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Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, White Mucus In Stool, Red Eye, Hair Loss, Ear Lump. Is It Serious?

Posted on Sat, 8 Sep 2012

Question: hi my husband has constant diarrhoea and pain down his left side and alot in his back sometimes when he goes toilet he has white mucus hes got a red left eye his hair falls out and has a lump behind his ear he has had these symptoms for about a year now but it has gradualy got worse he lost a stone in a week before but is slowly gaining again im really worried as he thinks its something serious

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (1 hour later)

Hi

Thanks for posting your query

After going through your husband's history I feel there are few details missing, please provide the clarifications mentioned below to help me help you out

1]What is the frequency of diarrhoea?
2]How long has he been suffering from it - ayear now for all symptoms mentioned?
3]Does he have a sensation of going for loo after taking meals?
4]Are there any other symptoms related to abdomen - like bleeding with stools - nausea - vomiting?
5]Did you ever go for any investigations like stool , colonoscopy ?

6]Is the red eye there for a year?

7]Is the lump behind the ear increasing in size ? Is the skin over the swelling normal or red ? Do you have any sonography report of the swelling?

8]You said he lost around 6.5 kg in a week? Is he not able to consume regular diet along with frequency of stool?

Please revert back with these replies and I will help you out

Wishing you husband a speedy recovery

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (41 minutes later)

he goes toilet at least 4-5 times aday and its always loose had problem for bout a year he can go loo anytime of day its not normally after meals he has yellow stools no vomiting he feels weak and tired all the time and has constant pains in his sides and back hes had a colonoscopy twice one to upper bowl was normal and other into small intestine he had biopcies took n they came back clear hes had scan on upper part of bowl and stomach area and they checked for scaring on pancreus lump at back of ear is slightly red but hasnt increased in size i dont think he lost weight as he didnt want to eat due to diarrhoea his had blood tests for chrones colon and cicliac they were clear he was on a injection for psorisis it was called humira many thanks

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (13 minutes later)

Hi

Thanks for posting your followup query

It is really nice you have provided a clear picture of the symptoms

As colonoscopy and scans are normal

This is how I would manage the patient had I been your doctor :
I would prefer going for a stool examination and if there are pus cells , a culture report

The line of management follows:

1] He needs to maintain his hydration and nutrition
2] Give him adequate fluids and nutritious diet
3] He needs to take a probiotic twice daily
4] Add a Tablet of Rifaximin twice daily for atleast 2 weeks
5] Along with it a seven day treatment of Ofloxacin and Ornidazole will cover up infectious diarrhoea [Can be changed according to culture report if positive]

Regarding the lump behind the ear it appears to be an infected cyst, antibiotic will help cover the infection and can be removed under local anesthesia

The weight would be managed if the nutrition is taken care of, in case it keeps falling get back to me and we can plan further investigations

Hope I have replied to your satisfaction
If there are no further issues, do accept our response
Wishing your husband a speedy recovery

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (16 hours later)

hi sorry to keep replying just to also let u know that i missed some things out as when my husband first started having this he was having pain for about 7 months before all this happened also the pain went then he got diarrhoea and the diarrhoea was not like normal diarrhoea the way he describe it was like watered down paint with little black flacky bits in then he lost his appertite and did not eat for 2 weeks then the pain seem to go but he was still having losse bowl movements like i have explained already then it was 6 months later it happened again he went toilet and he said it was like a yellowish greenish paste and then the next day he been having pain ever since like i have explain he said its in his left upper side of his stomach just below his ribcage and then sometimes in his ribcage then all down the left side and in his back which has started about 4 months ago he does on occasions gets the pain in his rigth side he has also had a lump that look like a boil in his belly button which the doctor said its a fungal infection he has had that twice he has aslo since it started has got a few varicas vein also since christmas he has noticed he seems to be getting alot of fatty lumps but that could be caused by him losing weight apart from that everything else i have already told u the tablets u sugested do they need to be perscribed and what did u mean by nutitrion he has had a stool sample for blood and something else and it came back clear apart from his glucose was slightly high he has had a blood test for his blood sugar and it was fine my husband seems to read alot on the internet and thinks he could have pancreititis maybe acute do u think this could be the cause sorry about being long winded but we are flying to amercia in 3 days is there anything that you can suggest that could help him many thanks

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (5 hours later)

Hi

Thanks for posting your followup query

In no way am I bothered

The symptoms are all classic of collitis may be mucus or infective, I would again advice you to go for a stool examination and if there is pus go for culture

Yellowish XXXXXXX stool is also suggestive of indigestion ask him to chew his food properly avoid junk and if need be take some digestive enzymes

The pain described is common with collitis, but if the pain in back is severe you may go for a ultrasound to rule out Pancreatitis

From history it does not appear he has pancreatitis

Yes the medications they need a prescription

The belly button fungal infection would have been controlled

I think his immunity is low as he has developed fungal infection, this is common after antibiotics for any GI tract infection or general infection, so it will be better if he is given B Complex and Vitamin C

Where are the varices in the body ? Limbs , around the belly button or in the esophagus ?

Tell your husband all data on internet is not authentic, he should consult his doctor and avoid self medication

You may move to XXXXXXX but he will need proper medical care

Hope all clear
Wishing your husband a speedy recovery

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (3 hours later)

hi thanks for reply the varices vein is on the inside of his thigh mainly. Also his hair loss is not just his head its his eyebrows and eyelashes and his bodyhair the injection he was on humira was a immunity surpressent and he was going hospital for bloods every 3 months he has been doctors which are not to intrested so payed to go private thats where he was tested twice for chrons and colitis he will go and ask for a stool sample when we get back from hoilday in XXXXXXX would there be anything he could buy over the counter that could help with his pain and diarrheao why we are away on hoilday till we get back we are going for 10 days many thanks once again

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (6 hours later)

Hi,

Once again welcome.

The varices on thigh are due to incompetent valves in the veins, if they are causing pain in the limbs and other complications like ulcers, he might need surgery

The hair loss every where is suggestive of deprived nutrition and loss of immunity

Is he yet on Humira Injections? Is his Psoriasis that severe and causing pain in joints? I would suggest you go for a good dermatologist

Once his stool report is in hand revert back, I have repeatedly mentioned in my previous reply that he has compromised immunity So go ahead with a,A good Vitamin B Complex and A good Vitamin C

While you are on the vacation , start a good probiotic twice a day before breakfast and before dinner

Hope I have replied to your satisfaction
Wishing you husband a speedy recovery

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (13 hours later)

many thanks jus to let you know that is platelets are slightly high they been like that for a few years and he has to take 8 diarrheoa tablets a day the digestive enzyms wat are they and do i get ones for digestive system or the pancretes and what ones are best hes not on injection now as hes been took off it with the problems hes been having the injection has alot of side effects and i didnt know if the injection has triggered something off he has server psoriasis but has never had pain with it many thanks

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (17 minutes later)

Hi

Thanks for posting again

I appreciate the concern and care you have been providing to your husband

The platelets keep varying but anything above one lac are normal

What is the count right now ?

Which medication are you giving for diarrhoea?

Digestive enzymes are medicines which help in digestion

It is really good he is off the injection, it has side effects for you husband so he should avoid it

Any more concerns, please revert back

Am available for followup queries

Wishing your husband a speedy recovery

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (4 hours later)

hi there he already sees a dermatologist he either takes immodium or his doctor told him to take anythin with loperamide, hydrochloride in ok thanks alot for what you have already said but is there anything that you could suggest that would help that we could buy over the counter once he has got stool sample back n got his platelet counts we will be intouch if ok it might be a few weeks as hes got to book in to c doctor once again many thanks

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (5 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for your patience.

Ok, let his dermatologist take care of his skin condition.

In place of Loperamide I would prefer racecadotril - But I think this might need a prescription; it is a newer medicine with lesser side effects.

For over the counter you may go for a probiotic twice a day for six weeks, or a Folic acid tablet twice a day for six weeks.

Anytime when your reports are in hand you may revert back.

Thanks for all the confidence.

Hope I have been able to clarify your doubts.

Wishing your husband a Speedy recovery.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (11 hours later)

many thanks yet again i just wondered what are the folic acid tablets for.I just also wanted to tell you the types of pain hes getting quite alot of the time its unbearable it can be a sharpe pain aswell as an acheing pain he sometimes gets aburning feeling i hope this might help you some more

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (2 hours later)

Hi

Thanks for your query

Folic acid is a Vitamin B needed to form healthy cells and the levels of this Vitamin falls in intestinal disturbances, so supplementing it may help regenerate the damaged cells and build immunity

Pain is always a symptom of the underlying disease so any pain will subside when the root cause is taken care off

Hope all clear
Am always available for followup queries
Wishing you and your husband a Happy Holidaying and A speedy recovery to your husband

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (3 hours later)

one last thing is my husband gets woken up at night time with a pain in his side when he turns he said it feels like a tearing pain that shoots down his side and he gets alot of aching at one side of his back below ribcage area do you think this could be his pancreatis i also brought some probiotic multi vitimins would they b as good as normal vitimins many thanks

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (13 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for posting your query.

The pain you have described does need evaluation.

And the primary thing would be a physical examination.

Had I been your treating doctor I would have gone for a complete blood count, Serum Amylase and Serum Lipase.

If any of these reports are abnormal I would go for a good Ultrasound and If need be a MRI (Magnetic Resonant Imaging).

But yet I would not label it as a Pancreatitis straight away.

Probiotic with vitamin should be OK only thing to be verified is, if the vitamins are in prophylactic or Therapeutic doses.

If therapeutic go ahead.

Hope all clear.
Do revert back for any clarification.

Wishing you husband a Speedy Recovery.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E

Follow up: Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (3 hours later)

hi thanks again can ur imunity still be low if you have had a test done for vitimans and it came bak fine as my husband did
hi sorry but just wondering would your professional opinion rule out pancreatis altogether he has had a ultra sound thatcame back clear n emzymes and just wondered why you would of adviced a full blood count thanks again

Answered by Dr. Ajit Naniksingh Kukreja (3 hours later)

Hi

Welcome Again

Yes your immunity can be low even if the test on vitamins has been fine, as immunity depends on a lot of factors rather than Vitamins alone

Occasionally the Pancreas in initial phases may not show altered echos on Ultrasound so if the Blood counts, Serum Amylase and Serum Lipase are abnormal I would rather go for a MRI with the pain you have described, but genuinely after a clinical examination of the patient

Hope it clears your confusion
Yet if anything comes to your mind do revert back

Again wishing your husband a speedy recovery

Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T