Bloating, Stool Changes... Saw a Doctor, Just Wondering Your Opinion

[yikes123]

A little over a year ago I started having some stomach/colon problems.  I had tons of gurgling in my stomach and colon area and a general feeling of having trapped gas/air/bloating all over.  My bowel movements started changing.  One day they would be shaped fine, the next day they would be kind of skinny, then one day they would be weird puzzle shapes and kind of like diarrhea, then the next day diarrhea, then back to normal.  No particular order.  This went on for two months.

I saw my doctor.  He pushed around on me and said he didn't feel any lumps.  He pushed quite hard in two different spots, saying he was checking my gallbladder and my appendix -- I felt nothing and he said all was fine.  He ordered a blood test to check my liver function and "check out my gall bladder to some degree" -- the tests came back normal.  He was considering doing some true gall bladder tests but said he suspected maybe an ulcer, gastroenteritis?, or maybe IBS.  So he prescribed me Hyoscyamine and Protonix, saying he thought maybe the odd shaped poops were being caused by my colon spasming and pushing them into odd shapes.  I took the Protonix and hadn't yet started on the other drug and within a day everything returned to normal, I felt great and my poops were back to their normal shape and size.  On follow-up the doctor just told me to keep taking the Protonix and prescribed me a year's refills.

Over time I have noticed that things are mostly great, but occasionally I will have the strange shaped poops again (usually after spicy food), but it occurs much less frequently and I no longer have the bloating sensation.

Question is this:  should I leave it where things are at now, or should I go back and ask for more tests?  Is where I am at now a reasonable solution/diagnosis or should I be concerned about a greater underlying issue?  Thanks for your opinion.

[ann510]

A related discussion, Unusual shaped bowel, not seen on here or anywhere (yet) was started.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

Changes in bowel habits or character is always suspicious for diseases affecting the lower GI tract.  A colonoscopy would be the most comprehensive test to exclude these causes.  I would consider obtaining this test.

If negative, then yes, irritable bowel syndrome can be considered.  The medications you were prescribed are appropriate for this condition.

These questions can be discussed 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 patients education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
www.kevinmd.com

[yikes123]

I should also mention that prior to this I was taking a lot of Advil over the years for migraines that I have had my entire life.  I found out around the same time that NSAIDs can cause lots of gastro problems and have since switched to Tylenol.