Went to bathroom in mid-sleep

[WHTobias]

  I went to bed around 2 AM Last night.  When I got up about 7 hours later, I found that I had,(unawaredly), gone to the bathroom in bed.  No urine - just watery diarrhea.  I found the need to use the bathroom when I got up and had full control of my bowels.  I didn't go to bed drunk or anything like that.  What could be the problem?


age:29
  

[lizziecee]

I have had the same problem this week - some 40 yrs since I was first diagnosed with Crohn's. I could not believe it as I have never had this problem before, but I am now 65 yrs.   I had an ileo-caecal resection on March 6th, my first resection, which is amazing after 40 years, but I had strictures in my small intestine, and have not gotten any better than before the surgery: severe lower abdominal pain, explosive diarrhea as early as 6 am which wakes me up, weight loss, no appetite, nausea etc and nightly faecal incontinence. Is there a plug we can use to stop this?  Saw my gastro physician this evening at a Crohn's & Colitis meeting for our regional area and he is very concerned at my symptoms, especially the overnight faecal incontinence. He is arranging for me to go into a Planned Investigation Unit in a week's time as he is away next week, for a colonoscopy, CT, blood and stool tests. He said he won't release me from in-patient care until he knows what the problem is, and he can prescribe either appropriate medication or further surgery.  Neither he nor I know what is causing my symptoms; he said it could be due to the removal of the ileo-caecal valve, which cannot absorb bile salts, infection around the surgical anastamosis, or just a recurrence of active Crohn's. Take your pick?

I think Dr. Kevin is on the ball - only a colonoscopy with biospies of suspicious tissue, will show what the problem is along with stool and blood tests. Ask for a Calprotectin stool assay test - cheap and non-invasive to do....I had one 3 weeks ago, and the calprotectin is highly elevated , I believe norm is 4, mine was 8, (which shows inflammation somewhere in the GI tract) as are my elevated white blood cells. There is some inflammation there that needs sorting out

My condition is complicated by a pulmonary embolus and pneumonia in late December, but hopefully the CT scan will show my right lung to be clear. Don't know what is going to happen with my Crohn's - surgery or meds, but I can do whatever is necessary.

Take care - get appropriate tests and then proper medication.

Liz in England.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Looking for possible causes of the diarrhea, including infections like giardia and C Difficile, can be done, and may cause the incontinence.  

So, sending the stool off for culture and analysis should be done.

There are some anatomical issues, growths, or masses, that can lead to this picture as well.  If the stool tests come back negative, you may want to consider a colonoscopy to exclude more serious causes.

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.

Kevin Pho, M.D.

KevinMD.com
Twitter.com/kevinmd