Long term -tests

[baffled2015]

Hi all,

Im 34 and as long as I can remember Ive had bowel toileting issues.

Loose,painful and frequent. Ive had a sigmoidoscopy which showed diverticular disease. But nothig came back on biopsys.

I am early days seeing a specialist dietician who has put me on a fodmap diet (prior to me comimg off loperamide and the yellow stools) but he feels that given my symptoms it may not solve things. He feels there could be something more physical going on but i was referred to him by gastro team so he is exploring options.

See i a year ago my stools turned yellow and greasy for a while really freaked me out. My gp though auto immune hepatitus (especially as i already have autoimmume thyroiditus).

However it calmed down.

I have been taking long term loperamide (which doctors consent) and it doesnt make me "normal" (whatever that is) but slows things down a bit.

Fast forward to this year and hubby and I are ttc. Found out I cant taker loperamide long term so I stop taking it.

I expected my bowel to be unhappy adjusting but... ive just had 2 weeks of gas, diahrrea,yellow(occasionally dual coloured brown and yellow),greasy,mucus and some blood,constant bad cramps all over lower abdomen,often just lower right abdomen etc. Gone to a BRAT diet,makes so odds. Im dropping weight now also.

Have had to take time off work as in pain and constant need for the loo. Walking is painful.

Ive just given a stool sample to be tested.

I get ive probably masked the real problem with loperamide but im back to thinking about thia yellow stool,that whilst I have had a blood test for antibodies with liver and was normal,I understand that other organs no working efficiently can cause my symptoms.

That a sigmoidoscopy only goes as far as corner or tranverse colon (had no sedation bloody hurt) and im thinking about crohns as this can be anywhere is digestive system and that often in the ilieum which t me lower right abdomen is where i have contast ache/cramps.

I know people live with this but I cried out of frustration last night.

Waiting for stool sample to come back and hubby wants me to ring my dietician but not sure how much they can help with this??

My senses tell me im not digesting properly and yellow suggests fat and extremly quick transit.

Any help/advice greatfully recieved.

TIA

[Hidden]

It could also be ulcerative colitis

[Valbaty54]

Hello - sorry you are having such a bad time. I think your instincts are right. Let's hope the stool sample shows something. Are they testing it for infection or inflammation? Have you had blood tests? Any clues from those? A full colonoscopy might show problems further up the colon. If it's affecting your life this badly, an urgent appointment with your gastro sounds necessary. Good luck!

[rj183700]

did you say you had a scope? "That a sigmoidoscopy only goes as far as corner or tranverse colon (had no sedation bloody hurt) and im thinking about crohns as this can be anywhere is digestive system and that often in the ilieum which t me lower right abdomen is where i have contast ache/cramps." If you did not have one, schedule it with a gastro doctor asap so you guys can figure out if there is any inflammation or issues like polyps.

Fodmap diet can probably help you but if you are sick in the gut it probably won't make a big difference like your dietitian said.

For immediate relief I bet if you took a steroid like prednisone, you will feel better instantly, but it's not a long-term solution. Good luck, get your hubby to partner up with you to see a few different docs asap and get that kido.

[baffled2015]

Sorry i havent replied yet. Wanted to wait for a development. Had my follow up with dietician and he is pretty sure that dietary changes arent going to help me enough. That given my symptoms, mainly yellow stools and loosing weight for a couple of weeks (this has calmed-just in pain with frequent loose stools) that he is lretty sure I have a malabsorption,possibly if fats and protien.

He has refered me back to the gasto consultant. The stool test was for infection as he looked at them hoping for inflammation but no.

He has told me to stay as much as possible on fodmap but to keep it very very bland,and everything I eat has to have high carbohydrates and very little fat,protien and veg-to take a multi vitamin.

He could aee my frustration and upset. Though he did say if the tests for malabsorption are positive then i just take an enzyme before I eat.

He other thought if this is negative is a bacterial imbalance in my disgestive system which will be treated with antibiotics

He did also suggest perhaps trying high dose probiotics which he suggested two types-of course you cant get the on the nhs!

So here I am waiting and im back to horrible normal most days unless I dare make the mistake of eating out or getting my ratios of fat/carbs/protiens wrong then Im back to severe pain and yellow greasy floating stools and time of work-like today

Back to eating an adjusted brat diet for a couple of days.

Hope you are all well!!