Is there a doctor in the house?

[district12ravenclaw]

So, for about the past two weeks, I’ve been suffering from diarrhea. I think it’s a pretty mild case, but it doesn’t seem to be going away. I get some stomach cramps, and not a whole lot of time before I have to go running. I feel like it’s affecting my appetite as well. I’ll feel hungry, and then all of a sudden, I’ll feel sick to my stomach. It’s a cruel game my body is playing with me.

Normally, I would just deal with it, but when I’m in surgery, I can’t just go running to the bathroom anytime I feel like. I’m afraid to go to the doctor, because I really don’t want to be probed, but I don’t know how much longer I should let this go. Plus, I’m just sick of feeling so yucky. I could just ask the doctor I work for about this, but for one, she's a plastic surgeon, not an internist. And secondly, I really don't want my boss knowing about my issues.

Comments

[t-marie-o.livejournal.com]

Are you pg? :)

Seriously, I got the shits when I was first pg :)

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Nope, not pg, though I would be willing to suffer through it if that was the case :).

[t-marie-o.livejournal.com]

Shoot. That would make the trip to Dr. Phil interesting, eh? ;)

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Hahahahaha, it sure would!

[wcbtb.livejournal.com]

Someone rang? ;)

Diarrhea of two weeks or longer duration is considered "chronic" and the most frequent causes are infectious, malabsorptive, and IBS-D (irritable bowel syndrome of the diarrheal type). A basic work-up would include stool culture and blood tests - no colonoscopy, at least not right off the bat. Make sure you stay hydrated! Lemme know if you want more info. Bottom line (pardon the pun) ;) I do think it's time for a visit if this has gone on two weeks.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Yay, a doctor! This is just horrible, I swear! I read that it can also be because of antibiotics. I was on Cipro for 10 days; might that have anything to do with it?

[wcbtb.livejournal.com]

Yep, that can do it. Cipro is a common culprit in antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Not sure when your course of Cipro ended, usually AAD ends a few days to a week after you've finished your antibiotic. If it lasts much longer than that, you may have colitis and again, the way to go is an office visit. Still no scope, though - just a culture to make sure you're not overgrown (in the absence of normal, healthy flora the Cipro killed off) with a particularly nasty bacterium (Clostridium difficile) that causes an especially bad form of colitis (pseudomembranous colitis). To speed along recolonization of your gut, you could consider taking probiotics ("good" bacteria, like lactobacillus acidophilus). They're in yogurt (only yogurt marked "active cultures" or "live cultures") or in pills, over-the-counter, at most pharmacies and GNC-type places.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

I finished taking the Cipro about a week and a half ago. The diarrhea has come and gone, some days are better than others. I remember c. difficile; during my externship, this poor guy had a wound evisceration on a vertical midline incision, and he had the c. diff as well. Not a fun time for him.

I wish I had read this before I went to the grocery store tonight; I would've gotten me some yogurt :)!

[wcbtb.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, dehiscence. Yum. I'm not a fan of being a patient either, in your shoes I'd get some acidophilus and wait it out. I'd avoid taking Immodium and similar drugs, though, if it is colitis it's better if it goes on it's merry way. If it's interfering with work, or if it's not gone in a week, I'd bite the bullet and make an appt.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it was, um...colorful :). I bought some Immodium like a week ago, but only used it for one day. It said not to use it in certain circumstances, and though I don't know what would happen if I did, I don't want to find out.

Thank you so much for all of your advice!

[agreenbunny.livejournal.com]

I'm no doctor, but Mike is doing ten days of antibiotics (I'm not sure what the brand is) for his strep throat, and he's having the same thing. He always gets this when he takes antibiotics.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

I can definitely sympathize with his misery. I don't remember ever having this problem before, but it's been a looooooooong time since I've been on antibiotics, and I'd never taken Cipro before.

[mom2six.livejournal.com]

I was going to ask about being pg too.

Also, there is irritable bowel syndrome. I got that after having my first child. You eat & get diarhhea right after. If I watch what I eat I can control it.... real fatty foods flare it up.

[stevesbabygirl.livejournal.com]

Really? Must be a common thing then, wow.

I seem to be feeling better now, thank God! I wasn't sure how much longer I could put up with it.