Chronic Diarrhea

[Miserable]

Hi all,

I have been suffering from chronic diarrhea for over two years now, and it is seriously effecting my quality of life. I put it down to bad IBS but recently I have gotten so sick of the symptoms I went to my doctor to find out if there were any other underlying causes. He mentioned coeliac disease to me and I am now wondering if my symptoms fit. I have read a few posts on this forum and it seems to me that there are a lot of people who suffer from weight loss and lethargy but little mention of diarrhea. Is diarrhea a major symptom of coeliac disease? I am constantly tired even though I sleep over 12 hours a night but I have experienced no weight loss. On top of that I have become extremely sensitive to lactiose, so I have cut that out of my diet and it has helped. I have always been lactose intolerant, but it is worse now than before. Also, would I be able to ask for feedback on test results I am expecting on Monday (blood and stool)?

Thank you for any feedback I get given on this!

[shopgirl]

You're definitely a Celiac candidate but if you want accurate test results, you need to keep eating gluten. Cutting it out for even a short time can effect your tests. You need to keep it in your system.

And I'm surprised you didn't see diarrhea as a symptom since that's always been the classic symptom of the disease although many of us don't have it.

[Miserable]

Thank you for the feedback. I am not cutting out any gluten at the moment because I am mindful that it would effect future tests. Have you had an endoscopy? What is it like? It doesn't sound pleasant....I think that I will probably press for that to make certain that I don't have coeliac disease. As I said, blood tests come in on Monday. What constitutes a result of coeliac disease?

[shopgirl]

Before the endoscopy, they give you a small cocktail of drugs similar to cold medicines to make you very drowsy. You're technically responsive

[Marz]

Welcome, I hope you get some firm results from the blood test and endoscopy. Please do post your results, we can help explain them if the doctor isn't being helpful. Also I hope the doctor has requested the full celiac blood test panel?

Yes, diarrhea and chronic fatigue are classic signs, with or without weight loss. Most doctors just look out for the classic symptoms, but as someone else mentioned, there's a huge range of symptoms associated with celiac disease/gluten intolerance.

Even if the test and endoscopy comes back negative, it's quite possible you're still gluten-intolerant. Once tests are done (including endoscopy), you can immediately start the gluten-free diet, and see if it makes a difference to your symptoms. Some people follow that up with a "gluten challenge" a few weeks later to see what response the re-introduction of gluten will do, a re-appearance of symptoms pretty much conclusively tells you gluten's the problem. You won't need to do that if your tests are positive though

Just note that if you do try the gluten-free diet, you need to be strict to see good results quickly - a small amount of gluten will still keep the inflammation going in your system.

It can take a few days to several weeks to see improvement, I hope in your case it will be rapid relief from the big d!

[Miserable]

Thank you for describing the endoscopy test for me. It doesn't sound as bad as I was imagining. I am getting my test results on Monday for blood and stool and I will post them here for feedback. I really hope that I can get this diarrhea cleared up, I really can't go on living like this! Thanks for your support.

[luvs2eat]

Thank you for describing the endoscopy test for me. It doesn't sound as bad as I was imagining. I am getting my test results on Monday for blood and stool and I will post them here for feedback. I really hope that I can get this diarrhea cleared up, I really can't go on living like this! Thanks for your support.

Endoscopy is about the best test I've ever had! There's no yucky prep involved... they knock you out good... I wasn't responsive at all, I was OUT, completely under anesthesia. I work up w/ just a little scratchy throat. I went home and took a nice nap.

Diarrhea was my main symptom. Immodium helped and my doctor told me I could take it every day if I needed to.

[Sammyj]

Endoscopy is about the best test I've ever had! There's no yucky prep involved... they knock you out good... I wasn't responsive at all, I was OUT, completely under anesthesia. I work up w/ just a little scratchy throat. I went home and took a nice nap.

Diarrhea was my main symptom. Immodium helped and my doctor told me I could take it every day if I needed to.

I eliminated diarrhea when I eliminated Coffee.

[Miserable]

I am already avoiding coffee and dairy products. Both have improved the diarrhea but not gotten rid of it. It is especially bad in the mornings, and I suffer from the moment I wake up. I am confused about one thing: for coeliacs, do they experience diarrhea after eating gluten or at any time of the day. I don't feel any better or worse immediately after eating bread or other glutens. Is that normal for someone with coeliac disease?

[Miserable]

I got my test results today for coeliac disease and it came back negative, less than 5. So I guess that I don't have coeliac disease. The diarrhoea is still a mystery, I am booked for a colonoscopy in a few weeks time. Would coeliac disease show up on that? Or would it only be on an endoscopy?

[shopgirl]

Celiac can't be diagnosed through a colonoscopy

[andreae2]

Hey Miserable

Please give us an update.

I'm new to this forum, and have similar symptoms as you. I have had the colonscopy and gastroscopy (at the same time!!) and I'm not celiac. I believe I may still have gluten intolerance.

I am day 9 into a gluten/dairy/sugar free diet and am having diarrhoea days 5, 6, 7 and 9. I think raw nuts are causing my diarrhoea, so today I am cutting out nuts and tahini (which I was really enjoying!!!). Hopefully I'll see some improvement soon.

I am 97kgs, 44, female and have suffered from IBS on and off for most of my adult life. I also suffer really bad back and period pain. 18 months ago I had a procedure which burned the inside lining of my uterus, so the period pain has lessened 90%. The back pain and IBS symptoms continue. This is my major last ditch attempt to work out my dietary intolerances, so I can deal with whatever I need to deal with. Sugar cravings are gone, I'm aiming to keep it that way!

Love to hear an update of how you are going.