How to firm up chronic loose stool?

[Flowersinthewateringcan]

Firstly, I have to say I am absolutely not a poo troll. I am in a constant state of anxiety over my gut issues and am hoping someone may be able to offer some advice?

I have had gut issues for many years and I’ve had lots of tests (cameras up and down with biopsies, scans including gallbladder and a bile acid test, stool tests etc- literally all the exploratory digestive health tests). Luckily, all have come back clear but I am still having daily issues.

Lots going on within my digestive system (bubbling, gurgling, lots of gas - up and down, bloating…..) but the thing which I really, really despise is morning ‘diarrhoea’, I say that as it’s more quick and loose than watery (sorry I won’t divulge any more) but it sets off my anxiety about how many times I’ll need to go in the am (often need to go as soon as I wake and sometimes up to 3 times in the morning) and it stops me doing anything in the mornings and if I do have to go anywhere etc I’m constantly worrying I’ll need to go.

I have tried everything I can think of to ‘bulk’ up everything - I don’t consume diary or wheat/gluten, no alcohol or coffee (I only drink water and mint tea), I follow the low fodmap diet, low fat, no sweeteners and nothing which I believe triggers it off but I’m still getting this every morning.

I have tried the standard IBS meds but nothing helps. I take imodium on the two days a week I work as a safety net but it doesn’t really help other than to slow things down on that day and then it all starts up again on the days I don’t take it. My gastroenterologist says not to take it all the time as it can lead to a lazy bowel.

What can I do to bulk it up? I am actually envious of people who suffer from constipation!

This is what Tesco had in the way of dairy free. The Actimel is based oat-based so might not be suitable. Think the Alpro had neither sweetener or oats so may be suitable.
They also had the Activia dairy free but that has sweetener.

I take paroxetine.
Seriously take the Prozac! It changed my life. Instead of getting in a car and anxiety taking over, I think that what will be will be!
Whilst i obviously still have issues I definitely own it and all my friends and family just know that I usually need multiple loo stops everywhere. My best friend is actually having a similar issue but with her bladder so we joke about sticking toilets in our cars.
The best time I had was when pregnant and the GP put me on iron. Heaven!!

Thanks everyone, I have a GP appointment this morning g, I will ask about the possibility of trying codeine to help, seems to help many of you.

TigerJoy I have awful pain mid cycle and now pain during periods as I had a uterine ablation last year and (just my luck) I now have developed post ablation syndrome! I will ask my gp if she can prescribe codeine for these times and hope they help my funny yummy too.

ouch44 thanks for that, I’ll pop ou today and see what else is for sale yogurt wise. Why they have to put artificial sweeteners in everything these days? Urgh, they are the absolute worst for triggering my gut issues.

Bellabluea think this is why my gastro has prescribed the Prozac, she said they may or may not not do anything for your actual IBS but if they can change your way of thinking over it all so you are not so panicky and obsessed over every thing regarding your digestive system then I may be able to actually go out and live a life! Here’s hoping 🤞

Have you had investigations for Bile Acid Malabsorption? I have Crohn's but was having continued morning diarrhoea despite being in remission and they found I also have BAM. it's pretty much resolved by drinking a rank drink every day. might be worth considering.

8MinutesToSunrise I had the SeHCAT scan a few months ago, came back as normal.

Yes there is artificial sweetener everywhere. It drives me mad. It's got even worse since they introduced the sugar tax!

I hope you get somewhere with the GP re codeine. It is in Paramol which is available over the counter. I've taken that for back pain and it has bunged me up after just one dose. I think it might be addictive but don't know enough. Your GP can advise.

Off the back of this thread. I'm going to get some Imodium for my DD to keep as a backup. After I check whether it's suitable for 15 yo

I am not sure GP would prescribe codeine for this reason, I have had trouble getting it for severe pain, they are very reluctant to prescribe this as its addictive

ouch44 it’s so annoying, I used to treat myself to a Fentimans Cola once in a while as it contains no sweeteners, had one a few months ago and had crippling stomach pains after and couldn’t understand why. Looked on the back and low and behold they’ve replaced the sugar with stevia, grrr.
If it helps, I always use the Imodium dual action, the also contain simethicone which really helps the gas side of things but what I like about them is that they are soft tablets so I often cut the, in half and find half helps. That may help you dd too? I will try the paramol as my gp wouldn’t prescribe codeine.

IDoNotMoisturise you’re right, she wouldn’t prescribe it to me due to the potential addictive effects. I’ll have to get something which contains codeine but otc.

Thanks. I'm going to get some of that for her.

Also going to have a look at the fizzy drinks while I'm in the supermarket and see what I can find without sweetener. She had something that had Stevia in the other day and I was trying to tell her it wasn't natural as it says on the packaging

Codeine helped when my IBS-D was bad, but doctors don't like prescribing it much as it's addictive. I am about to trial amitriptyline for my symptoms, Google the research and speak to your Dr. Thinking of you, I am in the same boat and its awful.

I hear your pain and have been through similar, although in my case it turned out to be late onset lactose intolerance. However some other things suggested above did help, including probiotics.

But one thing that really made a difference - and it wasn't why I tried it - was meditation. A while back (I've rather fallen off the wagon) I was meditating for 20 minutes a day, and after a few months my bowels were so much better.

The other - and it's increasingly hard to get here - is a german herbal product called Iberogast. If someone can bring you some over, ask them. You put a few drops in water at each meal and it works almost immediately. (There have been a few cases where it has caused liver damage, but it's so safe that it is an over the counter product in Germany).

Have just been doing some googling for my own benefit and this looks like a reasonable substitute: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Viridian-Digestive-digestive-meadowsweet-marshmallow/dp/B007TUK0DG/ref=asc_df_B007TUK0DG/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310665675964&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=336593025117360048&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006734&hvtargid=pla-562594331682&psc=1&mcid=34e0c28b0c9d3f6c8756208efb42f53e

ouch44 it’s so hard to find drinks without artificial sweeteners these days. What I tend to do if I fancy something like that is mix some Bottle Green cordial with fizzy water although having a 15 year old dd myself I know that may not be a great taste to a teen lol!

Thanks GG1986 I think I’ll get some codeine based pain killer for when times are bad, I don’t want to get hooked on it but will definitely need something. I’ve tried Amitriptyline and the sister drug Nortriptyline but sadly they made me feel zombie like but I am super sensitive to drugs, my sister was on Amitriptyline for 20 years, it worked well for her, hopefully it will help you too. Thanks for the link, I’ll check that out.

Have you made any chsnges/noticed a difference yet OP? (Early days I know)

Swingathattaway I’m going shopping tomorrow and into the local health shop and will pick up some bits there. Thought I’d start with some probiotics and psyllium husk. Will also go on a hunt to see if I can find any lactose free live yogurt if such a thing exists.

My trip to the supermarket was shocking! Out of an entire row of fizzy drink/ mixers pretty much the only thing that didn't have sweeteners was Bottle Green elderflower and Fentimans Sicilian Lemonade.
I got a few fruit juices for her and some soda water. But I picked up Cranberry juice and that had sweetener in it too!!

I make my own yoghurt (Lakeland yoghurt maker) and have heard of people making their own from dairy-free alternatives and lactose free milk. You'd probably need to buy a dairy-free yoghurt starter. There are Fermenter groups on Facebook where you could get more info. You can even make yoghurt in a thermos although I've not tried it.

I've just googled and Rachel's Dairy do a lactose free live yoghurt! With NO sweetener. Can only see it on Ocado though.

Thanks for that.

I will see if I can find the Rachel’s one anywhere, maybe Waitrose have it?

Although I quite like the idea of making my own, I remember my mum doing that back in the 80’s, it was fun.

It is quite a worry looking at the amount of foods with artificial sweeteners these days, there is concern amongst gut health experts these sweeteners are compromising the gut microbiome.

That's so interesting about sweeteners and the gut microbiome. I have always tried to avoid them because they taste so bad and their possible link with cancer.

Anyway, good luck with your search and hope your symptoms improve. I am stocked with loperamide and IBS relief for my DD now for the next time thanks to this thread.

ouch44 good luck to your dd, hope she manages to get it all under control. I’m sure she will especially as she has such great support from you, sounds like you are doing all the right things.

Kefir, works a treat.

Bluestripeddress I’ve had so many people recommended kefir, I really should try it but need to find a diary free version.

I have bile salt acid malabsorption and it's pretty much cured by eating less than 40g fat every day, which is very easy if you avoid processed food

I have diarrhoea a lot but when I did the colonoscopy diet I was extremely constipated. I had white bread, eggs, rice crispies so basically very little fibre

TigerJoy I am the same, I avoid most fatty and greasy foods. My digestive system just can not tolerate them. I have to prepare and cook most of my meals from scratch.

toomanyleggings I do follow a low fodmap, low fibre and low fat diet yet it still doesn’t ‘bind’ me up, it’s so frustrating.

@Flowersinthewateringcan I was just browsing in a UPF Facebook group and saw this dairy-free and sweetener free kefir at Waitrose and thought of this thread.
It's a bit pricey- I have read that you can top up a bottle of kefir a couple of times but not tried it

www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/cocos-organic-natural-coconut-milk-kefir/849117-724686-724687