Odd stools in my stomach!

Hi there.
I am a 24 y/o, 130#, 5 9, seemingly healthy male with no family history of stomach problems.
I have a pretty stressful life getting a PhD in a demanding area, but still try to remian healthy, exercise alot, and get about 6-8 hours of sleep a night, so not too bad.

I generally eat something like this.  Today I had breakfast:  two servings of oatmeal, gatorade and a bananna.  For lunch I had a turkey sandwich on wheat bread and chips and cookles with a no caffiene soda.  Dinner was two slices of pizza with just cheese and then two servings of green beans and also a potatoe, with cranberry juice.  Snacks in between of course.  Also, dont drink more than 5 alcoholic drinks a week and dont smoke or do drugs.

OK......enough backgroud.  A couple of years ago I noticed I would go through spells of loose stools and irritable bowels.  These would last for days to about a week at a time.  They occur about once a month and vary in nature.  I have never had blood in my stools, never thrown-up during these periods, and only once or twice were my stools green, only after having unusually unsettled spells, maybe flu-like.  Anyhow, it seems that this occurs more when I am stressed out, which is often unfortunately.  

Right now I am feeling OK, but recently had about two weeks of watery, yellowish stools accomanied by my stomach feeling bloated or unsettled.  It doesnt usually happen at night time.  When it does happen, its mostly shortly after I eat lunch and my stomach gets really bubbly and unsettled until I use the bathroom.  Usually when I have these spells I may have bowel movements 4 times a day and 2 of them are unexpected and odd.  Not all of my stools have been lose etc, but it really annoys me and I would like to change my diet to fix this or if it gets worse, see a physician.

By the way.  I dont think there has been any mucus in my stools either, but what does that actually mean?  I dont really know what I would expect to see from that.  Its usually just liquidy and just pretty gross.

OK, that is it.  I would just like to learn more and see what someone else thinks.  I think it is stress related, but would really like to fix that as I cannot exactly tell people to take it easy on me b/c I am expected to work hard.

Thank you for your help and time,
Me

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Chronic loose stools should warrant an endoscopy - either colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy - for further evaluation.  Possible causes would include inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption, infectious colitis as well as irritable bowel syndrome.  To test for malabsorption, fecal fat tests as well as blood tests looking for celiac disease, would be suggested.

Irritable bowel syndrome would be considered if the tests remain non-revealing.  Treatment for this would include increasing the fiber in the diet as well as possible anti-spasmodic agents.  

I would discuss these options with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

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, M.D.
Medical Weblog:
kevinmd_b

[borntoadorn44]

A related discussion, Undiagnosed stomach condition was started.