Diarrhea, Cramps, B/M 6-8 times a day

[Matt482]

I am a 24 year old male who has been having severe digestive problems the last year or so.  I have 6-8 bowel movements a day.  I wake up at 6 AM with severe pain from gas and/or cramps.  At least 2-3 times a week I have diarrhea.  My stool is almost always loose and ribbony.  At least once a month I have cramps so painful that I must lie in bed for a couple of hours until they pass.

I am fairly active (run 2-3 miles a day) and eat right, no fast food or other fatty foods.  I don't drink any soft drinks and my only vice is beer.

I have seen a doctor for this but he would not give any advice until I had a colonoscopy.  I cancelled this procedure before it was performed.  If anyone has any advice to offer, it would be much appreciated.

[ISHA]

You may have ulcerative coloits or chrones disease,  you need to be checked these could be more serious and be affecting your colon....you don't want this to progress wiht no treatment.  You can check the web to find out more about these diseases.  Hopefully it is just IBS,  good luck to you
ISHA

[Wanda]

Try taking a calcium supplament called citrical.  It will help control the diareah.  Take one and work your way up to no more than 1200mg per day.

[hotinflaf]

hi matt --

i too have chronic diarrhea which started about 3 mos ago. i am an otherwise healthy female with a good diet/exercise program..i have IBS and when i went to GI, he told me beer is about the worst culprit to sufferers of IBS and ordered a colonoscopy. in the meantime, i quit the beer and took citracel every night and the symptoms went away, so i, too, canceled my colonoscopy..lo and behold i started drinking beer again and have had the diarrhea ever since. get the colonoscopy to rule out any other conditions, quit the beer, and increase the fiber (take citracel). good luck to you and if you find a substitute for beer, let me know...

[smiles4ever]

hi Matt,

I have also been having the same kinds of symptoms, and am alot like you.  I am a very active person, and do long distance running.  Unfortunately, the pain I get makes it very hard to exercise and such, so I sympathize with you on that one.  I have been dealing with this for about a year now, and my advice for you is to go back and have the procedure done.  Really, it's not that bad, and what the doctor can discover could really help you.  There is a possibility it could be Chrone's disease or ulcerative colitis, and meds could be given to help heal it.  It could also be a parasite, a food allergy known to cause your symptoms(wheat gluten allergy), or it could just be irritible bowel.  In that case, antispasmodics could be given to give you some relief.  but in any case, get it checked out; it's not worth it to be miserable for any long period of time.  Hope this helps a little

[kimbacat]

Matt, you didn't say why you cancelled the test.  a doc is going to need to take a look at your colon in order to figure out what is going on.  and you can't get treatment if you don't know what is wrong.  a colonoscopy is the way to do that.  if you are concerned about the test (eg pain).  don't you think what you have been suffering for the last year far outweighs any pain you MIGHT experience in a 20-30 minute exam?  besides, the standard is to use an amnesiac along with a pain killer for a scope.  so, even if you do feel pain, you won't remember it.  my advice? get the test, get your questions answered, and get started on feeling better.  good luck

[Beaker]

Hi Matt, My best guess would be that is sounds as if you have Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  You should have the colonscopy to determine you have IBS or something more serious like Ulcertive Colitis.  If you have a lot of stress in your life, I know this is hard, but try eliminating some of that.  The beer is probably causing most the gas.  Yeast is know for that.  Try to get more fiber in your diet, like citracel.  Use the tables, it is less yucky!  Drink plenty of water.  And whatever you do, RELAX!  I would get in touch with the doctor again and schedule that procedure.  Good Luck!

[Beaker]

Hi Matt,