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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be in tears thinking I will never get over this bug?

436 replies

Sienna333 · 05/10/2017 14:40

Have a bad stomach bug which originally caused severe stomach cramps and loss of appetite/nausea but then turned into diarrhea which I have now had for 9 days. Doctor just said to wait it out but although I feel a bit better and the time between each diorohea attack is lengthening, it is still there and worse in the early hours. I have it three or four times in the day which aren't that bad but in the night it is a different story and I have it 1-2 times really bad.
I have already taken a week off work and dread the thought of calling in for yet another week. Most people who get diorohea are over it in 5 days, I don't get why it is not the same for me. I really cannot live like this anymore wondering when it will decide to stop, it is pure hell :(

OP posts:
Allthelightsgoout · 13/10/2017 19:52

If the sample is clear then yes, take Immodium. Your anxiety may well be perpetuating this, the words you use are all very negative - basically you thinking (or saying you KNOW) it'll carry on, you won't get bettet, it could be X, Y or Z catastrophic cause, you can't imagine a normal life etc.

Our minds and beliefs are extremely powerful (that's why placebo groups are included in research studies and always show improvements even when no active treatment is given) so basically if you think you'll be ill or carry on being ill, often you will be.

I know someone with an anxiety disorder who can predict when he'll have a panic attack. He's not putting it on, it's a genuine panic attack but he believes he'll have one so he does. Our minds can cause seizures, blindness, paralysis....anything really.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 20:05

I definitely will take the immodium if it comes back clear but I would be very surprised if it does.
I know I need to think positive. I just feel in a way the anxiety will help me to prepare if it is bad news. I am in a bad place as it has been awful for weeks with whatever I have had. I do know that I need help with the anxiety but need this over first before I can even focus on that.

OP posts:
RMC123 · 13/10/2017 20:11

Actually I think you need to be prepared that is likely your sample will be clear. When my son went through this we were told that the vast majority of cases are viral.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 20:16

That is reassuring to hear RMC but (And I apologise) the smell and look of what I am producing surely could not come back clear on a test.

OP posts:
RMC123 · 13/10/2017 20:38

You would be surprised. That’s what I thought too!

Candlelight234 · 13/10/2017 20:41

Just a thought, have you had your gall bladder removed?

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 20:53

No, why Candlelight?

OP posts:
Candlelight234 · 13/10/2017 20:58

I have bile salt malabsorption, which causes diahorrea. It can happen if you have no gall bladder, but can be medicated.
Dont start panicking about this though Op, it's a lot more likely you've got a bad bug!!! Hope you get some relief soon.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 21:01

No, I still have my gullbladder and I know from my neighbour that if you had gallbladder problems you would know about it

OP posts:
Olympiathequeen · 13/10/2017 21:07

It’s best not to take Imodium if it’s a bug, let your body get rid of it and don’t attempt to keep it in. Diarrhoea can easily last 10 days or more. If you are anxious and panicking (over nothing I am sure) that will add to the intestinal motility and prolong the problem. Avoid milk and all dairy as that may irritate an already inflamed bowel and stick to the BRAT diet for a while. Don’t worry about weight loss, you can always put weight back on. Basically calm down and stop worrying. Accept you can’t go back to work until it settles and just enjoy lying around watching day time tv.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 21:53

I think the weight loss is an issue as I have dropped to 7 stone (I was 8). I am only 5'2 but I look ill on top of everything else

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/10/2017 22:08

Obviously I don't want that after 15 days of diarrhoea

I'm confused, I thought this had been going on for weeks? 15 days is well within the norm for a normal bug.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 22:23

The diarrhoea has been 15 days, the illness/disorder/whatever it is has been about 3 weeks. Started off with headache and stomach cramps first then just left with 15 days of D.

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/10/2017 22:28

What your are describing sounds even more like a bad bug, 2 weeks of diarrhea really isn't abnormal, especially combined with headache and feeling rough etc.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 13/10/2017 22:28

**you are

Original poster
Sienna333 · 13/10/2017 22:30

Fingers crossed Dame, I really hope so.

OP posts:
gobbin · 13/10/2017 22:56

I had diarrhoea for a week after a heavy alcohol session at a wedding years ago. It was Crohns. But you know what, there are FAR worse illnesses out there. Really.

All I can say is get yourself some Asda/Sainsburys incontinence pull up knickers to wear if you’re not making ot to the bog in time. They’ll save your carpet (I speak from vast experience!) And Sainsbo’s version of Dioralyte is the cheapest (used to have four sachets a day when I had an ileostomy).

peachgreen · 13/10/2017 22:56

I had diarrhoea for longer than that after gastroenteritis. It went on for weeks after I was feeling better and had stopped being sick.

I also had it for over 3 weeks during early pregnancy, for no particular reason!

Both times very annoying but nothing sinister.

You’ve seen the doctor, they’re not worried but they’re running the right tests. There’s nothing more you can do and no reason to suspect it’s anything worse than a virus - in fact, the fact that it started with stomach cramps / headaches etc and HAS got better rather than worse suggests that’s almost certainly what it is.

You need to step away from this thread, stop obsessing about it, and focus on staying calm. This amount of anxiety is undoubtedly making it worse.

marcopront · 14/10/2017 06:27

Just because it smells it doesn't mean it will come back showing anything. I produced a stool sample last week that was yellow, smelly liquid. It showed no infection. This was after 10 days of cramps and 8 days of liquid stools.

After a couple of incidents of not knowing which end to point at the toilet, I went to A and E. I was dehydrated and my potassium level was low so I was put on a drip. (Disclaimer: not in the U.K. and private health care). I am now on antibiotics, the frequency of bm has decreased but they are still very loose.

Teddy7878 · 14/10/2017 06:51

My stool samples showed nothing either and I had smelly diarrhea that was a bit yellow (I was convinced at the time I had giardiasis)

Original poster
Sienna333 · 14/10/2017 07:39

Hmm, we will see but I will be shocked if mine comes back clear as it is truly, truly vile. Should get an answer soon anyway. Hopefully the result of the stool will result in me getting these much longed for antibiotics

OP posts:
Original poster
Sienna333 · 15/10/2017 21:47

2 BM'S yesterday and only 1 today so seems to be slowing. Just terrified of what the stool sample will say now.

OP posts:
peachgreen · 15/10/2017 22:14

Why are you terrified when it’s getting better? That sounds to me like it’s a virus that’s clearing up.

gamerchick · 15/10/2017 22:17

Eh why do you want antibiotics when you’re obviously getting better? Confused

gamerchick · 15/10/2017 22:18

Soz didn’t note the gap between posts.

Maybe your bodies done it all by itself. Back to normal.