Soft stools for more than a month after travelling in Colombia
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi.
I'm male, 30, and have no pre-existing conditions other than a slightly elevated blood pressure.
I've been having very soft stools since about a month now. Soft, but not liquid as in having diarrhea after having eaten something bad. Also, it happens usually in the mornings after a couple of coffees (it also happens without coffee, but later); I then get a very full feeling in my tummy (and not in the butt/rectum as with the usual diarrhea) and it releases rather explosively on the toilet. But I don't have to rush to the toilet, I can still control it for quite some time.
Sometimes I need to go a second time in the afternoon, sometimes not. Since I don't have to rush to the toilet every half an hour it's not really interfering with my normal life, but I'm starting to get a little concerned now that it has been persisting for about a month now.
Some more background: Due to the start of the Corona crisis, I returned on March 20th from Colombia back to my home Switzerland after having been travelling in Brasil and Colombia for half a year. I know for sure that I already had those symptoms the day I left Colombia and the day before, so they're pretty surely not caused by the Swiss food or climate. I don't remember exactly when the symptoms started, but I surely didn't already have them for weeks back then.
I spent my last days in Colombia in the Tatacoa desert and before that in Salento in the coffee area where I also went to Nevados National Park and climbed up to more than 5000 meters, but didn't experience problems like altitude sickness. In those 6 months in South America I only had some colds, a very light fewer once or twice and sometimes diarrhea, but never lasting long.
In the last couple of weeks, I had some very light symptomes of colds, like sneezing, running nose and sore throats, but no coughing or fever, so I don't think I had the Corona virus.
Since at the moment it's advised only to see doctors in emergencies, I'm asking here what that might be. Could that be a parasite?
0 likes, 4 replies
EdEire a14869
Posted
so....long story short.... try probiotics.... order online....
it could be some change of flora in your gut... i would not worry too much.... and soft stool is the best.... not liquid or hard...soft is the best consistency....indicating healthy gut and good liquid intake... while you may be worried i would try diet and see if it changes.... coffee in the morning will make the push for most of us.
just saying....that i will try to stay healthy and boost the probiotics...and see...
lester90053 a14869
Posted
It could be the beginning of IBS and the sooner you see a doctor the better.
moon53540 a14869
Posted
It could be IBS. Can you get a virtual or telephone appointment with a doctor to explain the symptoms? You could ask to try some Alverine, it is an antispasmodic and can help with your symptoms if they are IBS. I have kefir yoghurt drinks to help with bloating but if I can't get hold of them I use Alverine. Alverine also can help with loose stools. Have you tried giving up coffee and caffeine for a couple of weeks to see if your symptoms improve? IBS can have triggers and caffeine is a very common one.
2sweetgirls a14869
Posted
I would get tested for parasites. Friend of mine went to Haiti and she came back with a parasite. I'd rule it out at least. By the way, as a stay at home mom of 2 little girls and I also homeschool...your life sounds really exciting!! lol Hope you figure out your problem 😊