How long can the diarrhea last after a gastric bug.

[cazsb]

I have suffered with IBS which was always chronic constipation and cramps. This was diagnosed bu colonoscopy a few years ago. About a month ago I had an acute stomach bug. It started with a lurchy stomach and had no appetite that day, and felt sick, and finally had diarrhea with undigested food. That seem to ease withing a couple of days.

Ten days after this stomach upset I went and brought a chicken chow mein and ate it with a spicy sauce on. The following day I woke up with a lurchy stomach, horrific nausea and diarrhea. After a few days the symptoms were fluctuating and my dr said to eat and take Imodium. He examined me and didnt seem to feel anything untoward. The eating and Imodium did not help and it all came to a peak where I was very ill all night with exploding diarrhea. The results from a stool sample were negative. The dr has suggested it could be post infectious IBS.

I starved for 2 days and had just drank with sugar and salt drinks. I started to feel brighter and became fearful of what to eat as I didnt want this to come back. I started eating crackers and toast.

It is now a week and a half since I started eating again, and I still seem to have loose stools, but not exploding diarrhea. I am waking up in the morning, with my intestines feeling like a tumble drier, have a fear of anxiety and forboding and then have either some diarrhea or very loose stools.

Am I expecting too much too soon? I have not lost weight, stools are normal colour and no visible blood. Throughout this I have not actually vomited. I am obviously worried as this is all alien to me. What does this sound like? If this is post infectious IBS how long could this last? I just need to get back to the "normal" habits I know.

[cazsb]

Hi again, I cant say Im not scared...because I am. Silly as it may be. Obviously I am always aware of bowel cancer, and have been wondering if I may have it. When I visited my dr a couple of weeks ago he told me it came on so sudden that he doesnt think it is.

I still have the watery stools, mainly in the morning now, and some times throughout the day. The stools are normal brown watery. No blood still, and a couple of days ago seemed to smell of vinegar, which had disapeared the following day.

Mainly the symptoms are lurchy stomach and slight nausea, but the duarrhoea has now been going on about a month. Will go and see the dr this week, and see what he says. Im eating cautiously but ok now. Strange that when I starved I felt easier, and when I started to eat it all came back.

This is nothing like the IBS I have had for years...this is different. Perhaps the trigger of eating a take away meal has compleetely mucked up the whole system.  Im so fed up.

Best Wishes, Carole

[cazsb]

Thanks Rae. Im trying to allow things to settle. Having ME/CFS on top is miserable, as the infection seems to have flared up ME symptoms which I thought had gone.

I have woken up this morning and have had a horrific panic attack and palpatations which settled within a few minutes. My poor stomach has been lurchy.

I tried to eat normally over the last few days but my stomach doesnt seem to want it at the moment.

Best Wishes,

[Rae166]

Sorry to hear about what your going through. It was not to long ago ( 2 months ago) that I was in the bathroom every morning off and on for 4 or 5 hours. Diarrea, cramping and gas is what I went through for almost 20 years. I had headaches for many years and ended up getting a MRI. The MRI showed white spots all over. A year ago I went to a GI doctor. Had a endoscopy and lower gi. He said IBS. Still no answers till I started going to a chiropractor/ I m. He took my blood and found out I had severe allergies to chocolate and many others. I have changed my diet big time and I feel like a different person. I feel amazing since then. All those doctors and lots of tests gave me no answers. Its a simple blood test that is worth every second. It seems that most of my problems where side affects. Milk gave me diarrea, Wheat, gas, Chocolate made it hard to breath. I had no idea that allergies could do all that. Good luck and I pray for answers for you...