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What Causes Prolonged Chronic Diarrhea?
Question: I have the following symptoms and I am wondering what the cause can be. Chronic long term diarrhea, black in color, with burning stool and stomach aches. I have fecal incontinence , and I threw up blood once. I can taste it sometimes. I have to use baby diaper ointment on my rectum. I had an ulcer when I was a baby. Could that be related?
Brief Answer:
possibilities explained
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
Chronic diarrhea diarrhea of > 4 weeks duration can be due to
a) increased intestinal secretion (e.g., carcinoid, VIPomas),
b) Malabsorption/osmotic diarrhea (e.g., bacterial overgrowth, pancreatic insufficiency,mucosal abnormalities, lactose intolerance),
c) Inflammatory bowel disease, or
d) Altered motility (e.g., IBS).
It is difficult to come to an etiology of your diarrhea without detail history.
Black colored stool (melena) with stomach ache points more towards peptic ulcer disease with upper Gasto-intestinal bleeding as complication. You have also history of hematemesis (threw up blood once;can taste it sometimes).
Co-existent anal ulceration however is more in favour of Inflammatory bowel disease particularly Crohn's Disease which can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the mouth to the anus.
Burning stool is due to passage of fecal material through inflamed segments of the large bowel. Gastroduodenal form of Crohn's Disease can cause epigastric pain.
You need detail evaluation including upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy and Colonoscopy.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
possibilities explained
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thank you for your query. I can understand your concerns.
Chronic diarrhea diarrhea of > 4 weeks duration can be due to
a) increased intestinal secretion (e.g., carcinoid, VIPomas),
b) Malabsorption/osmotic diarrhea (e.g., bacterial overgrowth, pancreatic insufficiency,mucosal abnormalities, lactose intolerance),
c) Inflammatory bowel disease, or
d) Altered motility (e.g., IBS).
It is difficult to come to an etiology of your diarrhea without detail history.
Black colored stool (melena) with stomach ache points more towards peptic ulcer disease with upper Gasto-intestinal bleeding as complication. You have also history of hematemesis (threw up blood once;can taste it sometimes).
Co-existent anal ulceration however is more in favour of Inflammatory bowel disease particularly Crohn's Disease which can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract from the mouth to the anus.
Burning stool is due to passage of fecal material through inflamed segments of the large bowel. Gastroduodenal form of Crohn's Disease can cause epigastric pain.
You need detail evaluation including upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy and Colonoscopy.
Regards
Dr. T.K. Biswas M.D. XXXXXXX
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Answered by
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