Dodgy tummy.

[addai]

Can anyone please give me some idea as to what it could be or causing this problem. For about 6 months now I have had a runny tummy, docter seemed to think intolerance to something, I have already tried cutting out dairy, helped abit, trying Gluten free, slight change-on and off, I feel that I need a deeper investigation, but my Gp seems reluctant and wants to try further eliminations.

There's no blood, very slight mucus now and then, it's just the constant need to go shortly after putting anything in my mouth. Please help, Anyone? Thanks.

[tremarel]

I'm really surprised your doctor haven't sent you to see a consultant. I started like that two years ago & things just went from bad to worse going twenty times a day. I had a colonoscopy & was diagnosed with colitis .you really need to have tests to find out what's going on. Hope you get sorted soon. All the best Hayley

[morlobach]

I am lacto-intolerant and have many food allergies which is common with SLE. Check also your medication. Some use lactose to bind the chemicals when making the pills.

Indeed your GP should send a request to check your colon. I often get these periods of runny stool too. Sometimes it's an infection which then gets treated.

Morlo bach

[curran61]

Strange! I have been on a lactofree diet for years now. But since my lupus diagnosis and wearing suncream etc my stomach problems have calmed down

[knitsandie]

I wonder what meds you are taking. When I started mycophenolate I had similar stomach problems, over time things have improved but the symptoms are still there to an extent.

[Jennie_103]

I've cut out just onion and garlic and seen a huge improvement. It's the top two culprits on the FODMAP eating plan for IBS developed by Monash Uni in Australia. My GP advised it and although I miss garlic hugely it does work for me!

[Jennie_103]

He should do the blood test for being coeliac though. They can't diagnose it definitely but they can check whether it's likely.

[Cann in reply to Jennie_103]

Interesting this because I was so desperate when I was suffering so much and getting no where with doctors, tests and drugs, I went to a naturopath and she felt I could be coeliac or even crohn's. I heard on the news that one in 8 are coeliac, but only one in 100 get diagnosed. The naturopath suggested I stopped gluten. I did - in fact, all grains and I was so much better.

My last blood tests showed high platelet count and another GP from the practice going through the old test results phoned to ask why my platelet count was so high and I said I had no idea, but a naturopath had suggested I could be coeliac and so I stopped gluten.

He said well come in and have a test, but you will have to eat some gluten first. I said I had been off it for several weeks and feel so much better and I don't really want to set myself back again. I asked what the cure was and he said there isn't one, you just have to avoid gluten products. I replied - like I am doing now you mean. I thought about it and said no thanks, I will carry on the way I am rather than go back to all that suffering again and have to start all over again.

[Cann]

I was like that for a long time and lost a lot of weight, but with eating a whole food diet that suited my type it calmed down and flares are less common now, but stress of any kind can set it off whether physical or not. I see one cut out garlic and onion, how different we are because that helps me especially when I have an infection - garlic is nature's antibiotic, but I know it doesn't suit everyone and I only eat it when necessary, not routinely. I cut out dairy, grains, citric fruits and all processed foods. I prepare my own food and I find bananas calming for the gut, but again it might not work for everyone. Good luck with sorting it - invasive treatments and drugs don't work for me and I am allergic to lactose, citric acid, alcohol, etc. which is in many drugs.

[Hidden]

I have IBS. Messed around with diet and tried to balanced it with meds. Mostly when I flare it flares. Drugs irritate it. Mixtures of foods irritate it. I would look at all three. The diet restrictions need to be stuck to for some time for your intestine to readjust. Be careful to make sure you get enough of everything. Don't give up with gp.

[addai]

Thank you for all your responses, some I have already tried and others I will try, importantly I will be pestering my Gp till I get a proper investigation done.

On reflection, I seem to remember that it all started when I was put on Omeprazole and Rivaroxiban. At first I thought it was the Omeprazole so that was changed to a basic Ranatadine, things seemed to ease slightly but continued after a day, but I now wonder if the Rivaroxiban may be the problem? I shall put this to my Gp when I next see them.

[Sher78]

Tell your GP you want a stool sample tested for parasites etc Obviously with us having crap immune systems we can pick up bugs etc quite easily. I have IBS but recently came down with a bout of what I thought was gastro. This went on for 6 weeks. They checked a stool sample (after 4 weeks of me practically peeing through my bum) & it all came back fine. Went back to see the GP as obviously it was still going on. She sent off another stool sample asking for them to test for specific parasites & infections (they only test for bog-standard viral infections with any samples sent, unless they are specifically asked to otherwise) & it came back positive for Giardia (horrible parasite that many people carry but can cause a lot of trouble for others). Took a course of strong antibiotics for a week & it all got sorted. My symptoms were feeling sick, stomach swelling when I ate or drank anything, savage diarrhea (which was like water), feeling more exhausted than usual & very thirsty. A GP should be investigating what's going on with you as 6 months is a long time

[joannebond360]

I all of a sudden had this too. I tried cutting out wheat etc but was still getting it. Doctor gave me some anti spasmodic tablets for ibs which does help, you take them 20 mins before food, tried buscupan and they didn't work for me.

I have also cut out brown bread and have to have white. Brown bread triggers it off straight away.

Jo x

[BARTLETT27]

COULD range from basic IBS to Cronh's diseases. Both can run with symptoms of fribromyligia and lupus .Pls excuse spelling.

Or the even simpler cause is a lot of medication has laxalauos as part of their make-up.

[addai]

Thanks Guys, I have now had more blood test done which ruled out coeliac so a colonoscapy is now being arranged so maybe I can get some peace of mind, God willing!

[Lupylass in reply to addai]

I'm so glad you've had coeliac ruled out. NICE guidelines mean that a doctor should not diagnose irritable bowel syndrome without first ruling out coeliac disease.

When I had similar problems to you my rheumatologist immediately referred me to a gastroenterologist as with an autoimmune background it is always best to rule out certain causes before assuming an intolerance, drug or IBS. It turned out I had coeliac disease!

Good luck with the colonoscopy.