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Chronic Diarrhea

Hi,
I have been suffering from chronic diarrhea for at least 7 years. I am 20. For example, it is 1:00 pm and I have already had 6 loose bowel movements. I also suffer from abdominal pain, white stool (have had it three times in the last two years), pencil-thin stool, often watery, with undigested food, or mucousy. I also have vitamin B12 deficiency (absorbed in upper intestine). My doctor seems to simply want to label me as lactose in tolerant, but I can go for a few weeks sometimes of eating anything, including dairy, and have normal bowel movements. I have been tested for Celiac Disease, but it was negative as well as negative for H. pylori. I get enough fibre. Please help me!! My life revolves around where the nearest bathroom is and awkward explanations of why I am always in the bathroom!
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Avatar universal
Does a colonoscopy look at the upper intestines as well?
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Avatar universal
Thanks so much for the advice pixieface! I will make an appointment right away!
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Avatar universal
Sorry, I meant colonoscopy and said endoscopy because I'm not thinking straight! (Endoscopy is the one that goes down your throat, colonoscopy is the one that goes up your butt; I meant the latter to look at your intestine!)

My husband has also just informed me that he was initially diagnosed with lactose intolerance and then Celiac Disease before arriving finally at Crohn's. So I really think the scope is a good idea.

Best of luck; hope you get to feeling better.
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Avatar universal
Have you requested an endoscopy? It might be worth booking an appointment with a gastro specialist and getting a scope done, because it might reveal some underlying problem with your bowels (such as Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn's disease, both of which can cause constant diarrhea and poor digestion of food due to disease in the intestines.) It's not possible to completely confirm a diagnosis of either with a scope, but it may reveal swelling, scarring, or ulceration of the colon which might suggest a diagnosis of either. A biopsy can be done on the tissue to confirm or deny such a diagnosis.

(I'm not an expert, but my husband has Crohn's disease and has suffered almost constant diarrhea for eight years - it took him a long time to get a correct diagnosis. A scope would be a very good first step in finding a correct diagnosis for you, I think.)
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