Recurring Upset Stomach

Ganluan

I'm hoping someone can provide some insight on this -

A few years ago when I was in school, I could eat practically anything and my stomach never bothered me. Fast forward a few years, and it seems like lately (especially the past year) my stomach is more sensitive than it used to be.

For a while, I didn't really want to go out to eat far from home because I was worried I'd have a rectal apocalypse on the way home. I'm not sure what was happening, but it seemed like everything I ate out, shortly after I'd hit the bathroom with a vengeance. I was never nauseous, and it never happened eating something at home.

I think in some ways I started to psych myself into it so it kept happening even when it really shouldn't have. I started eating Activia yogurt in the morning and that seemed to help. I also noticed that my belt was too tight - loosening it a bit seemed to help (maybe I was putting too much pressure?).

Even now though, I'll have a couple days in a row where my stomach is somewhat unstable, and I have to hit the bathroom more often than normal (and not the urinal, if you catch my drift). It seems to happen regardless of what I eat.

Any ideas? My wife's family has a couple doctors in it and they don't think it's a serious problem, but it gets annoying pretty quickly.

VisionOfClarity

Sounds like it could be IBS. Try cutting back on dairy, caffeine and red meat and upping your fiber to see if that helps.

admanb

Has your stress level increased recently?

Ganluan

admanb wrote: »

Has your stress level increased recently?

I don't think so :P

By the way, I laugh at your avatar every time I see it.

I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up

VisionOfClarity wrote: »

Sounds like it could be IBS. Try cutting back on dairy, caffeine and red meat and upping your fiber to see if that helps.

i used to get this quit a bit. turns out i was lactose intolerant. try cutting out dairy

bowen

Okay, I need a little clarification.

Is it:

• I feel a constant need to shit.
• I have a horrible pain in my stomach (or intestine area).
• I have a pain in my stomach or abdomen area that indicates I'm about to shit soon.

Ganluan

bowen wrote: »

Okay, I need a little clarification.

Is it:

• I feel a constant need to shit.
• I have a horrible pain in my stomach (or intestine area).
• I have a pain in my stomach or abdomen area that indicates I'm about to shit soon.

When it's happening, it's usually a bit of 2 and 3, although it's less pain and more discomfort.

onceling

As the others have said, possibly an intolerance. I think you should keep a strict food diary (and bathroom diary unfortunately). After a month of this, you can review the results and you'll probably find consistent foods causing issue.

Thylacine

I second the others in thinking it may be dairy. It might also, like someone else said, just be tied to specific other foods. There are certain things I can't eat that make me sick...I don't really know how they're interlinked exactly, except they're really unhealthy and make me throw up about an hour later: cheap microwaveable pot pie, movie theater butter, cheap white castle stew...every time. ;-D

admanb

Thylacine wrote: »

I second the others in thinking it may be dairy. It might also, like someone else said, just be tied to specific other foods. There are certain things I can't eat that make me sick...I don't really know how they're interlinked exactly, except they're really unhealthy and make me throw up about an hour later: cheap microwaveable pot pie, movie theater butter, cheap white castle stew...every time. ;-D

You may have an advantage in life. Your body is trying to safe itself from horribly unhealthy stuff. :P

wmelon

I would suggest writing down everything you eat for a couple weeks to see if there are any patterns you can determine and then if you see anything eliminate something and keep writing down what you eat until you figure it out.

Thylacine

admanb wrote: »

Thylacine wrote: »

I second the others in thinking it may be dairy. It might also, like someone else said, just be tied to specific other foods. There are certain things I can't eat that make me sick...I don't really know how they're interlinked exactly, except they're really unhealthy and make me throw up about an hour later: cheap microwaveable pot pie, movie theater butter, cheap white castle stew...every time. ;-D

You may have an advantage in life. Your body is trying to safe itself from horribly unhealthy stuff. :P

Probably, but not from most horrible unhealthy things sadly . Oh, I forgot. Also oily cheese...cheddar mostly. Maybe it's just some kind of oil or preservative that doesn't like me.

DragonPup

Is there any blood when you poop or on the toilet paper? If yes, you should contact your doctor sooner than later. It may be a sign of colitis, chron's, or possible something else.

FWIW, this is about 8.5 years since I was diagnosed with UC and blood was the major initial symptom.

CrystalMethodist

Go see a doctor!

My girlfriend was dealing with this, and it turned out to be a bacterial infection. Left untreated, it starts munching away at your stomach and giving you nasty things like ulcers.

Stop in and see someone about it if it persists. They'll give you some simple tests to make sure it isn't anything serious, but it's much better to find out now rather than later.

Ganluan

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll keep a close watch on what I'm eating and see if I can determine what triggers it. If I can't, I'll drop by a doctor.

jhunter46

Go see a doctor, but it sounds like IBS-D.

It took me four years to finally get a diagnosis of IBS-D. My best suggestion, try taking Calcium Carbonate before each meal, it really helps that, I've gotta go 20 minutes after I eat.

Just look for an over the counter supplement that contains Calcium Carbonate, it generally comes with Vitamin D as well.

Even though it's an over the counter supplement, make sure you check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking it in case it interferes with anything else you may be taking. I take about 1800mg of Calcium a day now, and I've had very little bathroom problems since I've started.

bowen

So you don't look like a retard going around asking pharmacists where to find the calcium carbonate, it's in TUMS or Rolaids (the other antacids generally have a different chemical).

Heartlash

I doubt it, but it's always possible you've got celiac disease (gluton makes you ill in the tummy). I'm only mentioning it because it's one of those things that often goes undiagnosed.

bowen

I was thinking that as well, but the symptoms are pretty similar to IBS and Lactose Intolerance. Doctor would offer the best results than to try and pick it out yourself over 2 months period.

badpoet

I have a question: Do the symptoms subside if you drink alcohol? I'm diagnosed with IBS and most of the time the anxiety over it will subside if I have a drink to two. That's not a good thing, as you find yourself really wanting to drink in social situations.

I'm going to give Activia a try and some calcium too. I alternate between D and C.

jhunter46

bowen wrote: »

So you don't look like a retard going around asking pharmacists where to find the calcium carbonate, it's in TUMS or Rolaids (the other antacids generally have a different chemical).

Believe it or not, Calcium Carbonate can have some drug interactions.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/calcium-000945.htm

Tums also contain: Sucrose, Corn Starch, Talc, Mineral Oil, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Adipic Acid, Sodium Polyphosphate, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, FD&C Yellow 5 Lake (Tartrazine), Blue 1 Lake.

So yes, you could probably just take Tums, but I prefer the supplement.

As it was explained to me, roughly 50 to 60% of the calcium gets absorbed into your bones, the remainder runs through your digestive track and acts as a binder, preventing some of the loose stool problems. This can still leave you with the spastic problems, but it helps cut down on that explosive feeling of having to go to the bathroom right after eating.

Ganluan

Heartlash wrote: »

I doubt it, but it's always possible you've got celiac disease (gluton makes you ill in the tummy). I'm only mentioning it because it's one of those things that often goes undiagnosed.

My wife actually has celiac, but I don't seem to have the same symptoms. I can eat bread or whatever and not have any problems.

As for alchohol - I don't know, as I actually never drink.

bowen

Yes I know CC has interactions. A lot of them.