Literally shitting myself every time I go to a restaurant

[namechangedjustthisonce]

I have had a colonoscopy- nothing there.

Every single time I go to a restaurant whether I have something simple or rich, I have diarrhoea every single time without fail.

If I eat at home, I’m fine, if I eat at someone’s house also fine.

But the minute I step into a restaurant I have explosive diarrhoea. Last night I took 4 Imodium, they had no effect. Help!!

Immodium and buscopan will help, but its odd that it's just restaurants.
Do you choose food you wouldn't eat at home?

Yes, as the pp suggested, if you eat a "set" repertoire of foods at home, maybe it is exposure to different foods all of a sudden. I bought a really good probiotic which my doctor recommended and that has helped me.

Could be the oils they use or the quantity of the oil used in comparison to how much or what type of oil you would use at home.

@StrangeAddiction thank you. X

@mynameiscalypso

I was going to ask about gallbladder too. I think even the most simple restaurant food probably used more fat then you'd use at home. I also have a tendency to not eat as much during the day if I'm going out for lunch or dinner which my gallbladder-less digestive system really does not appreciate. It very very rarely (if ever) has happened at home/in someone's home.

Yep, this is me to a t. If I go too long without eating the bile gets into my system and once it hits my colon it massively irritates it, and things get explosive.

It’s awful but usually passes after a couple of goes. I find I have to eat regularly, little and often, and even have a little something before I go out if I am having rich restaurant food.

Get them to check you for h pylori! I had similar for the best part of a year. Colonoscopy and bloods normal. Eventually they sent me for an endoscopy and immediately told me what it was, there was so much bacteria that they could visibly see it on the lining of my stomach. Lots of strong antibiotics later, I haven't had a recurrence since.

I get this.

For me, it’s an IBS attack brought on by social anxiety.

I do sometimes take immodium but take it at least 30 minutes before I go out.

I do wonder if it’s anxiety induced I vaguely recall being tested for h-pylori years ago and it turned out eventually to be my gall bladder;

what are you eating when you eat out? Is it the same as you eat at home?

if it's just when you eat at a restaurant, or anything, and it has happened a few times, you may now have built up an inner fear inside, that it will keep happening, and this will make you anxious, and being anxious can affect bowel movements.. A bit like people going for an important interview, they some times get very nervous, and need to use the toilet straight away.

I used to have similar issues when I ate out and eventually realised that the only common factor was drinking diet coke (I don't drink alcohol), which I never drink at home so it wasn't a problem at home. I stopped drinking diet drinks and found a huge improvement.

Unless it is stress related, you need to look for your common denominator in your meals/drinks. Good luck!

Is it that the food is salted? Do you cook/eat without salt at home?

Do you have any other symptoms? Could it be dumping syndrome? gutscharity.org.uk/advice-and-information/conditions/dumping-syndrome/

OP - I have a hyperactive colon and it sounds very much like what you are experiencing.
If I go out for a meal I have to choose 'safe' or lighter options like steak and salad or small plates... anything else is dangerous!

Check this out, I hope it helps:

www.healthline.com/health/colon-spasm#see-your-doctor

This might also be useful:

www.mindsethealth.com/matter/spastic-colon-causes-symptoms

I’d do a test where you order the same exact meal as a takeaway meal and eat it at home. See if you still react.

Things over the Years that have caused this:
Gluten
Dairy
Diet anything soft drink

Sounds like stress/ anxiety to me.

I think stuffing immodium etc is not a good idea. If 4 immodium didn't help then clearly something is at play!

Before you eat from what you say? And only restaurants.

I know about stress incontinence and specific places.

My mum always desperately needed a wee if she walked into a library!

I think it's stress but got no advice sorry.

Thinking about it. I have a friend who when something really worrying happens she has to rush into bog diarrhoea.

Google info loads here's first hit-

www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-diarrhea

Try going without dairy. If that doesn't work try going without gluten. I had IBS for years, didn't realise it was down to having both dairy AND gluten intolerance, which you can take out of the blue at any age.

Have you ever tried buying the restaurant food as a take away? What would happen?

Could it be alcohol or whatever else you are drinking?

Do you have diet drinks that you wouldn’t normally have at home?

I’ve had this on and off in the past - I think I figured out it’s due to restaurants using lots more oil and fat than I do, combined with me overeating bigger portions.
When I eat out now, I always ask for dressings on the side and try to pick lighter options like fish. I also don’t get it at all with Thai, Chinese or other eastern food as I assume they don’t use olive oil. Plus I eat slower and don’t feel so stuffed.

Oh and I also take a good probiotic as well when my stomach is feeling sensitive.