Watery diarrhea once or twice a week

I too have definitely obsessed over the colour of my stools and more recently the consistency.

You are right about stress and the symptoms, it's a vicious circle of symptoms make you worry and stress which makes symptoms worse , I'm now on beta blockers to try and control these.

It's strange the difference it makes to my day going to the toilet and passing a solid , reasonable color stool . I've become completely preoccupied with this . Thank you

My symptoms especially my early ones have been difficult to ignore which is what pushed me to seek advice outside of Dr. When you're used to things being a certain, colour , consistency and frequency and then all 3 change over a period of just over 2 months it is difficult no to be concerned irrespective of what my dr says.

I already have been keeping a diary of what I eat and bowel movements for when I finally do get to see GI .

I will definitely try dry cornflakes to try and absorb acids , problem with diet changes is it has no immediate effect so it becomes difficult to decipher what is upsetting you digestive system and what isn't . Thanks again for taking time to respond Jim

All I've worked out is excessive red meat or fatty meat has a tendency to start things off.

As you say IBS is an all encompassing excuse for what the doctors can't explain. I didn't realise that Imodium could be taken without restriction.

Thanks again for you time Jim

Try to keep off fatty foods altogether and see what happens.

Have you any pain or just a change in stools?

If it is IBS stress willnot help so try not to worry.

That is not to say ignore symptoms but if yu have been to Dr and he is not worried I would say it is nothing serious.

Take care and keep in touch

Sarah

I'm on beta blockers and anti depressants which are helping to keep me calm but they haven't helped with diarrhoea. Thank you Jim

Personally I'm on beta blockers and citalopram (antidepressants), since this has all started, it's helped a bit I think but I still get weekly bouts of watery diarrhea .

Thanks Jim

I don't really know what to blame for my problem, yes I was stressed a lot just prior to onset but that stress is under control now. I also thought it may have been medication I was taking at time but I've stopped that too only for the problem to stay. As I'm sure you can understand it becomes a bit of a worry when you end up with different bathroom habits. Literally my whole day can be made better just by having a 'normal' bowel movement or turned on its head by a loose or pale looking one. I've literally become a toilet watcher lol. Thanks Jim

Mate I've had many test and been told all the following

1) I have Crohns even though it hasn't appeared more recently even in a capsule endoscopy

2) I have had Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, however my most recent test showed the EPI was returning to normal

3) A HIDA scan showed I have Gallbladder Function issue however my gastroenterologist feels that removal of gallbladder will make matters worse.

I have had many scans and tests yet nothing conclusive yet. I feel it's Pancreatic in nature due to how the problem is manifesting itself. However I have nothing concrete to prove it.

Hi Jamie really sorry only just noticed I had this question this morning.

I originally suspected the pancreas , I've had an MRI, CT and a Triple Phase Pancreatic Protocol CT. none of which show anything out of the ordinary. Many thanks Jim

No worries, thanks for replying. Have you ever had an endoscopic ultrasound? I ask because it tends to show the pancreas better in terms of picking up chronic pancreatitis.

I'm having the exact same symptoms as you, right down to the rib/back rib/chest abdominal pain with pain sometimes up between my shoulder blades (on the left side).

My HIDA was normal, and no gallstones on ultrasound. However ON ultrasound it was noted that my celiac artery had high velocities when blood was flowing through when I expired. It was normal on inspiration. This is significant for something called "median arcuate ligament syndrome" (google it). I'm currently being worked up for this

It can cause intermittent mesenteric ischemia due to lack of blood flow/compression. It can also cause exocrine pancreatic insufficiency and even chronic pancreatitis (again due to lack of blood flow). The signs that you might have this is easily identified on abdominal ultrasound, and the anatomy is confirmed on a CT angiogram which looks at the abdominal blood vessels & how blood flows thru them.

My issues are primarily after a large meal. I get terrible left sided back pain, and the proceed to have horrid diarrhea, which goes on every time I eat something once I get "flared up". Anyhow, might be worth mentioning to your dr.

I've managed to lose 15#-20# over the last 6 months which is when I started to really have symptoms.

My GI did a bunch of labs which were normal, to rule out autoimmune bowel diseases, as well as celiac disease. I've had the hida, ultrasound, CTA (still awaiting results), and now, I'm in the process of getting an endoscopy and colonoscopy to rule out anything else. I'm also going to ask for an endoscopic ultrasound to really look at the pancreas.

Anyhow, sorry so long winded. I'm glad you don't have pancreatic cancer ( which is what I was worried with because of the back pain!). Good luck!

Jamie Pancreatic Cancer is a big scare, just the thought of it fills me with dread and I'm sure it does you too.

On top of the scans I have mentioned earlier I have also had two Ultra sounds which also showed nothing, a Sehcat which came back normal, interestingly my HIDA was not good (only 24 where greater than 40 is acceptable), however my problems started in July 2015 , it wasn't until just after Christmas that I had any right hand pain at all, so I think the underlying cause of my EPI may also have effected my gallbladder function but I honestly don't believe the gallbladder underlies all my problems.

I am going to see my Pancreatic specialist in about a month and hope to make a case for and Endoacopic Ultra Sound which as you say is highly regarded for CHronic Pancreatitis . Depending on where you are from the Secretin Stimulated MRCP is also a very good scan but I think it may only be available in the USA as I haven't found anywhere that does it over in the uk and that includes private. The SS-MRCP is to the Pancreas what the HIDA is to the gallbladder, it is really a Pancreatic function test, in itself it is probably not as capable as the EUS of seeing abnormalities, however it is a useful tool if you have pains and EPI but all other scans are clear. Good health ,Jim

I have been following your discussions and your journey towards a proper diagnosis. I am having very similar symptoms and had many of the same tests, I recently had a slightly elevated lipase level prior to gallbladder surgery and went ahead with the surgery once the lipase level came down after a clear liquid diet. Once surgery was over I again had pain and elevated lipase. I have lost a lot of weight and am currently undergoing more tests to include bloodwork, an MRI and eventually an EUS. I am very worried about PC because my grandfather had it.

Can you tell me is your pain chronic....everyday? Did you or have you ever had a slightly elevated lipase? Other than my lipase, all my tests have been normal. I had an MRI 8 months ago which revealed nothing!

My pain has been going on for a number of years and is getting worse. My biggest concern is weight loss  as I am unable to eat much.

I know you mentioned having an appt. with a pancreas specialist...have you been able to get a proper diagnosis and are you felling any better? I really hope you are on the road to recovery. I do hope to hear from you!!! Best wishes!

Claudia first thing and most important (if you ask me) if you have Facebook I'd like you to request to join a group called "Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency disorder support group (EPI) " they are real nice people , I'm a member there , my name is Jim Demetriou if you want to check that you've requested the right group.

Anyway back to your questions , at an early stage of my problem (late August 2015 till about Jan 2016) where the pains were at their worst I did not have either an amylase or lipase which I feel was a missed opportunity as in hindsight I feel that I had a acute attack at that time, the pains were not continuous but they were more or less daily , at its worst it felt like someone had embedded a dagger into my left shoulder from the inside and upwards from my abdomen, I had pains in all the classic pancreas places too. Anyway I've had a CT, a MRI and a Pancreatic Protocol Triphase CT, all completely normal , despite this I've had flactuating Feacal elastase stool tests. 

It is awful to even think about PC , firstly I have read that you have to have two people in your family with it before the risk increases for you, also I'm pretty sure there are people in the group I recommended with all the symptoms and a PC history in the family. 

I was convinced for at least 6 months that I had PC, it is such an overwhelming thought that I was ignoring many other side issues I was having which were non Pancreatic, I am currently under diagnosis for a Autoimmune Disorder called Sjogrens .

Without even knowing you I can only imagine how upset you must feel at the mere thought.

If I can make a suggestion, (assuming you are a uk resident) if the anxiety gets too much and you can't wait (which is what happened to me), I went to barnet A& E in a distraught state , I didn't have to exaggerate much with the pain of the stool colour and explained my fears to a young Australian doctor, he was really understanding and said the the gold standard test for PC was the triple phase ct which is not available through A& E , he did however offer me a conventional CT and told me that if the normal ct was clear the triple phase would have nothing to be clearer with. Anyway it was clear as was the subsequent triphase one (he was right). 

If I were you I would also draw comfort from the clear MRI, if you join the group I told you they will start talking about pancreas specific scans like the MRCP, in reality the image created by the MRCP of the pancreas is excactly the same as the MRI, however the MRCP includes images of the ducts that connect the pancreas to liver etc. 

If you have any further questions I will be more than happy to answer. Jim X

Hi Jim....

Thank you so very much for your prompt and informative reply!....Yes, the anxiousness only adds to the discomfort. I will most definitely join that group on facebook however, I am in the US.

I am sorry they never had the forethought to test your lipase during any of your attacks or when your pain was at its worst. My lipase has been tested over the last six months and only showed slight elevation in Septemeber. The reference range was 16-63 and the first test was 80 then after clear liquid diet for three days it dropped to within normal range. I then has the GB surgery and immediately after surgery it climbed to 96....then returned back to 31 again after clear liquids! I am in a "flare" right now for lack of a better word and feel certain they have risen again. Will test lipase again in the am. The GB surgery was only three weeks ago and the pathology DID NOT reveal sludge or stones which is generally seen with pancreatitis.....so I am at a loss.Back on liquids tonight but I hate the thought of losing more weight as I am already very thin. Funny thing is, I am not a drinker at all...and all I read about causes are related to alcohol and gallstones!!

Did you ever have fever (slight) accompany your attacks or pain? I have all the classic symptoms including referred pain to back and shoulder however, all the pain is on the right, Go figure!!

Did you ever get to see the specialist? How are you feeling. I can't thank you enough for responding. Look forward to hearing from you.  Claudia

Interestingly although apparently my pains originated on the left , specifically pancreas , more recently I have had a lot of right handed pain. On my insistence a HIDA scan was performed which shows that my gallbladder function is bad . However I do not have stones . The gallbladder appears normal in 5 scans (Ultra Sound , CT , MRI ) . 

I assume your gallbladder problem was stones . ? 

Are you going to have your gallbladder removed? 

Also, when you have a pancreatitis attack, do you get very bad liquid diarrhea? Sorry for such a bold question...but during this flare I am experiening liquid diarrhea...which I have never had up to this point. 

This is quite interesting, my ejected fraction was 24 (still no good).

During bad days I could've pee'd what I poohed literally. It was also quite acidic in nature and would really burn my bum, after going 5 or 6 times I did not want to wipe such was the tenderness and pain.

Professor Steve Pereira who was the pancreatic specialist I saw advised against gallbladder removal on the basis it can cause more problems than it solves.  By way if you join the group do not feel shy to ask about bowel movements , it's part of the disorder and you should not feel embarrassed to ask.

Can I ask have you have the feacal calprotectin and feacal elastase stool tests and if so do you know results . 

That's exactly how my diarrhea has been the last to days Jim...just pure liquid. Generally speaking I have had quite the opposite for years now. Constantly dealing with constipation, i wonder if the gallbladder removal exacerbated my pancreas problem. 

I think it was wise to not have your GB out as clearly it does not seem as though it solved my problem at all...quite the contrary.

I have not had either one of those tests but will ask my Gastroenterologist for them. I have not heard of either one.

Can you describe your pain and did you ever have a low grade fever with it?

Did you have either or both the stools tests I mentioned before. 

Yes Jim my pain is the same and I was describe it as deep and boring dull aching with occasional stabbing. When It's really bad (like the last 24 hours) it feels like a deep burning/stinging pain.

I have not had those two tests. I just called my gastro this morning and will ask for them. They are currently testing for autoimmune pancreatitis but I know that is rare.

Autoimmune pancreatitis is not rare . In reality that is what I'm looking at, there are two types IgG4 positive which also produces pseudo cysts on organs and IgG4 negative which shows nothing on scans and is what I am. Disorders like Sjogrens & Lupus give you AiP to name two and there is stand alone AIP too.  Your Gp can order calprotectin, elastase is a gastro only stool test.

That's interesting Jim. I thought it was a rare condition. I just looked at my bloodwork script and saw they have ordered IGG subclasses and ANA Quantitative...which is consistent with what you just text me. It seems you are light years ahead of me in terms of tests and diagnosis.

What medicine do they have you on for pain and nausea...anything? I am currently taking something callled Zofran for the nausea. I do notice that when my pancreas flares, it is usually accompanied by a migraine or headache. Have you ever heard of this?

I have been on long term steroids which have helped in the main. Interesting that they Ordered ANA and IgG4 without you having to kick and scream, which is what I had to do it's possible your inflammatory markers CRP or ESR are high which justifies the testing. Even if these tests come back negative it does not exclude the possibility of AIP , I have been in contact with many people with lupus whose blood tests come back negative until years later. By way have they ordered C3 & C4 (genetic tests I think).

Where are you from, I'm from London England. 

The correct medication to take with EPI is Creon. It will help with your diarrhoea (it is a replacement pancreatic enzyme).

I had a brain MRI because my headaches were so severe it seemed like something more severe was going on. My pet hate is brain fog, if you've had it it won't require explanation.