Explosive diarrhoea after eating

[Havanawinter]

For the last 2 weeks I’ve been getting explosive diarrhoea approx 1-2 hours after I eat a meal. It doesn’t seem to be linked to any food in particular. I have no stomach pain, haven’t been sick, but when I have to go I have to go. I have no history of stomach problems. Worth mentioning my sister is a coeliac and has ulcerative colitis, but I was tested for coeliac a few months ago and it came back negative.

I guess I’m wondering if anyone has been through similar and at what point I bother the doctor with it? I’m otherwise fit and healthy.

I don't think it's possible for food to travel through you that quickly so I wouldn't think it's an intolerance but I have heard that when food hits your tummy it can trigger a digestive response that sort of tells the bowels to get things moving, maybe yours has gone into overdrive?

Check out postprandial diarrhoea. I sometimes get it after a rich meal

@Havetoast it does seem to be that, but it is after all meals and I wouldn’t say I’ve had much that’s especially rich (despite the time of year). It can be a piece of toast or Christmas dinner and it’s the same reaction!

I have had it a few times, a couple of times related to a particular spicy soup (although have eaten it on other occasions without a problem). It has been an occasional thing though, not regular. It was horrible though - to quote Terry Pratchett “like the world fell out of your bottom”. Hope you get it sorted, sounds like something you should talk to a GP about, and keep a food diary to take with you.

Just a thought - do you have drinks/thing with artificial sweeteners in them? I remember having a nasty reaction to sugar free mints once.

I can assure you it can!!

I have a severe dairy & lactose intolerance and within an hour of eating anything I am often on the toilet for the next hour!

Some times viruses can trigger intolerance. Are there any common demoninators within the food? Remember that lactose is used as a binding agent so is often in things you wouldn't expect. Paracetamol for example!

We’ve all had stinking colds too, but feeling much better with that now. Did a Covid test which came back negative. The world falling out of my bottom is exactly how I feel! It’s not painful or causing me to be stuck to the loo for hours, but it’s embarrassing and the urgency is something I’ve never experienced before. It’s like I have to go immediately. Ran out of M&S the other day because I had to get home to go, I was mortified.

IBS?
Sometimes I get a flare up of IBS and about 10mins after a meal I NEED the loo.

Could be ibs it hits me about 30-60 minutes after eating, could be all the rich Christmas food and booze that’s set it off

Hmmmm maybe I should BRAT myself for a few days and see how I fare

Have you been unwell and had a fever recently? This has happened to me before after a fever and it is a type of secondary infection. A course of antibiotics cleared it up.

Do you still have your gall bladder?IFor me it is a symptom of Bile Acid Malabsorption ( BAM), which is quite common after removal of gall bladder. I'm on medication for it, after suffering for years. All ok most of the time now.

I also assumed that eating something I didn't tolerate well couldn't cause that reaction that quickly, but my GP told me that actually it could (I have IBS).

I’ve had a cold recently but other than that nothing. I do have my gall bladder.

I had diarrhoea start on Christmas Eve and it then lasted a week. No illness or other symptoms and it was first thing in the morning and then all day within half an hour of eating or drinking anything. I shifted it by having a day where I didn’t drink anything but water and only ate plain foods - toast, hula hoops, some plain rice. It was gone the next day. Not sure if it was just coincidence or if I just needed a day abstaining from dairy/ caffeine/ fruit sugars/ spice etc,

You've not started taking magnesium supplements have you? I started on them as read they were good for energy...didn't read that explosive diarrhoea is also one of the side effects!

@SorrowsPrayers Interesting. I have the same problem Shitting way too often. Im lactose intolerant and cutting out milk and milk products and its helped a bit. i had my gall bladder removed in 2003 due to damage caused by fast weight loss.

@JenniferBooth . Hi. I had my gallbladder removed in 1999. Struggled on for years with toilet problems. After a couple of admissions to hospital with diverticulitis I paid to see a consultant privately. He suggested that I had BAM, and sent me for a Sehcat scan. Turns out I had severe BAM. Medication ( colevesalam) sorted it almost immediately and my life is quite transformed!
Well worth speaking to your GP ( though the test is expensive and they aren't keen).

I tend to get this if I have too many 'sugar free' soft drinks (by too many, i mean one glass per night but for three or four nights in a run).

Happened to me suddenly about 10 years ago and was constant daily. I slowly figured out it was lactose intolerance, and gave up dairy. My bowels returned to normal. Weirdly when I was pregnant, my lactose intolerance went away & never came back!

Thought they wouldnt be i will remind them that my gall bladder was removed due to weight loss (they had been telling me to lose weight for years) not a VLCD either. Slimming World

Thankyou @SorrowsPrayers

@JenniferBooth How odd! My gallbladder was removed after I'd lost weight on the Rosemary Conley diet!
@Havanawinter apologies for derailing...I hope you get sorted.

Not wanting to hijack the thread, but I’m waiting for a gastro appointment for suspected BAM. Do mind if I ask what medication you take? It’s just getting silly now!

@Trinity69 I was lucky to be put onto colevesalem which is a tablet. It is brilliant but very expensive so NHS try to keep you on a powder stuff. I was moved to this for a month but it wasn't as effective so managed to persuade doctor to move me back to tablets. There is a good fb group on the subject.
I am a different person since diagnosis...I can go out after eating and can make it to a loo on time

I tested negative for coeliac disease for 15 years before I had the genetic test and duodenal biopsies which showed classic coeliac. I certainly didn't have daily symptoms, once every few months then maybe once a week. I did have an episode while pregnant with my fifth child where I lost 10lbs in 5 days. Antibody tests were always negative. Are you anaemic? Any other symptoms like bloating or joint pain? I paid for the genetic test privately and then agreed to the biopsies based on that.