Embarrassing Diarrhea Issue

[NeedsAdvice88]

Okay, I need a diagnosis.

I'm a 20 yr. old college student, perfectly healthy. No history of digestive problems, diarrhea, etc...

I had a horriying experience today. I was out in town with a couple of friends when out of nowhere I felt the need to go to the bathroom (number 2 that is). At first I thought: I can hold it until I get back to my room on campus later...but 10 minutes past and I realized, I had to go NOW. I told my friends I'd be right back and headed towards the nearest bathroom. About halfway there it became apparent...I wasn't going to make it. There I stood, halfway between my friends and the bathroom, making poo poo in my pants. I had ABSOLUTELY no control over it. I quickly ran for cover and thought about what I ought to do. I couldn't let my friends know what happened...I was about a mile away from campus. So, in cover I ditched my boxers and made my best attempt to clean myself up and headed back towards campus. Halfway back I called my friends and told them I was sick and had vomited all over myself. When I got back I had to go again...made it to the bathroom this time, however. This time I noticed some blood on the toilet paper.

Now, just a few hours later, I feel 100% fine...a little mentally scarred, but fine.

I had a Cheese Omellete and Lucky Charms for breakfast and a Cheeseburger sub for Dinner. All cafeteria food.

I'm going to point the finger towards food poisoning.

I apologize for the graphic detail of that story...I'm trying to find humor in this terrible situation.

Should I see a doctor or keep myself hydrated and try to stick out this potential case of food poisoning?

Thanks,

-Uncontrollable Bowels

[NeedsAdvice88]

Haha, thanks!

I woke up this morning wondering if that was a dream...only to find this thread in my recent history :)

I really appreciate the response, it made me feel a lot better. I feel fine this morning. So I'll continue to suspect that it was something I ate. What did I have for dinner the night before? I'll check the cafeteria calendar when I get a chance.

On the bright side, I have a new found appreciation for my health and a new respect for those who deal with this sort of issue on a regular basis.

Thanks again,

-Public Display of Bowel Movement

[ggreg]

Yup, sh-- happens!  I'm an older person, and some of us have that sort of experience from time to time.  Actually, it would probably be whatever you ate the night before the incident that created diarrhea.  If you get feverish or the diarrhea continues more than a week, you can visit the doctor about a tummy flu or bug.  I had a relative that had stomach flu and had to get up in the middle of a family dinner and visit the bathroom.  We all knew the situation, so it was no big deal.  But for you, it probably was just some food that didn't agree with you.  It was "holding it" that made your body reach the breaking point.  

The blood was very likely just your tissues being irritated and pulled when the blast-off happened.  According to statistics, serious intestinal blockages almost always do not happen in young adults.  Or the blood could be you have a little hemorrhoid, which is a swelling that comes from straining over a period of time from constipation, the blood vessels give way from the pressure. Usually they come and go, nothing to be concerned about.

There is a remote possibility that your muscle control is goofed up for some other reason than indigestion, like a lot of constipation can stretch everything out, which proper diet can make even that return to normal in time.  Or a recent back injury or surgery of some kind might do it, but you'd know whether that has happened to yourself or not.  Pregnant women have a heck of a time, which I imagine you can now certainly appreciate what they must go through!

I had IBS for six months in a row, visited the bathroom five or six times every morning, absolutely no control over my digestion either.  But I'm lucky, I stay at home, so I didn't have to run for it.  My IBS was caused by a medication, so as soon as I changed the drug, it went away, thank goodness.  I also personally know a few people who have had accidents in public, a most humbling experience for them indeed, but you sound like you have plenty of self-confidence.  And then there's people whose bowels have been compromised and they have a medical re-routing of waste, and they have to worry about odors sometimes, but I reckon everything unusual that can happen to a person has happened to somebody somewhere... it's called "the human condition."

But as one ages, one could care less about those sorts of things.  One day you trade youth for wisdom, and you find out that, in life, the most important things are of the heart.  Although I wouldn't want to spew vomit on a friend this afternoon or anything.  Ha!