Diarrheal Advice

How are your labs?  Some deficiencies can cause diarrhea, like low B12.  Just a thought.

After you do the stool samples that your PCP will want to rule out C-Diff etc.  Then ask her for enough Flagyl to do two rounds.  That will kill the bad bacteria in your intestines.

Start taking 1-3 tablespoons of chia seeds daily it should help stop the watery diarrhea within a few days.  They are healthy for you too.  The nausea is probably due to dehydration...  You need lots of water, but I know that it comes right back out.  I survived 5 months of explosive, watery diarrhea before I started on the chia seeds.  The Flagyl also will help if you have bad gas. 

Part of my problem was whey, gluten, SA and SF products.  I also don't tolerate probiotics.  I ended up doing 2 different food elimination diets.  Meat only, no veggies, or fruit.  When I still had all the symptoms, that's when we went with the Flagyl.  At times I still have problems, and go back and take more chia seeds.  I did have bowel issues prior to my DS, so all of this wasn't new to me, but the extra intolerances were.  I was lactose intolerant going into surgery.  I also take 6 doses of calcium daily - but was only taking 5 when I was having all the problems...

There is a very small percentage of folks with diarrhea issues, about the same on the other side of the bell curve with constipation issues... 

1) Go on an elimination diet...first go back to the very basics and add foods carefully just like you would add them to a baby's diet.

2) Post which vitamins you take and exactly which brands.

3) Have yourself checked for c-diff...that may be the cause of the upset in which case you need an antibiotic and then repolpuate your gut with the good bacteria.

4) Unfortunately you lost your surgeon this past week.

Most of the time, diarrhea is caused by something we eat that we shouldn't and not taking enough of the right vitamins.

I use Creon.  It is a digestive enzyme that is replacing the digestive enzymes you would normally get in your stomach, but have been re-routed to the common channnel with your DS.

The Creon theoretically helps you get more nutrients when your food (which at that stage is called chyme) hits your common channel, where absorption takes place.  Some gain weight with it, others don't.

There is another form of this enzyme called Viokase, which is much better for DSer's.  I first had that, then was switched to Creon when Viokase was unavailable in the US.   I read that it is available in the United States again.

As for the diarrhea problem...try taking more calcium.  Usually, when I have  diarrhea, it's because I didn't get all my calcium in the day before.  I'm also having PTH issues, so the calcium is a must to get my parathyroids to go back to sleep, and stop telling my body  to pull from my bones! 

Take more calcium.