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Having Lower Back Pain And Passing Watery Greenish Diarrhea. Are They Related?
Question: Hi Dr, for the past few days ive noticed that my bowel movement has changed. It is watery/diarrhoea-like and its dark brownish-greenish in color. There would be some sort of noise in my stomach and then it would ache, prompting me to head straight to the toilet. This happens like 5-6 times in a day. Also, I have been, still am, experiencing lower backache - though i am not sure if they are related. In addition my period is around the corner but i doubt this is one of the symptoms because has never happened in the past. Last year in Feb, i was hospitalised due to diverticulis. Did a colonoscopy, results were clear. What is your advice, Dr?
Hi,
Thank you for the query.
Well the symptoms you describe could be related to small bowel problem. It usually causes watery greenish diarrhoea especially when colonoscopy is normal.
Need to get a stool routine and culture examination done. Also if pain, fever is not there then chances of diverticulitis is uncommon.
Apart for infections another possibility is bacterial overgrowth syndrome which is difficult to prove. After your stool examination, worthwhile taking an empirical course of anti giardia medications and a course for bacterial overgrowth like rifaximin for few days and see how you are.
Also get a thyroid function done.
If symptoms do not settle then worthwhile getting an endoscopy to take duodenal biopsy to look for giardia, celiac disease and a Cat scan if required.
If all these are normal then likely it is an irritable bowel.
Hope this answers your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Wish you a speedy recovery.
Thank you for the query.
Well the symptoms you describe could be related to small bowel problem. It usually causes watery greenish diarrhoea especially when colonoscopy is normal.
Need to get a stool routine and culture examination done. Also if pain, fever is not there then chances of diverticulitis is uncommon.
Apart for infections another possibility is bacterial overgrowth syndrome which is difficult to prove. After your stool examination, worthwhile taking an empirical course of anti giardia medications and a course for bacterial overgrowth like rifaximin for few days and see how you are.
Also get a thyroid function done.
If symptoms do not settle then worthwhile getting an endoscopy to take duodenal biopsy to look for giardia, celiac disease and a Cat scan if required.
If all these are normal then likely it is an irritable bowel.
Hope this answers your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Wish you a speedy recovery.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Answered by
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