Change in Stools / Others Symptoms

[GKGK]

Hello! Male, 35 years old. Needing some advices. In january I spent 1 month working in another country (Oman, Middle East). One week before back to home I started to feel changes in stools. And at moment, two months later, the stools isn't normal yet. Sometimes they are loose, others normal and rarely watery. I have one or two (maximum) bowel moviments.

Current symptoms: stools not normal as before my trip, vagues pains in abdominal and back (come and go). I am on a diet for one month and lost 10lbs (maybe too much but I am overweight, 1.90cm and 130kgs).

I already performed 2 ultrasounds and 1 MRI of abdomen. Both of them were clean except for 2 gallstones (asymptomatic, I know I have them since 3 years ago).

I went to 2 doctors. Both of them told me it should be IBS. They told me a trigger was my 1 month trip (very different foods for me, spicy foods, per example). But I don't have diahrreia or constipation. Just change in stools.

1) With ultrasounds and MRI, can I rule out Pancreatic Cancer?
2) My bloods test showed direct bilirubin on 0.20. Is it normal?
3) My LDL cholesterol dropped 30% in one month! For me, too much! Just because the diet? Or malabsorption?
4) Is it possible to be IBS or some other bowel disfunction?

I am suffering a lot from anxiety!

Thank you!

[patient915]

I say that it doesn't really fit with your timeline of symptoms because usually you would have other symptoms first, before you could actually start seeing changes in your stool.  You can have a fat malabsorption and not be able to see any changes in your stool.  You would also probably have weight loss (that wasn't caused by dieting) and consistent diarrhea.

[GKGK]

Why do you think a fat malabsorption doesn't fit with my timeline of symptoms?

Thank you!

[GKGK]

Why do you think a fat malabsorption doesn't fit with my timeline of symptoms?

Thank you!

[patient915]

No that is not too much to drop in one month, and it means you are doing a good job with your diet.  It could be a fat malabsorption but that doesn't really fit with your timeline of symptoms.  It definitely could be a dysfunction of your bowels that started during your trip.

[GKGK]

And about a drop of 30-35% in my cholesterol and trigliceridies in one month? OK, I am on a hard diet, but it is too much, no? Maybe a fat malabsorption? A disfunction in my bowel that I got in my trip?

By the way, my stools improved in the last days. I hope it keeps improving...

Thanks!

[patient915]

Yes IFG is a glucose level more than 100 and some doctors consider a glucose of 95 pre-pre-diabetes.  I don't think the insulin level is a problem because you don't have low glucose levels.  No, this doesn't go along with pancreatic cancer; I don't think you have pancreatic cancer.

[GKGK]

I asked to my doctor to perform a insulin level. I aldo asked to perform a CEA (result 1,3) and CA19-9 (result 20,3), just got results.

IFG just happens with a glucose level more than 100, no?

Do you think a 1.7 insulin level is a problem? Is it a good idea to repeat the exam?

Do you think these kind os results can be relationed with Pancreatic Cancer?

Thanks!

[patient915]

Why did they check your insulin levels at all?  Normally they will only do this if you are having low blood sugars.  It looks like you have impaired fasting glucose or pre-diabetes, which puts you at a higher risk of developing diabetes in the future.

[GKGK]

Yes, for both. A fasting of 9hs in the first and 11hs in the last one. After the first test I entered on a hard diet!

I'm too worried about the low insulin levels!

[patient915]

Were you fasting for both blood tests?  The probiotic you are on in is a fine one, and I don't know much about Trimebutine because it isn't available where I live.

[GKGK]

One more thing...

One month ago I performed some tests including: Glucose (105), Cholesterol (240) and Trigliceridies (220).

I stayed alarmed and since then I have been on a diet. Lost 10lbs. New blood results: Glucose (95), Cholesterol (180) and Trigliceridies (160). I also tested for insulin and for my surprise...just 1.7! I´ve never had tested for insulin before.

Why do I have normal glucose and low insulin? I´m so scared!

Thank you for suggestions!

[GKGK]

Lactobacillus acidophilus LA 14 and Trimebutine Maleate.
What do you think?

[GKGK]

About changes in stools, during the last 60 days a lot of things happened with my stools. First they were a bit more watery. Later more yellowish (no watery, 3 small pieces) and in the last days they are more normal (brown in colour but still a bit soft, 2 or 3 small pieces). They don´t smell foul and they aren´t high quantity of feces (maybe because my diet). In 3 or 4 times during the last 2 months they seemed fatty and ugly.

The coincidence it started in the end of my trip.

About bilirubin, just the direct bilirubin is 0.20! The indirect bilirubin is 1.1 so the total bilirubin is 1.3! What do you think? Considering Pancreas the important is direct bilirubin, right?

I don’t have diahrrea or constipation because I have bowel moviment 1 or 2 times a day. Is it possible in IBS or another bowel disfunction?

What do I have to do? Just wait? My doctor prescribed me a probiotic and a medicine for IBS. And about my vagues pain in the back, coincidence? Anxiety?

Thank you for the attention!

[patient915]

As I have told you before, yes you can almost 100% rule out pancreatic cancer based on your tests.  I'm pretty sure that 0.2 for bilirubin is normal.  No, 30% is not too much to drop in one month.  It means the diet is working so good job!!  Yes, I think it is definitely possible that this is IBS.  What do you mean by a change in stools?