# Chronic severe diarrhea



## Pat331 (Jun 2, 2015)

I cannot live a normal life..for 20 years. Comes out without warning and I am powerless. Have to do extensive bathroom and self cleanup, even carpet on the way. Happens in public. Protective gear does not help...it immediately runs out the sides. I have not read anyone else so graphic. Does anyone have it this bad? Complicated, but i am finally lined up for doctor after telling my family I did not see any hope online, plus every doctor I have told just looks at me like "ok". Finally, yesterday I was ranting about it after having to get out of car to go back in house, clean up, change clothes and back to toilet 2 more times....of course I had not eaten anything because I was going to dr. I am, after 20 years, DONE. Miracle..the dr I was talking to said "My mother has that."....thus, some blood test, etc, and referral to gastroenterologist...hide and watch.


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## Brittany04132013 (Jun 5, 2015)

Hi there! I have been suffering with IBS-D for around 4 years. I, too, often rush to the bathroom with loose stools. At my worst, I was having loose stools 6 times in one morning. It made it impossible for me to go to work and have any sort of social life. I felt hopeless. I finally decided to make an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and they really helped. I know all of the tests can be expensive, but if you have insurance it is really quite reasonable and I think investing in your health especially when it affects you every day is SO very important. I would highly recommend making an appointment in their gastro dept. To ease my symptoms, they prescribed me cholestryamine which has helped my symptoms greatly. The medicine keeps acid from entering the bowel and causing loose stools. In addition, they told me to be on a low fodmap diet which you can easily find online. I avoid alcohol as this is an irritant to the gut and limit my coffee intake. This has been exteremly helpful for me. I feel less hopeless now and can get in my car without being terrified of not making it to a bathroom on time. I also take 2 metamucil pills a day. I know it seems weird that fiber would help diarrhea, but it has physillium in it that bulks up your stool. I hope this helps you in some way!


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