Extreme Fatigue, Diarrhea and Abdominal Pain

[Laurink]

For the past week, I have been experiencing extreme fatigue, diarrhea and stomach pains. I can sleep for almost 24hours, wake up, and still be unbelievably tired, almost to the point of fainting. Along with my fatigure, when I am awake, I have a constant stomache. I end up having to sparatically use the toilet without much warning. In terms of my stool, it looks very flaky in nature, never anything solid and always a light light brown colour. And when I pass gas, the smell is very unpleasant. My stomach hurts in two places. There is a constant pain in the lower abdomen that feels a mixture of pressure, constipation and sometimes as if  there is something moving in my stomach, creating that sense of pressure. Than everytime I eat, but only when I eat, I feel sharp pains just below my sternum. But this only happens when I am eating.
I'm a 20 year old, regularly healthy and fit male. I have recently (For the past month) began working nights at my job. This means from 9:30pm to 6:30 in the morning. My eating pattern usually begins at 8pm at night, being my first meal that day. Than I eat again around 1:30am on my lunch. I was drinking coffee and enegry drinks at first to help keep myself awake during the late hours, but since the cramps and fatigue came, I've discontinued that.

Please give me any information you have on why I'm suddenly experiencing these symptoms, and potentially some options on what they may be. Any help is appreciated, thanks. :)

[Laurink]

Hey. Just an update. The pains in the stomach have gotten worse. I'm going to the washroom more frequently, and now along with what my stool originally looked like, there is a lot of blood. And as of last night, I've begun puking from the pain.

I've been to the doctor, and they have told me my stomach is just backed up, and gave me some prescription laxatives. But they don't work whatsoever. I know that it isn't just this. Something is seriously wrong. Help!

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Your symptoms could be due to your irregular eating hours. Even though you work night shifts, you shout space your meals such that you go to bed at least 2 hours after your last meal. Eat small frequent meals. Drink less of coffee. You can take antacid gela or omeprazole and see if it helps.
Also there is a possibility that you have Celiac Disease/Ulcerative Colitis/Irritable Bowel Syndrome/ Crohn’s disease. Parasites in the gut like threadworm, tape worm, giardiasis etc can behave this way. Hence a stool test is a must. Problems of gall bladder and liver or that of pancreas too cannot be ignored.
I would strongly recommend you to see a gastroenterologist (a specialist who looks after the diseases of our digestive system). Maybe your physician can recommend someone.
Hope this helps. Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[divy8]

since you experience pain on the area below sternum after having food it could be peptic ulcer,more chances of gastric ulcer.seek the help of a gastroenterologist.the fatigue is due  to frequent passage of  loose stool n loss of water  n electrolytes in the stool.u r dehydrated n intake of  plain water can do more harm due to further dilution of electrolytes in the plasma n shrinkage of red blood cells.u r too experiencing cramps so it goes in favour of gastroenteritis.u can get medication for gastric ulcer in otc drugs in the form of ppi.norfloxacin or ofloxacin tablets along with metronidazole should help but for this you mite need the doctors prescription.excessive weakness ll require saline infusion.take an otc anti diarrheal drug for timebeing.if condition worsens go to emergency department for immediate help.

[dochooi972]

maybe  you have an   stomach infection  try drinking alone to clean your  also   drink coconut  water  and if that don`t  work seek a doctor  for pill  or something

[deedee1981]

It sounds very similar to the pain I had with my gallbladder becoming blocked by gallstones, except it took several years of intermittent pain and diarrhea/constipation to get to the stage of constant pain and severe fatigue (although I was fatigued for the last year before it collapsed). You may be getting stones stuck in your bile ducts, too, especially with the light colored stool, and this could be very dangerous. The doctors will probably tell you that it is only irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and tell you to eat healthier, which will help a little for the gallbladder. High fat or greasy food and alcohol will aggravate the gallbladder, so avoid these and see if it helps.

It is possible that it is partially IBS, and bentyl will help the spasming of the small intestine in this case, but IBS shouldn't cause abdominal PAIN, just cramping. Caffeine will aggravate IBS. It could also be diverticulitis, where pouches in the intestine get infected. Other possibilities are inflammatory bowel disease, either Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. These symptoms sound serious, and you should see a doctor soon, possibly a GI specialist. Goodluck!