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Original poster

If you get diarrhoea after eating, did you figure out what caused it?

58 replies

BreezyBlock · 29/05/2025 14:39

I have started getting diarrhoea after eating. But not every meal. At the moment I can’t see a pattern. It’s definitely related to me eating as it happens 30 mins to 1 hour after I eat but not every meal. After it’s happened I feel fine but it’s incredibly urgent when it does happen.

Does anyone else get this? Any tips for figuring it out?

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 29/05/2025 14:50

I'd start keeping a food diary in case it's an intolerance, mine turned out to be milk. Do you wash your hands thoroughly, are you on any medication. Have you ever suffered with ibs,

EgregiousElephant · 29/05/2025 14:51

I have IBS and I started off with writing a food diary a d noting down what I eat everyday to see if you can find a pattern in ingredients or types of food. It’s not ideal and takes a while but it helped me immensely

Burntt · 29/05/2025 15:02

Food diary. Took me ages to work out I’m allergic to rapeseed oil

Juiceinacup · 29/05/2025 15:03

It could be a food sensitivity so keeping a food record might give a clue, but it could be something else.I have IBS it covers a wide range of symptoms including diarrhoea and urgency, it tends to be diagnosed when they have ruled anything else out. I’ve never found a link with what I eat but it’s mostly the first thing I eat in a day, no matter what it is, that triggers a big rush to the toilet so breakfast if I eat it or lunch if I skip breakfast. I use this pattern to plan if I know I’m not going to have easy access to a bathroom for a while. Other days there is no rhyme or reason and on a bad day everything triggers me, and as it’s stress related worrying just makes it worse.

Original poster
BreezyBlock · 29/05/2025 15:27

Thanks for those tips that’s useful. Mine was first meal of the day today so I will keep an eye on that. I’m religious about hand washing and it’s not a bug as I’m not ill per se. I think it could be dairy but so hard to tell.

OP posts:
MissMoneyFairy · 29/05/2025 17:40

It can also be things like coffee, fruit juice, chocolate, alcohol so monitor them to,

RaininSummer · 29/05/2025 17:45

Dairy sets me off especially cheese or cream.

Original poster
BreezyBlock · 29/05/2025 20:10

Thanks - have started a food diary! Just had dinner and no reappearance of that (as yet!)

OP posts:
FloozingThePlot · 29/05/2025 20:21

Cooked cheese is my trigger for this, but my general health, the weather, hormones and stress are mediating factors. Sometimes I can get away with eating a bit of cooked cheese if I'm generally well, but if I'm run down / hormonal / too hot / stressed I can't. Bodies are funny things!

MonGrainDeSel · 29/05/2025 20:23

I am lactose intolerant and that can cause diarrhoea. I second the diary thing and also you should see your doctor.

ItsMutinyontheBunty · 29/05/2025 20:40

If it’s a new change, you should see your GP if it’s lasted over 3 weeks.
I’ve always had inconsistent bowel habits. I was tested for coeliac but it was negative. I did an elimination diet with a dietitian and found my triggers are wheat and lactose. Cutting them right down has helped a lot.

sandrevolutionary · 29/05/2025 20:44

ItsMutinyontheBunty · 29/05/2025 20:40

If it’s a new change, you should see your GP if it’s lasted over 3 weeks.
I’ve always had inconsistent bowel habits. I was tested for coeliac but it was negative. I did an elimination diet with a dietitian and found my triggers are wheat and lactose. Cutting them right down has helped a lot.

This is a good point. A change like that could be a sign of cancer, so you should see your GP rather than guessing yourself.

Workisntworking · 29/05/2025 21:21

Dairy for me. Now only have lacto-free milk/dairy and soy yoghurt desserts.
Also the hot water from the Quooker tap at work - so no tea for me Sad

Original poster
BreezyBlock · 29/05/2025 21:27

I’ve had a FIT test as a standard screening a few weeks ago and it was all fine. Had a colonoscopy 2 years ago and all clear. It’s definitely something I’m eating as it’s in one end and out the other and never any other time!

thanks for the suggestion though - always important to take notice of change in bowel habits!

OP posts:
user101101 · 29/05/2025 21:27

poor quality meat for me. Try silicol gel before you eat whatever it is

HanarCantWearSweaters · 29/05/2025 21:48

Yup, chronic diarrhoea 30 min to an hour after eating, worse in the first meal of the day, inconsistent as sometimes I could have a lot of fatty or trigger food and be fine and other times I’ll end up going up to 15 times a day.

Thought mine was IBS for ages until a SeHCAT scan showed bile acid malabsorption. Still trying to get my GP to agree with the hospital’s prescription of bile acid sequestrants but hopefully symptoms will settle once I start them.

it’s suspected that up to 1/3 people diagnosed with IBS might actually have BAM. Mine was caused by my gallbladder removal.

4forksache · 29/05/2025 21:51

I’ve never managed to find any correlation to anything either but I do know stress makes it worse.

Ineedanewsofa · 29/05/2025 22:01

Food diary is the way forward!
Lactose and onion (including onion powder which is added to bloody everything!) are my two biggest triggers.
The diary will help you learn what your ‘safe’ foods are although the onion powder one took me years to find out, I ended up paying for private allergy testing which highlighted it

Lookforthefairfolk · 29/05/2025 22:20

Do you have a strong coffee before it happens. A well known hurry"upper of bowel activity!

Fatgirlslimmingit · 29/05/2025 22:29

Have you had your gallbladder removed out? Could be bile malabsorption if so and there is medications which help.

fatgirlswims · 29/05/2025 22:35

I have this it’s so weird!

It didn’t work out the cause but it’s cause post prandial diarrhoea. I get intense stomach cramps, sweats and diarrhoea and then it passes very very quickly. I haven’t had it for ages actually but used to suffer every week/ month usually after a large meal with fat or meat. Assuming it was an intolerance but Interestingly it is similar to dumping syndrome which I came across when watching a YouTuber who had a gastric band.

GG1986 · 29/05/2025 22:52

Mine was bile acid malabsorption.

LostWirhoutYourLove · 29/05/2025 22:55

Sounds to me like diverticular disease.
I have to take loperamide about 20 mins before eating to avoid the trouble you’re having op

AlteredStater · 29/05/2025 22:56

Yes this happened to me around 18 months ago. I kept a food diary after cutting back my food to bland, inoffensive things (which didn't work btw!). I discovered it was wheat (and I'm not coeliac)! Stopped anything with wheat and so did the diarrhoea, within a couple of days. Recently I've had problems again and have narrowed it down to sorbitol!

It really does take detective work and your issue may be with some additive rather than a particular food.

OnionBudgie · 30/05/2025 18:29

It was red meat for me. Just about every time.
I'm vegan now.