Viral flu-like illness affecting my bowels... or something else

All over Christmas I've had a horrible viral illness that's left me with no voice, extreme fatigue, cough etc. I'm so much better than I was but for the last few days when I've been to the toilet my motions have been very watery, almost orange in colour & just pretty horrible. I haven't eaten a proper meal since Christmas day. I thought it might have been honey that I'd had in a drink but it seems to have continued even on stopping the drink. It's not a diarrhoea as such as I don't always need to go though when I need to go, I know I must. I went earlier this morning & it was just horrendous - bright orange/yellow/brown, watery & just 🤮

I do suffer with IBS and have tendency to diarrhoea which is all associated with panic/anxiety but the colour is not something that's normal for me. I can't figure out if it's just related to my current illness or something else.

[weegmack]

I have the exact same thing. Started on 10 December with flu-like symptoms - no fever, but cough, sinus pain, sore chest, headaches and just feeling grim. Felt quite nauseous too. On the 15th I started having diarrhoea every other day, took such pain in my stomach that I stopped eating for three days and had to see the GP on an emergency appointment on Friday 20th. I have anxiety disorder and OCD and I was in an acute attack of both, as well as faint with pain and lack of food and fluids. This GP was lovely, very sympathetic and gave me more diazepam, pantoprazole and peptac for gastritis and hoped that the diarrhoea would settle as the virus left me and I was calmer. I managed to hydrate a bit and eat a very tiny amount (GF crackers basically) until Christmas Eve when I started with awful stomach pain and had urgent loose bowel movements. This continued into Christmas Day and I ended up having pure liquid diarrhoea. Passed out briefly. Took Imodium. Couldn’t get up on Boxing Day. Ended back at the GP on Friday 27th. This GP was less sympathetic. The previous GP had ordered a stool sample and it was clear of bacteria and c-diff. So the GP I saw on the 27th really had nothing to say to me other than it’s been a virus and it’s settled in my guts and taking Imodium has made it worse. She also took me off all my gastritis meds as she said they can worsen diarrhoea.

So now I’m in a lot of upper gastric pain, doped up on diazepam and still having diarrhoea once a day. I’m taking dioralyte. When I go, it’s like porridge with the odd solid bit in it and it’s mainly the same colours as yours.

I’ve had IBS all my life (I’m 45) and had it all nicely under control until this happened. I’m so exhausted, I can’t do anything. One of my daughters still lives at home (the other is at uni) and she said she’s never seen me so ill and it’s really upsetting her. I feel awful. I’m not coping and I just want to die right now.

[Hidden in reply to weegmack]

Oh no, that sounds horrendous! I'm so sorry to hear how poorly you've been & still are. I really hope you improve soon.

I've just given in to a diarrhoea capsule as within a short space of time I needed the loo pretty urgently & went 3 times, all just liquid & bright yellow/orange. I still can't face food even though my stomachs grumbling.

I just feel so tired & awful 😔

[weegmack in reply to Hidden]

It is awful. Though I do think we’ve both had a horror of a fluey virus. I know a few people who have been floored with the flu symptoms, but not has the stomach symptoms for as long. But those are people who don’t already have IBS. I’m just not brave and I have quite severe mental health problems and the most unsupportive, horrible husband.

I really hope you feel much better very soon xx

[janetmtt in reply to weegmack]

I had similar - flu, cough, cold, sneezing and horrendous stomach pains with diarrohea - was going to bed and although freezing could not have any covers on me as soon as I pulled duvet up I was breaking out in sweats on back and neck and even T Shirt resting on stomach was setting it off so lay all night till 4 am with no clothes or blankets on. Night before I had to get up and change bedding because of sweating. It was really scary. I never ever get bad pain or diarrohea just bloat and constipation but these were like ripping me in two. Also lot of gas and wind. I felt it was either gastric flu or a tummy bug or something I had ate. I am ok now but stomach went on for a week then I got that awful pain on bridge of nose which went but for last two weeks been left with an awful dry cough. Just takes time and...…. you think you are getting better then seems to return

[weegmack in reply to janetmtt]

I’m so sorry. Your flu symptoms were definitely worse than mine. I had no fever at any point. Just terrible exhaustion - sore throat, cough, sinus pain, aches and pains. But has nausea from the start, then the diarrhoea started and hasn’t gone away. From what my GP and friends are saying - this is a flu virus that’s upsetting tummies too. I had to bring my eldest home from uni with it late November - she vomited several times and had about a week of dodgy tummy, but then it settled.

It’s reassuring that your tummy settled after a while. But coughs - my goodness they like to hang around don’t they? They’d actually drive you to distraction I think. Is it a dry cough? Xx

[Hidden in reply to weegmack]

My first day of trying to eat a proper meal today, hubby made me a cheese & ham toastie. It was very nice but I've just had a need for the loo, some diarrhoea again. It's making me wonder whether it's worth eating if things are going to just go straight through me! 😔

[weegmack in reply to Hidden]

I feel exactly the same way. All I can manage is a spoonful of Greek yogurt and crackers, twice a day and half a plain chicken fillet for dinner. I’m forcing it down because I have no appetite and I can hardly drink at all. I’m still having terrible pains and rushing to the loo, though some of it is now solid and the rest is diarrhoea. I’ve been like this for so long, I’ve given up on resuming a normal life. I’ve been housebound for 22 days and I’ve just had enough.

I’ve had IBS for so much of my life and it has robbed me of so much. And GPs just don’t care. They don’t care what it does to me. This is just a nightmare I can’t fix and I don’t know what to do. 😞

[Hidden in reply to weegmack]

I do find that IBS is a condition whereby people don't always give it the attention it deserves. Admittedly there is a lot unknown about it but that doesn't mean that sufferers should be ignored.

Seriously hope you find a way out of it soon. Just had my 2nd trip to the loo in a short space of time, bloody annoying!

[weegmack in reply to Hidden]

I’ve just had a really nasty trip to the loo 🤢. Bright yellow pure liquid. I feel faint. No more food for me and back on diarolyte, I put on new jeans today that bought in November, and they are actually falling around my hips. Normally I’d be pleased to lose weight but this is really worrying.

Are you coping ok? I can’t stop crying 😢

[Hidden in reply to weegmack]

I think I've just decided to not eat again until I feel completely better. I'm just going to drink, take cold & flu meds, cough medicine & soothers. Or & have vicks on each night.

My main symptoms now are the cough, fatigue & diarrhoea. When I go it's still bright yellow/orange & liquid, it's awful & I just want it to go. One of my IBS problems is anxiety, particularly about toilet availability & although we have toilets at work, they're on the floor below me. Having said that I need to go back into work & it's only 3 hours tomorrow then I can come home & do nothing!

[RAMBOLINI in reply to janetmtt]

have you seen doc bout corona virus

[Hidden in reply to RAMBOLINI]

Thank you for your suggestion. All of these symptoms were at Christmas/new year & beyond. At that point the virus was all in China I believe, although a lot of my colleagues at work feel it likely I had it!

[janetmtt in reply to RAMBOLINI]

Was five month ago before virus

[Hidden in reply to janetmtt]

I think the virus was already in China at the time of me being ill. It didn't really hit the UK until the end of January. There have been a lot of posts on facebook though as it seems a lot of people were very poorly with a nasty virus around November/December last year which seemed to take a good few months to clear.

[janetmtt in reply to Hidden]

think that was when I had it

[Hikeandlive]

I'm experiencing something similar. No cough, but had sinus headaches for several days the first week of December then an increase in IBS-D symptoms and consistent lower abdominal pain. I have been getting a bit worried and I'm starting to get worn down. Trying to eat well with bone broth and simple foods, but nothing seems to be helping much. I hope it is just a virus that is taking a long time to work through. It's helpful to know that I'm not the only one having these challenges. I'm sorry you are not feeling well and hope all will experience better health soon.

[Hidden]

I had a further doctors appointment yesterday as things still hadn't improved. In fact I went into work on Thursday & felt awful for it so I phoned in sick on Friday & got in at the doctors.

Result - I've now developed a nasty chest infection with decreased oxygen sats as well from when I was seen on 27 December. I've got a course of antibiotics to take & have been signed off work.

Regarding the diarrhoea, apparently it's just a nasty side effect to the virus I've got 😔