long time post op, new bathroom issues

Hi, I have been post op for about 13 years. Almost made goal weight, and clothes size 10/12.  Post hernia repair and tummy tuck.  I would say my DS surgery was a success.

I do have problems with taking all the vitamins and have a chronic anemia problem. I have had iron infusion in order to prepare for hernia/tummy tuck surgery... it is something I struggle with but still I am happy with my surgery etc.

However in the last month or so I have had NEW bathroom issue.  I usually have 1 BM per day... the consistency varies, constipation or pudding consistency.  Now I am having loose stools, loose soft that leaves me feeling a burning sensation in my lower intestines and rectum for hours after.  It also have a lot of that fat residue, and is several hours after I eat.

I suspect that I am having urgency/loose stools due to eating high fat diet.  I never had this problem to this degree.  Can you change your tolerance to high fat food?  Also I have gained about 10 pounds since the christmas holidays... I am reluctant to take something that will "increase" my absorption of calories.

What else can I do in addition to eating lower fat foods to decrease my BM and make them a little firmer, slower to diminish this burning sensation that I get in my lower intestines... (feels like when you are sick with diarrhea and your insides get inflammed from the high gastric acid content in BM).

IMO, its gotta be something you're eating.  Something like you describe is the result of milk or onions in my world.

Another thing to consider is a bacterial inbalance in your bowels.  If I feel I'm getting something like that, I find a nice big bottle of kefir to drink in a day, and make sure I'm back to my daily yogurt allowance to keep my "bugs in check".

Do you take any probiotics? If not, start. You might also want to get a stool culture to see if you've got some sort of low-level 'bug'.

If you go and see a doc re this (a good idea IMO), I'd get some probiotics.  Primal Defense Ultra is widely used one in the DS community.

You may also want to try a course of flagyl as a last resort if you don't get anywhere with a food elimination diet or stool cultures.

Duh, hit post too fast.  That was meant to say "I'd get some probiotics... WHILE YOU'RE WAITING FOR FURTHER INFO/TEST RESULTS, ETC".

HTH

Thanks everyone. I wanted to avoid going to see MD... Such a hassle... Got to take day off from work etc. But I guess I really won't know without getting stool culture... Thanks. I will try probiotics. Will probiotics make you gain weight? I used Imodium and yesterday felt like a regular day in the bathroom issues... No cramping, no loose stools...

Probiotic won't make you gain.

Hate to tell you but I am dealing with the same bathroom issues and when I finally decided to get my head out of the denial sand and strat tracking my food again, I realised it was self induced (TOO MANY CARBS)     And what problems are you having not taking your vitamins.  You know this is not an option so unless it is a physical ailment preventing you from taking your vitamins (and even then) You need to suck it up and take them. 

Cut the crap food, eat your yougurt every day and take your vitamins...