Very loose stools/diarrhoea at night

[jotee]

Hi everyone,

Over the past couple of months I have started having very loose stools/diarrhoea around 8-10pm. It's usually just the one bout each time.

I have started keeping a symptom diary but I can't think what has changed. I have started a new job, but the night time symptoms pre-date the new job and it doesn't happen every night.

Anyone else had similar?

Thanks 😊

[Luisa22]

Occasionally I've had flare ups starting at night. I got four last year, and one bad one earlier this year. They came out of the blue for me and not based on any dietary change of any kind or anything dodgy I'd eaten. Or even stress. Mine started about 10.30 at night, and another at 1am just as I was getting ready for bed and brushing my teeth! They kept me up all night long. It was exhausting.

Usually if I was going to have a bad bm, it would always be in the morning and ease up by late afternoon.

Those freaked me out to be honest. The night time was always more peaceful for me then that happened. It sets up worry and anxiety when things suddenly change with IBS. It's always harder to cope with late at night too, because we're tired.

If it's any consolation, I haven't had one of those since early last March. So it's not 'set in stone'. Yours might pass off too I hope.

[Andann in reply to Luisa22]

generally I feel IBS is unpredictable. I sometimes have these occcurences between 2:30, and 5:30 am. I stop eating around 7 pm every night so assume they might be from a backlog/constipaton that I wasnt really aware of.

[Luisa22 in reply to Andann]

Yes, it might be. I am regular and go #2 every morning. I do get constipation on rare occasions (like maybe twice a year) for a couple of days but it seems to resolve naturally and back to regular daily, sometimes normal, sometimes a no 5. But when I have a bad flare I go SO much, it seems impossible, like 5 day's worth in 12 hours! I think where did that come from? So though I go every day maybe some backlog -hey?

[jotee in reply to Luisa22]

Thanks, glad those spells have passed for you. I'm hoping it's just a phase. I find the unpredictability so difficult. I swear I could eat exactly the same every day and get entirely different results. Hoping it resolves itself soon.

[xjrs]

Might be best to discuss any changes in symptoms with your GP. Particularly if they have gone on that long. They may want to re-run some tests. Also, are you constipated? Just wondering if you are getting overflow diarrhoea at that time.

[jotee in reply to xjrs]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have made an appointment to see my GP, your comment gave me a nudge actually. The only time in my life I've been constipated is when I was last pregnant 13 years ago. So no, really don't think it's that 🤷‍♀️

[Equilibrated]

I have had problems with this in the past and I have found that it is typically from drinking alcohol or having dairy, like ice cream after dinner.

[jotee in reply to Equilibrated]

I haven't had a yoghurt for dessert since you said this, and I haven't had an explosion since. Could be coincidence....

[jotee]

Finally got to see my GP today. He was very thorough. I have a load of blood tests scheduled for next week, a stool test and he has prescribed something to reduce motility. He had a feel of my abdomen, I can't remember what his exact words were, but something felt a bit off. So we'll see....