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Suggest Treatment For Stomach Cramps, Urge To Defecate And Diarrhea
Question: I am a relatively healthy 48 year woman and have had irritable bowel syndrome for 30+ years. I'm a very laid back go with the flow person and have improved my eating habits over the years which has reduced much of my IBS symptoms. Most recent changes include eliminating soft drinks and carbs from my diet. I have more energy than I have had in 20 years. I eat primarily raw vegetables and fruits and white meats. I am having an increase in IBS symptoms that include cramping, sudden urge for bm, I can hear and feel the fluids passing quickly through my intestines. When the IBS occurs, I always have diarrahea but now my stools are very bright yellow (this has never happened before) and I also have the floating food particles and greasy spots and mucus floating to the top. Also it has a strong odor. I drink water and drink ice tea (which I am thinking of eliminating tea now). Any advice on whether the bright yellow stools should be concerning and what I can do to decrease the IBS diarharea?
Brief Answer:
YOur diet may be contributing!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for this query.
I am sorry to hear about these symptoms that you have reported. I am however very happy that you have been able to adopt lifetime changes that have helped you improve your quality of life tremendously. Keep up!
Eating much vegetables, fruits, etc would cause soft stools. I am of the believe that the recent increase in vegetables, fiber and fruits has caused stools to be softer than before and responsible for the reported diarrhea. Also, fiber, vegetables, etc are of lighter density and would tend to float in the toilet bowl and not settle like stool formed from carbs, fats and proteins.
Vegetables offer a perfect milieu for fermentation. This would explain the increase gas production that could explain the gurgling symptoms as it moves through the intestines. This would also explain the strong odor of your stools as more gases are produced. I guess your frequency of farting has increased as well.
If the diarrhea is not too worrisome and interferes with your daily activities, I would say live it alone. If that be the case, I will suggest that you start by eating fruits and vegetables in acceptable quantities and see what happens. If this fails, the imodium, would help with this.
The bright yellow stools is of no further concern at this time. Simply monitor and it would resolve all by itself in the weeks ahead.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
YOur diet may be contributing!
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for this query.
I am sorry to hear about these symptoms that you have reported. I am however very happy that you have been able to adopt lifetime changes that have helped you improve your quality of life tremendously. Keep up!
Eating much vegetables, fruits, etc would cause soft stools. I am of the believe that the recent increase in vegetables, fiber and fruits has caused stools to be softer than before and responsible for the reported diarrhea. Also, fiber, vegetables, etc are of lighter density and would tend to float in the toilet bowl and not settle like stool formed from carbs, fats and proteins.
Vegetables offer a perfect milieu for fermentation. This would explain the increase gas production that could explain the gurgling symptoms as it moves through the intestines. This would also explain the strong odor of your stools as more gases are produced. I guess your frequency of farting has increased as well.
If the diarrhea is not too worrisome and interferes with your daily activities, I would say live it alone. If that be the case, I will suggest that you start by eating fruits and vegetables in acceptable quantities and see what happens. If this fails, the imodium, would help with this.
The bright yellow stools is of no further concern at this time. Simply monitor and it would resolve all by itself in the weeks ahead.
I hope this helps. I wish you well. Thank you so much for using our services and do feel free to ask for more information and clarifications if need be.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
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