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AIBU?

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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:
thatdearoctopus · 08/10/2017 21:29

DH hasn't been able to even look at a cup of tea for over a week. the thought of the milk in it makes him heave.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 08/10/2017 21:38

I am just sick of plain water, bananas (Which I hate) and mashed potato. I can't imagine having this for another few days let alone a month.

OP posts:
SouthWestmom · 08/10/2017 21:44

I think I lived on crisps and Fanta tbh. Was dire.

You will get over it though.

Or you won't and they'll find a cause and then you will.

Try not to rush back to work though - one long period of sickness is better than several smaller ones quite often for record keeping.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 08/10/2017 21:51

Let's hope it is rare to have D for a month. Can feel the anxiety creeping up again.

OP posts:
onemorecakeplease · 08/10/2017 21:58

My mum has this I think it lasted 11 days and she was knackered
She too went to doc twice and was told t would pass. And it did
Hope you feel better soon

Original poster
Sienna333 · 08/10/2017 22:10

These stories help thank you onemorecakeplease

OP posts:
Treeballarae · 08/10/2017 22:58

Hi Sienna, sorry to hear you've been ill for so long and are feeling so low, I have IBS and so when I get a stomach bug it tends to last 3-4 weeks, I also have anxiety, so I can imagine how you feel. I would really advise to stay away from bananas, I know they come recommended, but my family's experience of bananas are they are really hard to digest. When I'm ill I eat a lot of white rice, boiled potatoes, and boiled carrots. I think I also saw a PP recommend vitamins and in particular vitamin c, I would avoid that too as vitamin c can have a laxative effect. I hope you start to feel better soon Flowers

Original poster
Sienna333 · 09/10/2017 07:46

Thank you. Went through a whole night of no toilet trips but just had to go again now and it was quite a lot. :( I can't ever see this stopping, it is so frustrating

OP posts:
Pancakeflipper · 09/10/2017 07:55

I would also avoid bananas.
I had a digestive blip and told to have rice and a bit of chicken everyday once a day. And could do the chicken in honey and lemon sauce.
Also ready salted crisps to replace salts/carbs etc.

Surfingwhippet · 09/10/2017 08:04

But it is getting better if you went through the night without going. That's a positive.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 09/10/2017 08:13

I do hope so Surfing.

I don't know what I would do without this forum. Would be in a far worse place without all your support.

OP posts:
Teddy7878 · 09/10/2017 08:31

I've had a similar thing and I'm still not 100% 2 months later.
I had blood tests done in a&e and they found high levels of inflammation. Had stool tests done at GP for bugs and parasites. Nothing found! Also had all sorts of blood tests done for vitamin deficiencies and celiac disease.
My stools were yellow and very loose (not liquid diarrhea but the next stage down).
Had cramps, terrible bloating, trapped wind, dizziness and felt awful!
I've got an appointment with a gastroenterologist this week but have had to wait 5 weeks for the appointment.
I had to take 4 weeks off work and I still don't feel well enough to be there 9 weeks later but couldn't take anymore time off.
GP thinks I had a bug and then got post infectious IBS which can go on for months. I've managed to cope with it a bit better by making a few changes. Fibre is meant to really aggravate IBS in some cases so I've been avoiding too much fruit and veg and too many carbs. Check out the low fodmap diet for IBS and eat the things on the allowed list that aren't too fibrous for now. You can go back to eating more normally once you feel better.
Also avoid lactose, sugar (including fructose) and anything hard to digest like fruit with skins, seeds and too much starch. Check out this link www.theibsnetwork.org/diet/fibre/
I've also been taking a probiotic everyday to help destroy the bad bacteria in my gut. The one I take is the bioglan one (think it was about £11 on Amazon) and it seems to be helping a bit. I take rennies deflatine if I get very bloated or windy.
I also take a good multivitamin, a high dosage vit d spray and some milk thistle tablets which are an anti inflammatory.
I was getting incredibly anxious about everything too as I've still not been given a definite diagnosis. I found the more anxious I got the more I needed diarrhea and the looser it was. Since I've forced myself to calm down a bit and spend time doing deep breathing exercises it hasn't been as bad and my stools are brown now instead of yellow.
What colour are yours and are they properly liquid or just loose? Do you have pains anywhere else?
The back pain could be your kidneys as you can get very dehydrated when you have diarrhea. Drink a diarolyte once a day to get your electrolytes balanced. And also make sure you are drinking around 3 litres of water per day whilst you're unwell. Back pain can also be trapped wind as it can spread round.
I'll let you know what the gastro doctor says once I've seen him this week. He might have some useful tips to get rid of it.
Oh and don't bother going to a&e or urgent care. I've been to both and they just did the usual of checking my blood pressure and blood sugar levels, taking a few blood tests and hooking me up to a drip. Got sent home within 2 hours and they just told me to take stool samples to GP and there was nothing they could do. Maybe book a GP appointment for this week and also one for next week and the week after so at least you have them booked in if you need them. You can always cancel them if you get fully better.

Teddy7878 · 09/10/2017 08:33

Oh and was the blood fresh red blood? If so you probably have a pile which is common if you have lots of diarrhea or constipation. If the blood is happening regularly then definitely ask your GP to refer you to a gastroentorologst to check for colitis and chrons. It's unlikely though as you don't have some of the symptoms. Also see if you can have blood tests done for food intolerances like Celiac as that can cause ongoing diarrhea

Original poster
Sienna333 · 09/10/2017 08:52

Blood has gone now but was bright red with mucus mixed in.
The D I have is brown and this morning was just pure liquid (Sorry) which concerned me.
No other symptoms but a bad back which is easing somewhat. I am surprised at how many of you have suffered for months, that is scary :(

OP posts:
Teddy7878 · 09/10/2017 09:00

Have you been having diarolyte? If your electrolytes get low when you have diarrhea it can make you feel awful. The fact it's brown is a good sign as indicates there's nothing too sinister going on. It could just be a nasty bug that has also given you a bit of IBS for a while. Anxiety can make diarrhea 10 x worse so try and keep as calm as you can but I know how hard it is when you don't understand what is wrong with you. Just try and remember it won't be like this for the rest of your life. Whatever it is will eventually go away or you'll get properly diagnosed and can be given antibiotics or a dietary plan. What I found weird about mine is no one caught it. My DP who was around me all the time at my worst never caught it. Neither did my parents when I went to stay with them and my dad catches bugs so easily. Also my stool samples were all normal too. Makes me think it's just something like and IBS or a food allergy but I don't know why it would suddenly come on when I felt fine beforehand. I'll update in a few days and I hope you feel a lot better soon. Get your stools checked because if they come back normal then you could probably go back to work next week as it's unlikely you'll pass anything on to anyone. It's torture having to work when you still feel crap but it might end up being a good thing if it can take away some of the anxiety symptoms too

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 09/10/2017 09:18

Are you taking Rehydration sachets such as Dioralyte? You need to take one after ever BM. Tracks do their own make which is cheaper.

Bugs can hang around for ages ,Ds had a really awful sickness one that lasted 2 weeks when he was little. Some bugs just do hang around that long.

Teddy7878 · 09/10/2017 09:23

IBS isn't often too bad during the night so it makes me think you do have a bug/parasite and maybe it's taking a bit longer to clear as you also have anxiety thrown into the mix. Hopefully it clears up soon for you

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 09/10/2017 09:25

**TESCO not tracks

Talith · 09/10/2017 09:25

Sounds like giardiasis. That goes on for fecking ever and you need antibiotics to truly shift it. Have you submitted a poo sample? If not demand that they investigate further. If they haven't suggested a stool sample I'm very surprised after this long.

Original poster
Sienna333 · 09/10/2017 09:28

Yes, doing all that. I am doing all the right things which is what makes it all the more frustrating. I have never in my life had D for this long. I might have had a morning where I had a loose bowel movement but in the past, I have always got over D really quickly.

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 09/10/2017 09:30

You could probably do with a good probiotic too. Not the yoghurt ones.

Teddy7878 · 09/10/2017 09:38

I only started to feel semi normal again after taking a probiotic (bioglan). It took about a week to kick in but I've noticed my stools are more normal now

Original poster
Sienna333 · 09/10/2017 09:39

Giardais doesn't contain bloody/mucous stools though and I haven't been on holiday so seems unlikely.

OP posts:
Purdyandwheezy · 09/10/2017 09:42

Have you done the stool sample? I had what I thought was a big lasting a few weeks and it turned out to be IBD which is not the same as IBS. Just you mentioning the blood and mucous made me think of it. I also get back ache at both sides which I think is pain actually coming from my colon. I would be pushing the doctor for more tests tbh.

Teddy7878 · 09/10/2017 09:46

I'd insist that you get referred to a gastroentorologist. You might have to wait a month for an appointment but at least they will be less vague about everything as they'll be properly clued up on it all. You're much more likely to get a proper diagnosis and effective treatment.
Until then do stool samples, blood tests and try keep calm. Also get the probiotic and don't eat soluable fibre for a week or so. They really aggravate diarrhea