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Suggest Treatment For Stomach Discomfort, Diarrhea And Blood In Stool
Question: This question is regarding my fiancée. I joined a few months ago and talked with a doctor about this. He got better but his condition has returned. This is his third episode with an unknown illness...and all have occurred this year. Ok- he is a 59 yr old male. No previous serious illnesses or surgeries. He smokes approx. a pack a day and does drink alcohol...on most days a few beers and maybe a mixed drink at times. He is 6 feet tall and earlier this year his weight was 200 lbs. He has lost 25 lbs. since this started...so now at 175. His "illness" consists of extreme stomach discomfort, sometimes diarrhea, unable to stand without slumping over because of the discomfort, unable to sleep normally because of the discomfort, no appetite, occasional blood in stool. His first episode was early this year. It lasted well over a week and he was weak for a while after. Then..he was fine for quite a while...no symptoms. Then about 3 months ago...same deal. He got better and was fine until a couple weeks ago..same thing. After it started, he had about a day and a half where he felt pretty good again..but then back to the same. He finally went to a clinic and saw a PA but they just gave him a test for a stool sample...no blood work at all. He doesn't have insurance so his options are very limited. I've been searching the internet for options. I, of course know about colon cancer, but there are other things it could be. Wondering what could cause these extreme symptoms...then he's fine for quite a while...only for it to start all over again.
Brief Answer:
Please provide more details
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at Healthcaremagic. I am an allergist-immunologist, I went through your fiancee's details and would like to know more about him as follows:
1. I would like to know whether there is any correlation of his symptom episodes with any particular food substance or diet change. That is, whether his episodes were followed by a change in diet/specific over-consumption of a particular food. Such correlation with food is necessary for thinking of allergy as a possible diagnosis and then allergy testing could be suggested.
If there is no clear correlation with diet, it is difficult to think of allergy and I would think of non-allergic causes first.
2. Blood in stool is an important symptom and should not be ignored. I would like to know whether blood in stool was red or black. This is important to know source of blood.
3. I would also like to know whether he has nausea & vomiting. Whether stomach discomfort is in upper abdomen or lower abdomen.
4. Weight loss is also an important symptom. It could be due to illness itself or due to reduced amount of food due to discomfort in abdomen. So I would like to know whether he has reduced amount of food over last a few months.
5. Alcohol itself can cause diarrhea, stomach discomfort, and occasional blood in stool. So I would like to know whether his episodes of illness were followed by significant intake of alcohol.
6. I would like to know result of the stool test.
7. I would like to know whether he has had any other allergy symptoms so during early life, like sneezing, running nose, repeated diarrhea, long-standing indigestion, skin allergies, etc.
8. You are concerned about colon cancer. Blood in stool and weight loss can be symptoms of colon cancer, but there are other diseases also which can cause similar symptoms. Even blood tests are not the best way to diagnose or to rule out colon cancer.
9. Were I treating him, I would suggest him to consult a gastroenterologist, who may perform endoscopy to identify source of the bleeding, if it is not evident from his history and physical examination.
Please provide above details on follow-up. They will help me to understand his complaints in more depth.
Please feel free to ask any other questions that you may have on follow-up.
Wish him best of the health.
Regards,
Dr Parin N Parmar
Please provide more details
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at Healthcaremagic. I am an allergist-immunologist, I went through your fiancee's details and would like to know more about him as follows:
1. I would like to know whether there is any correlation of his symptom episodes with any particular food substance or diet change. That is, whether his episodes were followed by a change in diet/specific over-consumption of a particular food. Such correlation with food is necessary for thinking of allergy as a possible diagnosis and then allergy testing could be suggested.
If there is no clear correlation with diet, it is difficult to think of allergy and I would think of non-allergic causes first.
2. Blood in stool is an important symptom and should not be ignored. I would like to know whether blood in stool was red or black. This is important to know source of blood.
3. I would also like to know whether he has nausea & vomiting. Whether stomach discomfort is in upper abdomen or lower abdomen.
4. Weight loss is also an important symptom. It could be due to illness itself or due to reduced amount of food due to discomfort in abdomen. So I would like to know whether he has reduced amount of food over last a few months.
5. Alcohol itself can cause diarrhea, stomach discomfort, and occasional blood in stool. So I would like to know whether his episodes of illness were followed by significant intake of alcohol.
6. I would like to know result of the stool test.
7. I would like to know whether he has had any other allergy symptoms so during early life, like sneezing, running nose, repeated diarrhea, long-standing indigestion, skin allergies, etc.
8. You are concerned about colon cancer. Blood in stool and weight loss can be symptoms of colon cancer, but there are other diseases also which can cause similar symptoms. Even blood tests are not the best way to diagnose or to rule out colon cancer.
9. Were I treating him, I would suggest him to consult a gastroenterologist, who may perform endoscopy to identify source of the bleeding, if it is not evident from his history and physical examination.
Please provide above details on follow-up. They will help me to understand his complaints in more depth.
Please feel free to ask any other questions that you may have on follow-up.
Wish him best of the health.
Regards,
Dr Parin N Parmar
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Sonia Raina
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