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Having Diarrhea. Used Bristol Type 3. Celiac Blood Test Showed One Positive Out Of The 5 Markers. Advise.

Posted on Thu, 7 Nov 2013

Question: Are soft stools necessarily bad? I'm a 35 year old female who has given vaginal birth to two large babies. (Hemorrhoids to prove it). A year ago I had a 24-hour case of diarrhea but my stools never returned to their former density - used to be Bristol type 3, now they are 4 or sometimes 6. They have stayed formed but soft. Stool samples revealed no occult blood or parasites. Don't know if there is bacterial overgrowth, but probiotics didn't do much. Fiber supplements or high-fiber foods just give me gas. Sometimes gas feels "hot." I also have to wipe again later after a bowel movement as there will be some "remnants" of the bowel movement. Celiac blood test showed one positive out of the 5 markers, but not the major markers. Please advise.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Rifaximine treatment is advisable.

Detailed Answer:
Hello!

Thank you for the query.

It is very common that bacterial infection (which has caused your diarrhea a year ago) becomes chronic infection. This can cause many gastrointestinal symptoms including constipation and abdominal pain. Nowadays many cases of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) are caused by such chronic bacterial infection.
That is why I strongly recommend you to try Rifaximine 400 mg 3x1 for 7 days treatment. This is a very special for such infections antibiotic which does not hurt natural intestinal bacteria. Please take probiotic along with this antibiotic.

Your constipation can be also caused by Zoloft. It is common that antidepressants cause constipation. Other reasons of constipation are hypothyroidism and bowels obstruction.

If Rifaximine wont help, stool culture test should be done. Next step should be colonoscopy. Please have also thyroid tests done.

Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (28 minutes later)

In regards to a possible bowel obstuction: would this be why I have to tip forward to completely empty my bladder sometimes? I also have to urinate about 5-10 miutes after a bowel movement despite urinating during the bowel movement.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (13 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Detailed below.

Detailed Answer:
No, it does not seem to be related. Frequent urinating, incomplete urinating is very often a symptom of urinary tract infection. Urine analysis should be done.
You are a young person so bowels obstruction is rather not your problem.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (1 hour later)

Thank you very much.

Answered by Dr. Grzegorz Stanko (0 minute later)

Brief Answer:
.

Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar