Need some advice about diahhrea

I have experienced the same thing off and on.  Actually my bowels go back and forth between bouts of constipation and bouts of diarrhea, or at the very least, frequency with urgency and occasionally some loose stools.  I have found that the same healthy foods you have mentioned can put my bowels into overdrive.  I rarely take Imodium because, like you, I do not want to become dependent on it.  I have found that some of this depends on the quantity of fruits and veggies I eat.  I love those types of foods and used to eat them in large quanitites prior to cancer.  Now, I have cut way back on amount.  It is definitely frustrating to be having these issues.  I try not to eat a diet of "junk" food either.  One thing I do eat, which I truly believe helps somewhat is Activia yogurt, which has probiotics.  I eat it for breakfast every morning.  If you haven't tried that, I would give it a go.  If you don't like yogurt, you could always try taking a probiotic supplement.

I sympathize with you and I hope you can find a way to balance things out so you can continue to eat healthy and not be running to the bathroom all the time.  I know how frustrating it is!  Take good care and big hugs! 

It took me awhile to get used to eating yogurt too, but I have it every morning now.  Even though I eat the fruit flavors, such as peach, cherry and strawberry, I still mix in some fresh fruit, such as blueberries.  I seem to tolerate it well.  I hope you can learn to like it and that it will help with your issues.  If not, try the probiotics that are in pill form or chews.  Good luck!

Like you I have frequent daily BMs but not diarrhea.  I limit high fiber foods as they create more frequent BMS.  I have been taking two immodium daily since finishing tratments in 2009.  You may also want to limit your fruit intake.  I cannot eat as much fruit as I did before anal cancer.  I take a probiotic capsule daily.

MIke

feckcancer said:

(No subject)

please check with your doctors if they would recomend this for you . 

 

Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare .

 

while this did help me i am not posting this as medical advice. please do not take it as such.

 

Thank you for posting this feckcancer!  I will be needing this list soon!

Thrive_2003 said:

Need some advice about diahhrea

I am 16 years out of treatment, and I cannot eat or drink anything if I am going out.   I also do not want to depend on immodium.  I do not go out to eat anymore, because the last time I ate out, I took the immodium before and after the meal, had a BM before I left the restaurant and before I arrived home, had a huge accident.  My Sister and her friend were with me at the time, and we have never talked about it to this day.   I am now afraid to eat out and have not been to a restaurant since August, 2018.   Luckily it was not visible to anyone else, but it was apparent.   Bowels are soft most of the time,  but I also have to watch what I eat.  I used to be able to eat plain yogurt with fresh fruit. Now that in addition to salads, upset my stomach.  I'm going to try Activia. 

I am now 10 years out of treatment and I know exactly how you feel.  I was on vacation about 5 years ago.  We had lunch and then were walking around and could not get to the restroom fast enough, ended up having a huge accident.  Since then I've had issues.  immodium has not worked for me.  I hate the taste of yogurt.  Also trying to figure out what will help.  I have other issues I'm sure is from radiation treatments.  Lately, about the last 6 months, I've had stiff upper legs and lower back.  I've tried stretching and more exercise but nothting is helping.  Has anyone else experienced stiffness.  I've talked with my oncologist regarding the diahhrea, stiffness & other issues and he just looks at me like I'm crazy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreicated. 

Thanks

Diarrhea doesn't bother me, (as long as I'm home and the bathroom is free, of course) but I have to be very careful not to get constipated, because I have not just one, but a few fissures, lucky me.  If my stools aren't soft, or I have to strain at all I end up in with a lot of pain and bleeding.

I take Lomotil every day, sometimes one tab, sometimes just 1/2. It slows things down enough that I feel comfortable going out and even to eat, but only later in the day.  Mornings I STAY HOME.  I don't eat a lot when I go out, larger meals can definitely trigger movement!  I don't mind taking the medication eery day, and I'm sure I'll take it forever.  What's the big deal?  Immodium is supposed to be very safe to take all the time.  Anyway, that's my take on it. 

I'm 2 years, 3 months post treatment, by the way.  So far so good...

Jane

Mollymaude said:

Dawn and Jane

Dawn, I know exactly the look your doctors give you because mine have looked at me like that too! Or worse yet just said it was irritable bowel syndrome and acted like it could not be due to treatment. I actually had a GI specialist tell me it couldn’t be from the radiation because the radiation didn’t reach the colon!! I still get mad thinking about that! This forum has helped me deal with side effects and not feel like I have a bunch of crazy symptoms no one has heard of before. And Jane I agree about the Imodium - if it works use it and don’t worry about it. The stuff that will really damage your body we’ve already had- chemo and radiation! If someone feels like it’s not the right thing for them then I respect that too. 

Mollymaude,

I wish some of the doctors would read all these post.  How can they say that our symtoms are not from the treatments when so many of us have the same issues?  I'm just trying to figure out what meds to try with the diaherrea.  I am currently taking Viberze which has helped but some days I probably take more than what I should. I have to get sample packs because this medicine is $1000 per month.   I have a big issue lately with uncontrollable bowels.  

Does anyone have any recommendations of other meds?

dawn7767 said:

Mollymaude,

Mollymaude,

I wish some of the doctors would read all these post.  How can they say that our symtoms are not from the treatments when so many of us have the same issues?  I'm just trying to figure out what meds to try with the diaherrea.  I am currently taking Viberze which has helped but some days I probably take more than what I should. I have to get sample packs because this medicine is $1000 per month.   I have a big issue lately with uncontrollable bowels.  

Does anyone have any recommendations of other meds?

 

 

my advice from my doctors for me was follow the low fibe diet below and take diamide loperamide. 

The recommended initial dose of Diamide in adults is two capsules (4 mg) followed by one capsule (2 mg) after each unformed stool.

Daily dose should not exceed eight capsules (16 mg). Clinical improvement is usually observed within 48 hours.

when i had diarrhea really bad my doctors recomended taking x2 capsules every morning regardless to help things firm up.

please check with your doctors if they would recomend this for you too. 

Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare .

while this did help me i am not posting this as medical advice. please do not take it as such.

I have told my colorectal doc in the past that if I eat oatmeal, I am pooping within less than a minute (on or off the toilet).  He looked at me like that was unusual. I saw his associate yesterday and was talking about my "leakages" and he acted as if that's not abnormal after radiation. He also said my sphincter muscles are not so good which is not unusual.  He was shocked that I don't take Metamucil daily. So I am starting that today.

Do others take Metamucil?

I used loperimide (imodium) throughout radiation treatment. I had a lot of diarrhea from the radiation, so I was taking the maximum daily loperimide dosage  to control it: 8 tablets every 24 hour period. But it did work well enough. And it never got me anywhere close to constipation. I am a year out from treatment now and still use it occasionally. Took one last night after dinner when something unexpected started happening. But I don't use it much anymore, and I eat pretty normally now. Very important to use loperimide at first sign of diarrhea... don't wait for diarrhea to get out of control and go on for a day or more before starting.