# Can it start so suddenly??



## DannyB (Aug 28, 2004)

Up to about three weeks ago I had not really had any problems with my digestive system. My diet is 'good', I am generally fit (run each morning - until now that is) and not overweight.Wouldn't say I'm stressed at all. I work from home for myself. No stressful commute or office politics etc.About three weeks ago I had what I assumed was just a bad dose of diarrhea in the evening (no nausea or vomiting). I expected it to pass within a couple of days. It did'tEvery day whatever I ate (and some days I deliberately ate very little) went through me more or less as liquid that evening or sometimes first thing next morning.I went to the doctor after 7 days and he ran a stool test which came back clear. I was surprised I had expected to kind of bacterial problem.Since then it seems to have got worse. The only thing which seems to stop this is to not eat at ALL. If I eat, even the lightest meal then by evening my stomach is gurgling like made, I can spend hours on the loo passing gas until eventually the contents just empites as liquid.My stomach feels a liitle bloated and after all that a little bruised.What gets me most is how sudden all of this is. Three weeks ago I never gave any thought to my digestive system - now my life seems to revolve around the loo.Is this type of thing typical? Does this sound like IBS or perhaps something else?I'm due back at the doctors next week but found these forums and thought someone might have had a similar experience they could share.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Yep, IBS can start like that.Often there was a GI infection (virus or bacteria) but it lasted the usual 24-48 hours and is gone from your system.It seems the battle to fight it off causes "friendly fire" and that damage to the GI tract in the fighting off the infection causes problems than can last long after the bug that started it is gone.Even after a GI infection, if it does not go on to be IBS, it can take several weeks for the GI tract to get back to normal. Usually this would need to go on for more than a few weeks for it to be diagnosed as IBS.The I eat anything and the intestines over-react (the way you described) is really typical of IBS. The colon becomes more active IN EVERYONE after every meal. You seem to be over-reacting to that normal signal.Try drinking some peppermint tea 20-30 minutes before eating (or take a small dose of Imodium) and see if that calms it down. Both of those can short circuit the over-reaction.K.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Yep, IBS can start like that.Often there was a GI infection (virus or bacteria) but it lasted the usual 24-48 hours and is gone from your system.It seems the battle to fight it off causes "friendly fire" and that damage to the GI tract in the fighting off the infection causes problems than can last long after the bug that started it is gone.Even after a GI infection, if it does not go on to be IBS, it can take several weeks for the GI tract to get back to normal. Usually this would need to go on for more than a few weeks for it to be diagnosed as IBS.The I eat anything and the intestines over-react (the way you described) is really typical of IBS. The colon becomes more active IN EVERYONE after every meal. You seem to be over-reacting to that normal signal.Try drinking some peppermint tea 20-30 minutes before eating (or take a small dose of Imodium) and see if that calms it down. Both of those can short circuit the over-reaction.K.


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Yes, mine started one day with bad D and continued on for six months at least 4 times a day. Although I was first diagnosed as IBS-D, it was later rediagnosed as stress/anxiety induced D when a single dose of Xanax--an anti-anxiety med--stopped it. Chronic stress--even low grade--can cause chronic D in those of us who react through the GI system. Take care.


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## california123 (Jun 8, 2003)

Yes, mine started one day with bad D and continued on for six months at least 4 times a day. Although I was first diagnosed as IBS-D, it was later rediagnosed as stress/anxiety induced D when a single dose of Xanax--an anti-anxiety med--stopped it. Chronic stress--even low grade--can cause chronic D in those of us who react through the GI system. Take care.


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## DannyB (Aug 28, 2004)

I've been trying to figure out what may have been the trigger three weeks back.The only things I could come up with (neither of which seem likely) are:1) I ate a packet of crisps which had gone soft. The sell-by date was OK but they obviously weren't fresh/crispy. Stupid really but at the time I was pretty hungry. Surely if this was the cause the stool test would have shown some bacteria and I would have expected some sickness.2) I had not run for a few weeks (I had had a slight back strain) - started running again a couple of days vefore all of this started.I'm reluctant to take any medication. keep hoping the stupid thng will just clear up. But the longer it goes on the more I think that perhaps I should try some imodium or something.I have eaten absolutely nothing today - just drinking water - in some kind of forlorn (I think) hope that giving the digestive system a complete rest might help.Any thoughts/comments appreciated.


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## DannyB (Aug 28, 2004)

I've been trying to figure out what may have been the trigger three weeks back.The only things I could come up with (neither of which seem likely) are:1) I ate a packet of crisps which had gone soft. The sell-by date was OK but they obviously weren't fresh/crispy. Stupid really but at the time I was pretty hungry. Surely if this was the cause the stool test would have shown some bacteria and I would have expected some sickness.2) I had not run for a few weeks (I had had a slight back strain) - started running again a couple of days vefore all of this started.I'm reluctant to take any medication. keep hoping the stupid thng will just clear up. But the longer it goes on the more I think that perhaps I should try some imodium or something.I have eaten absolutely nothing today - just drinking water - in some kind of forlorn (I think) hope that giving the digestive system a complete rest might help.Any thoughts/comments appreciated.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

But there are viruses that cause GI infections, they wouldn't have shown up on the test, and you may have shaken hands with, touched a door knob used by...etc someone who didn't wash their hands after they went to the bathroom.K.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

But there are viruses that cause GI infections, they wouldn't have shown up on the test, and you may have shaken hands with, touched a door knob used by...etc someone who didn't wash their hands after they went to the bathroom.K.


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