Diarrhea without a diagnosis -- what could it be?

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August 15, 1:39 AM

by Dr. Delia Chiaramonte, Baltimore Health Examiner

 

 

Everyone hates diarrhea. For most of us it only lasts a day or two, but for some unlucky souls, the watery stool, abdominal discomfort and fear of eating before a long car trip can go on and on. There are many causes of diarrhea, some common and some obscure.

The “stomach flu” has afflicted most of us at one time or another. We become uncomfortably acquainted with the toilet, lose a few pounds in as many days, and then recover with no treatment except time.

Diarrhea that lasts for months has entirely different causes.

One common, and often unrecognized, cause of chronic diarrhea is celiac disease, or gluten intolerance. While there has been more awareness recently of this common disease, many people with low-level GI distress spend years without an explanation for their troubling symptoms.

Clostridium difficile, a pesky GI bacteria, is another potential cause of diarrhea. C. difficile often appears after a long course of antibiotics and it is associated with a particularly putrid odor. An unlucky few end up with chronic or recurrent C. difficule which can be very difficult to treat.

Occasionally the bacterial count in the small intestine can increase wildly, causing chronic GI distress. This bacterial overgrowth can be associated with celiac disease, but can occur on its own as well. This diagnosis is often overlooked, but should be considered in someone suffering from chronic, loose stools.

Those who have traveled may have picked up a GI parasite and those with an allergic history might have eosinophilic colitis.  Many people have a dysfunctional gut, often called irritable bowel syndrome.

The most important message is this: if you have endured chronic diarrhea but don’t yet have a diagnosis, you need to keep pushing. Encourage your doctor to investigate unusual causes and see a diarrhea specialist (yes, they do exist) if necessary.

Here’s to firm stools!

-Dr. C.
www.insightmedicalconsultants.com

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