Sudden and urgent need to go after eating

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HannahE85
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Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2015 2:16 pm
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by HannahE85 on Mon Apr 10, 2017 5:44 pm

Sudden and urgent need to go after eating

I have had many tests on my stomach and am yet to fully determine why I have been having so many issues with it.

I have recently (in the last year or so), been having situations where I go through periods of time, just constantly going to the toilet with diahorrea - no explanation why. For example one day was over 10 times in about 2 hours!!

Anyway I have started noticing and this seems to happen more when I eat out, that I have a meal and then around 30 mins later I am literally running to the loo with explosive diahorrea. As you can imagine this is very embarrassing. I thought it could have been a certain type of food causing it, like dairy/lactose but have had times when I have eaten the same thing and it didn't happen.

I am so confused and concerned by it all. Can you help in anyway? Advise the best course of action. Bearing in mind I have been to the drs many times to discuss this.

Thanks

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Dr Claire Mansfield
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Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:32 am
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by Dr Claire Mansfield on Thu Apr 13, 2017 4:49 pm

Re: Sudden and urgent need to go after eating

Hi. You said that you've been to your GP many times, what have they advised? I wondered if they had suggested it was IBS or if they are still ruling out other issues? It's good that you are starting to notice when it is happening. It might be important to do this by keeping a diary and then you can start to identify what the triggers might be. If it is only when you're going out this might be because the food is richer when you eat out, that it contains something in it that you wouldn't cook with at home, or perhaps because you are slightly anxious about eating out now, particularly if you are worried that you're going to have a horrible dash to the toilets afterwards. You could keep a track of your bowel movements, what you're eating/drinking, and other aspects i.e. exercise, how stressed you are etc. While you might be able to tolerate dairy/lactose in some quantities, perhaps there are particular forms of it that you can tolerate better than others, and perhaps only if you're not tired or have had regular bowel movements (for example). That's why keeping a diary for a few weeks/months can be so helpful in starting to identify what the difficulties are and what helps. If however you haven't had a diagnosis from your GP please do keep going back to them.
Dr Claire Mansfield
Chartered Counselling Psychologist - CPsychol, PsychD, MA, BSc

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... sfield.php

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Lee Martin
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Joined: Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:58 am
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by Lee Martin on Thu Apr 13, 2017 6:26 pm

Re: Sudden and urgent need to go after eating

I agree with Claire that anxiety and richer food when eating out could trigger more severe symptoms. It can be very difficult to identify specific food triggers. Although eating a meal may feel like it triggers symptoms 30 minutes later it may be the food you ate 2-3 hours ago that is actually triggering the symptoms. A food diary can certainly be useful however it may need a dietitian to help identify any potential triggers and patterns. It sounds like you have had some tests completed by the GP but it might be worth you having a read of this article to clarify if you have had the right tests completed and if so a diagnosis of IBS needs to be made. https://rmdietetic.com/2015/11/23/manag ... dmap-diet/
If all the tests have been completed appropriately then obtaining a referral from your GP to see a dietitian may help shed some new light on the problem. Elements of foods can trigger the type of symptoms you mention such as urgency to go to the toilet and diarrhoea.
Lee Martin
Specialist Gastroenterology Dietitian - MSc RD

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... martin.php

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Julie Thompson
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Joined: Mon Jul 08, 2013 2:24 pm
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by Julie Thompson on Sun Apr 16, 2017 9:16 am

Re: Sudden and urgent need to go after eating

Hi

Good posts on this thread already and I would agree that it can sometimes be difficult to find out what if any type of food is causing a problem.

I agree with Lee that it could be food that you have eaten the meal or even the night before. Another consideration is that rich meals, as Clair suggests, that are high in fat can trigger diarrhoea by a reflex in the digestive system. It is called the gastro colic response. The reflex can be triggered by eating foods that are higher in fats, when these foods are in the stomach or the first part of the small bowel it triggers the bowel to need to be emptied. People who have digestive problems tend to have a more sensitive 'trigger' for this reflex and it results in diarrhoea and urgency quite rapidly after a food is consumed.

The most important factor is to find out what is causing the problem and seek a referral to a dietitian to help you to figure it out.
Julie Thompson
Gastroenterology Specialist Dietitian - BSc (Hons) Dietetics

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... ompson.php

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