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Diarrhea for 6 months since surgery

Posted , 8 users are following.

sonji16627
sonji16627

Hello everyone,

I had surgery in June of 2016. I had an internal hernia repair, Lysis of adhesions, partial small bowel blockage and intestinal twisting 360 degree .

No intestines cut .my surgeon just put everthing back where it belongs. Ever since this surgery I have had chronic diarrhea ! It is driving me crazy, as soon as I eat something my good goes right through me???

I have to be near a toilet if I eat anything. My weight has dropped from 128 Pounds to 103 pounds. My surgeon and gastro doctor are baffled. I have had blood test ran(normal) , I have had a small bowel study done it just shows my food or whatever goes straight through within minutes??

I have had egd which shows I have an ulcer, I had a colonoscopy which was normal.

I am not anemic, have energy.

My doctor put me on cholestyramine and lomidine for the diarrhea. It has slowed a bit. But I still have weight loss and diarrhea whenever I eat.

I would appreciate if anyone has any advice to give, or if anyone else has been through what I am going through.

Thank you all for your help and advice.

1 like, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • cmross1108
    cmross1108 sonji16627

    Posted

    Also maybe try probiotics or a fiber supplement.
    • sonji16627
      sonji16627 cmross1108

      Posted

      Thank you for responding. I am taking a probiotic daily. My doctor said no fiber. Because it makes you go regularly which is something I am not having an issue with.

      I need to slow down the urgency to go whenever I eat.

    • looloo43
      looloo43 sonji16627

      Posted

      Yes Sonji, my specialist dietician told me this too. contrary to popular belief, fibre for people with diarrea can make symptoms much worse, as they often find it hard to break down in turn making diarrea, bloating, abdo pain worse.  in sync with advice from my gastro nhs dietician, i am on a low residue diet - simple - everything white - bread, pasta, rice. no fiber as in cereal, grains, seeds, even porridge makes me worse. any veg well cooked (not raw) & peel all skins off/remove seeds.  xx

    • sonji16627
      sonji16627 looloo43

      Posted

      Oh thank you. That will help me a lot. I will follow those food guidelines. I love pasta and plain buttered white rice and bread. Sounds like my kind of diet.lol?😄.

      Looloo you have been a God send to me. Thanks you hun for your guidance and advice.

      😇😀Xxx

    • looloo43
      looloo43 sonji16627

      Posted

      You're welcome hun. this is great forum to learn from others experiences, that wouldn't come from your own doc or consultant often.  do let us know how you get on on here. xx

  • Gooddeeds
    Gooddeeds sonji16627

    Posted

    Hi sonji16627, your situation sounds very similar to my own. I had a umbilical hernia repair back in June 2015. I am told that no mesh was needed and as you say everything was put back where it belongs. 3 weeks after surgery I started to experience abdominal pain followed by chronic diarrhoea. I too have been diagnosed with colitis / proctitis but did not ever experience any pain with it. However my doctor convinced me that the pain was down to the interference of the intestines which upset the colitis. After 6 months of waiting for a colonoscopy and a scan of my abdomon, my gastro consultant found that my colon was heavily compacted with fecal matter and but me on a course of movical which is for constipation. I have been on an emotional and painful journey these past 2 years searching for answers as the pain still persists. I did manage to get the diarrhoea and pain under control initially with a number of courses of prodisoline (steroids) along side asacol both orally twice a day and topically morning and night. However the most recent course of steroids didn't have any effect. An addition to my medication Azathioprine has been introduced however I still suffer from abdominal pain. It is important to mention also that I still experience pain in the area of the surgery which can be piercing at times. If anyone can offer any advise I would be grateful.

  • QUEENBANGIE
    QUEENBANGIE sonji16627

    Posted

    I had surgery in 2012, and I've been experiencing what you're going through ever since. I don't go out to eat.

  • mike14558
    mike14558 sonji16627

    Edited

    Did your diarrhea resolve itself? How?

    I've been chronic mud or water, 6-8x/day, since small intestinal surg in 11/20, and so far, meds etc. have done nothing. Down 30#s, and was sent to the emerg rm last week for dangerously low potassium & calcium levels.

    My colonoscopy this past Fri showed nothing, not even polyps, and I have an endoscopy scheduled for 5/10. At this point, I'd settle for Plaster of Paris tablets or opioid constipation 🥴

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