Chronic persistent daily Diarrhea for nearly 7 months

[Reader64]

I am way past 60 and started having bad diarrhea every day 6 months ago.  Never have a normal bm anymore.  I used to be very regular every day with one bm every morning after breakfast.  GI doctor has tested me for everything possible--Crohn's, colitis, lactose and fructose intolerance, etc. etc.  All test negative.  Colonoscopy only showed diverticular pouches which I have had for many years.  GI doctor say it is IBS because everything else is ruled out.

My question:  Can IBS start up like this suddenly at my more advanced age and is it unusual to have the diarrhea every single day as I am having now for almost 7 months?  I also have bad flatulence and some pain around the belly button at times.

[FurballsMom]

I have an elderly friend who didn't start having problems with IBS 'til she was nearly 80 years old.

I have IBS with the opposite issue as you do, so I can't really offer any suggestions for the diarrhea.  Although, the suggestion for calcium supplement sounds right to me, because I know calcium aggravates my constipation.  

[lovemycats]

Hi there. It sounds like ibs-d to me if the other things were ruled out. Hasnt your gi suggested anything for the diarrhea? I take the immodium ez chews. Is it just the D, or do you get the cramps also? I have actually had it for many years before they knew what it was, it just was not cronic then. I am now 62, and have since been diagnosed with crohns, colitis, and a hiatal hernia.
  There is a support group, www,helpforibs.com which gives a wealth of information like this group. You may be able to help the D with calcium. Look at lindas calcium info there. It used to help me a lot. There is also diet info. Diet is very important for ibs.
  I hope this will help a little. I know how aggravating this disease is. I have been in a flare for a week. Hoping some new meds will help.
  Hope you feel better soon. Please keep us informed.

[Reader64]

Thanks for your info.  I have been drinking kefir and eating yogurt daily for several months.  No change in the diarrhea condition.  Also took probiotic capsules and even tried peppermint capsules --still no change.  The stool tests ruled out bacterial infections.
Have seen 2 GI specialists so far.  IBS is still the catch all diagnosis, but one of them is thinking maybe something else.  So, I just repeated the 72 hour fecal fat test and am lined up for a small bowel endoscopy in 2 weeks.  I will try the Braggs apple cider vinegar.  Thank you so much again for that information.  I will try anything at this point to relieve this condition.  I can't believe it is IBS.

[anna125]

I don't think that is normal. My opinion is that you have some kind of bacterial imbalance. When a person gets food poisoning, they get diarrhea. I would ask your Doctor about some kind of bacteria overload. That is what I think it could be. The digestive system has good bacteria, and bad bacteria. If the bad bacteria is too much, diarrhea can result. I would consider going to a different Doctor. If someone can't figure it out, go to someone else. One thing you could try would be Braggs organic apple cider vinegar. That helps get rid of bacteria. You can get it at any health food store, or certain grocery stores. I use it all the time. You take one tablespoon up to three times a day diluted in water. There is a book about it also. The website is bragg.com. That is a possible home remedy, not medical advice. The other thing you could try is to take probiotics. Read about probiotics. That might help you. Good foods to eat that have probiotics would be yogurt, kefir, and any kind of other cultured foods like sauerkraut. If you live near a whole foods grocery store, they have probiotics in pill form there. Let us know if it gets better.