Stomach condition

My boys cam home from college for the Thanksgiving holiday with a strange stomach condition. They have lost alot of weight, which is unusual they are football players and very big boys. They work out just about every day...anyway...They feel really hungry and can only eat a little and then their stomach hurts. They have diarhiera about 3 times a day? They have blamed it on the food at school, but, even for Thanksgiving they felt the same. They are twins...one of them had a bad flu a few weeks ago and went in to the health center at school. They told him he had a virus and they said stay in bed a few days. He feels much better than that, but still has this condition. I have never seen them not eat I am really worried. I would say they have lost 20 to 25 lbs...A few years ago I had something simular. My husband and I got something from the water when we were camping that caused these kind of conditions??? They have to go back to finals this week. What in the world do you think this could be???I would like to send them into the health center with a suggestion of what might be wrong and get them something to help them during finals. Christmas break I can send them into their dr. here at home...PLease help....Patti

[Kevin Pho, MD]

There are various causes of the symptoms.  Chronic diarrhea can be caused by infection, irritable bowel disease, or malabsorption.  If the diarrhea continues, the stool should be sent off to look for infection.  A colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy can be considered looking for inflammatory bowel disease as well as any masses that can affect the bowel habits.  

Regarding the stomach pain, there are various causes of dyspepsia that can cause these symptoms - including GERD, ulcers, or inflammation of the upper digestive tract.  I would consider an upper endoscopy for further evaluation, as well as blood tests for a bacteria known as H Pylori - which is associated with inflammation or ulcers.

You may want to discuss these options with your personal physician, or consider a GI consult.  

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

[Bibsy]

Patti,

They need to have lab stool studies done. They could have any number of things: parasites, bacterial overgrowth, etc...I would request the doctors run some tests.
Hope they are well soon!

Beverly

[yoshi]

Hector pylori bacteria from dirty water and food.
They can go to doc's office and get a breath test.
if tested positive,they will be given 14 days treatment of antibiotics.

[port]

Thank you so much. That is what I had in mind...I will send them right in. Patti