Four weeks of chronic diarrhoea in my daughter and no answers

[littlelots123]

My daughter has had chronic diarrhoea for four weeks now. The doctor took a stool sample and it came back clear, although it was like brown water. This has meant she’s missed a lot of school as she’s constantly rushing to the toilet. She’s also not eating much and is losing weight. We visit the doctor every week but I feel we’re not making progress. They keep telling me to give it another week and advise against going to the hospital as it’s not an emergency. I’m at a loss and just want to make her feel better.🥹

It's possible she just had a virus... but which then flushed out her good bacteria. Get some good probiotics for her to rebuild her gut flora.

What age is your child?

My dd had similar, turned out she is coeliac. I would ask for some blood tests.

My daughter had similar - also diagnosed with coeliac disease age 5. Worth pushing for testing.

Cryptosporidium? Majority of us pick it up as children then gain a certain level of immunity. I guess that what they tested for but it doesn’t always show up in the first test. The bacteria is literally everywhere in the environment. After 4 weeks I would ask them to check again.

Did it start with a tummy bug? Does she eat much dairy? Secondary lactose intolerance is a common cause of diarrhoea dragging on after a bug.

When my youngest son had this, it turned out to be Crohn’s Disease. It might be worth asking for the calprotectin test to be repeated (I’m assuming that’s what the test was) because sometimes it’s not completely clear that there’s a problem until there’s an upward trend in the readings. My son’s first reading was about 200, much higher than normal but with the possibility of it being a virus. He subsequently tested negative for the usual viruses. His second calprotectin reading, a fortnight later, was something in the region of 2000, which was indicative of IBD. It’s not so much the diarrhoea alone, it’s the weight loss and lack of appetite. Has she any other symptoms? I hope you get some answers soon. I know what the worry is like

Yes it started with a tummy bug. A few episode of vomiting also. We have pushed for further tests, I’m just at my wits end! I’m worried sick and not sleeping! She has just been again, it’s currently 3am here. She hasn’t been all day.

The doctors have said they believe she is well enough to go back to school, but she gets anxious incase she has to run to the toilet. My worry is how much she’s missing, she’s 8. Should I send her in or keep her off? I’m not sure what to do 🥹

Go back to the doctors for a repeat stool sample test (cal protectin test), blood tests for CRP markers and coeliac test.

I second this I would ask if the calprotectin was measured with the stool test. That is the test that will measure any inflammation in the gut.
Rushing To the toilet, not eating, losing weight are symptoms that a lot of GPs will dismiss please do not let this happen.

I would call the surgery and ask for the calprotectin reading or even if it was done. The reading should be 50 or less.

Sorry I should add that a reading of 50-250 is borderline and 250 and above is his high and could mean inflammation.

I agree that coeliac and IBd need to be ruled out by GP. It is also possible that they have a temporary lactose intolerance following a stomach bug, which is quite common. You could try cutting out all dairy and seeing if that helps.