What could be the cause of this?

[darlingsweetpea]

Sorry in advance for tmi but I'm at the end of my tether and need some ideas! This has been going on for a month.

My husband has been waking up around 4-5am and after 5 minutes or so has abdominal cramps and needs to poo. The stool is not Diarrhea but is loose. If he goes for a poo in the evening, the stool is normal.

He is very irritable, moping around, no appetite and tired. Generally unpleasant to be around. We have a 3 year old and a 4 month old and I'm doing everything. He even sleeps in the downstairs bedroom so doesn't get woken up by the baby in the night and he still is tired!

He has been to the doctors and they've said it's nothing to worry about. The did a few blood tests (he doesn't know what) but all fine. He paid for a hair allergy test, which came back with some funny things, bay leaf and whiskey!!! The test did say sensitive to wheat so he has gone wheat free now for two weeks and it's not made any difference.

Yesterday we ate terribly as we're at the beach but he had porridge for breakfast and McDonald's (inc wheat). After 4 hours he needs poo which was loose and pale.

I've been saying for weeks to keep a food diary but he keeps shooting me down but I think he is going to start.

Does anyone have any ideas what this could be please? Thanks:)

DH needs would start with his diet. McDonalds is basically the worst type of 'food' you can eat, so it is common for it to cause problems.

You can't fix this for someone else but stop eating crap and keep a food diary is the only advice anyone can give.

Pale stool can mean gallbladder/liver/pancreas problem. But it could just be because he is eating crap.

Yes, pale stool can be gallbladder, but it can also be caused by a fatty diet ie McDonalds.
Would he try cutting out all dairy for a week or two to see if that helps ? My DD has gone dairy free due to similar and it’s worked for her.

I would not start cutting out foods groups before a) doing a food diary for a montha dn b) discussing with a doctor.

MacDonalds is not food, so it is OK to cut that out at any time!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome? I have it. All bloods would be normal. It certainly can interfere with your bowels.

Or perhaps depression and/or anxiety?

It could be anything (and could take years to diagnose). I have a condition that makes me iron deficient (one in a million). My gut simply doesn't absorb iron and basically the majority goes into the colon. Iron being a heavy metal just sits there and blocks the poop. It's a gradual.buildup until one day I flush it out. The doctors sent me tons of laxatives which didn't make much of a difference and we're always confused of how.i was constipated but not really at the same time. It took a very good hematologist to.put the pieces together.

I would get him to ask for a calprotectin test. This is a stool sample which looks for inflammation. Blood tests don't always flag up inflammation.
Has he been tested for coeliac disease? Don't cut out food groups until you know whether coeliac or not. He needs to keep on at the doctor to rule out things.

A food diary is a good idea as this can show "trigger" foods

He needs to find out what blood tests he’s had. Coeliac and cortisol for example aren’t done as part of a routine screening. (Coeliac won’t come back as a reliable result if he’s cutting out gluten already - he needs to keep eating gluten whilst he’s having tests, and cortisol - for Addison’s/ adrenal insufficiency- needs to be taken at 9am, no later, adrenal insufficiency is extremely rare but can cause a very upset stomach - that’s what I had before being diagnosed).

He should also ask for a FIT test to rule out Crohn’s / colitis / bowel cancer. It can detect microscopic blood in the stool. (People can still have Crohn’s or colitis if this comes back negative but it’s a first screening tool).

How old is your DH? There are a few things I can think of, but they tend to hit specific demographics. (Although there are always people outside of these that also suffer from the same symptoms and are often not tested as a result.) Is he on any medication (including OTC drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen or heartburn meds…)? Is he overweight? Does he take supplements? Has he changed his diet significantly - or is he the kind of person that tends to stick to the same foods religiously? Has he been ill lately - like COVID, Influenza, other viruses?

Thank you all for your comments, it's given me some ideas what to look at.

@Fraaahnces he is 35 years old