Diarrhea

  I am 19 years old and I thought that I was lactose intolerant
  until recently.  
  I often suffer from diarrhea after eating dairy products,
  but recently the range of foods that gives me diarrhea has
  widened.  The foods that seem to give me problems are dairy
  products, oranges, orange juice, oil and vinegar, certain
  barbecue sauces,etc.  The bowel movements succumb the intense
  pain that I get from these foods.  However, there are severe
  cramps that I feel for at least an hour before the diarrhea
  comes.  This problem happens about once a week depending on
  the foods I eat.  Is this typical of any type of stomach
  problem?  Also, within the last 6 months I have been
  constipated a couple of times.  
Dear Sally,
Your symptoms are suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance and possibly gastroesophageal reflux disease. On the other hand, it may be necessary to rule out an infectious cause for the diarrhea. You may benefit from increasing the fiber in your diet, using Lactaid tablets prior to taking dairy products (or using Lactaid Milk) and adhering to anti-reflux measures or using over the counter histamine receptor antagonists such as ranitidine (Zantac 75) or cimetidine (Tagamet HB). Avoiding foods that consistently give you symptoms may also help.If these conservative measures do not provide you with relief you may require further evaluation by a gastroenterologist. I hope you find this information helpful.
This response is being provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or consultation. Always check with your personal physician when you have a question pertaining to your health.
If you wish to be seen at our institution please call 1-800-653-6568, our Referring Physicians' Office and make an appointment to see Dr. Muszkat, one of our experts in Gastroenterology.
HFHSM.D.-ym
*Keywords: diarrhea