Constant Diarrhea
Question: Hello,
Ive had constant Diarrhea for about a month now. Sometimes its accompanied with strong cramps. It happens all day everyday, its constant. I go when I have time but I know I could probably go every 15 minutes if I wanted to.
My diet hadnt changed at all but I do have stress, but not severe stress. Ive tried adding more protein and eating bannanas, changing my diet completly, eating rice.
I also take a daily multi vitamin. Im unsure what else I can do. Im not allergic to anything.
Is it a disease?
Answer: This is a good enough reason for you to go to your doctor. Diarrhea is a watery stool occurring more than three times in one day. It is a common problem that usually lasts a day or two. Prolonged diarrhea can be a sign of other problems and it can cause dehydration. This means that the body lacks enough fluid to function properly and dehydration is particularly dangerous.
Most common causes of diarrhea are: bacterial and viral infections, intolerance to certain food, parasites, some medications etc. Diarrhea can have many different causes. Infectious (virus, bacteria such as shigella or campylobacter) causes of diarrhea are typically short lived (lasting days to weeks). Diarrhea due to parasites (such as giardia) tends to be more chronic.
Diarrhea related to chronic conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease tend to last longer if not identified and treated.
Food allergy (such as celiac sprue where the patient is allergic to gluten) or food intolerance such as lactose intolerance (patients develop diarrhea and cramps after ingesting dairy products) are other causes of chronic diarrhea.
Other causes of chronic diarrhea include small bowel bacteria overgrowth. Normally, many species of non-disease-producing bacteria reside in our gut. But over-abundance of these "friendly" bacteria can result in chronic diarrhea.
Certain medications (such as magnesium containing antacids) and even antibiotics can cause diarrhea.
Diarrhea may be accompanied by cramping abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, or an urgent need to use the bathroom and depending on the cause a person may have a fever or bloody stools. Usually, replacing lost fluid to prevent dehydration is the only treatment necessary.
Call 737-WELL to set up an appointment at SHS to speak with a health care provider about your concerns and symptoms.
— March 16, 2007