hope you will find this information useful in your journey towards better health.

Hope you get well soon! Good Luck and take care!

[mbaud]

I should also add that my stool color for the past few months has been a light brown. No obvious signs of bleeding.