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I Have Uncontrollable Explosive Diarrhea After Eating. This Has Been
Question: I have uncontrollable explosive diarrhea after eating. This has been ongoing for about 4 months and is getting worse, I do not have a gallbladder. My pro thinks I may have IBS and prescribed Choylestermine and Levsin, which help sone but cobstoTe me and give me horrible gas and rumbling bowel sounds. Do I need a colonoscopy and/or endoscopy? I had a colonoscopy 2 years ago and was told they removed polyps and I had diverticulosis. They gave me flagyl then.
Brief Answer:
See below
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. There are many causes of chronic diarrhea, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-cholecystectomy diarrhea, medications, inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndromes (such as celiac disease), and infections, including parasitic infections.
Since you have had a cholecystectomy, I would high suspect this is at least part of the problem, though usually this kind of diarrhea responds to cholestyramine. Doses of up to 4 grams daily can be used, so if you are not taking that much, your doctor may be able to increase the dose and that may help.
Irritable bowel syndrome is also possible and reasonable to treat for. I would suggest trying loperamide (if you haven't already) as that can help with diarrhea.
Since you had a colonoscopy 2 years ago, inflammatory bowel disease would be less likely, but if you were having abdominal pain or blood in your diarrhea, it might be worth checking again.
If nothing else is working I would suggest talking to your doctor about celiac disease and getting checked for it, and especially if you have had any travel outside the country, having your stool checked for parasites.
I hope that helps give you some ideas to discuss with your doctor. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of that and I would be glad to discuss it further with you.
See below
Detailed Answer:
Hello, I'm Dr. Branch, thanks for using Ask a Doctor. There are many causes of chronic diarrhea, including irritable bowel syndrome, post-cholecystectomy diarrhea, medications, inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorption syndromes (such as celiac disease), and infections, including parasitic infections.
Since you have had a cholecystectomy, I would high suspect this is at least part of the problem, though usually this kind of diarrhea responds to cholestyramine. Doses of up to 4 grams daily can be used, so if you are not taking that much, your doctor may be able to increase the dose and that may help.
Irritable bowel syndrome is also possible and reasonable to treat for. I would suggest trying loperamide (if you haven't already) as that can help with diarrhea.
Since you had a colonoscopy 2 years ago, inflammatory bowel disease would be less likely, but if you were having abdominal pain or blood in your diarrhea, it might be worth checking again.
If nothing else is working I would suggest talking to your doctor about celiac disease and getting checked for it, and especially if you have had any travel outside the country, having your stool checked for parasites.
I hope that helps give you some ideas to discuss with your doctor. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of that and I would be glad to discuss it further with you.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy
Answered by
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