HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Changing Bowel Pattern

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/10/2019 9:32 PM (GMT 0)
There are four bowel patterns:
(1) Mostly diarrhea; (2) Mostly constipation; (3) Mostly normal (i.e. formed); (4) Alternate diarrhea and constipation.

When I was diagnosed of Crohn's more than 20 years ago, I belonged to pattern (1), almost exclusively running diarrhea every day unless I took some anti diarrhea medication.

Now after so many years, I changed to pattern (4): I can go to the bathroom 3 or more times in a day with urgency, and then have absolutely no go for the next 2-3 days, followed by the running diarrhea in the next day again. And the pattern repeats itself over and over again. What do you think?

Post Edited (EruditePaul) : 7/10/2019 6:35:32 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/10/2019 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
A similar change happened to me a few years after I was diagnosed with Crohn's. At first the constipation episodes would be rare, perhaps once every few months. But pretty bad when they did happen - it was as though my bowels would just seize up and stop working for a few days. The longer I couldn't go the harder and more painful my stool became to pass. After one appalling episode which was so bad, I ended up in A&E (the less said about that, the better), I began to use Miralax to soften my stool: if that failed, I would use a glycerin suppository. Grim, but it worked.

Gradually the constipation episodes became more and more frequent. At the same time my Crohn's disease was also getting worse. I developed a stricture and perhaps that caused the constipation. Except that the stricture wasn't diagnosed until long after the constipation began, so I don't really know.

Most of the time alternating diarrhoea and constipation is a symptom of IBS, but as you have Crohn's disease and the change appears to be fairly sudden, I would get it checked out. It might reflect a change in your disease.
Posted 7/11/2019 12:52 AM (GMT 0)
I just edited my original post, because it missed a word "ago". So I added it. That's the only edit.

Last year I went through both colonoscopy and abdominal MRE. Colonoscopy was normal, but MRE shows worsening strictures in my small intestines. My previous GI warned me about bowel obstruction 7 years ago, because I had strictures for long time, but so far I have dodged the bullet. I am trying to avoid the surgery as long as possible, because it will completely disrupt my work and life.
Posted 7/11/2019 1:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hey...I am 100% D since my resection in 1990 (unless I take cholestyramine)...except the days when I have inflammation near my surgical site. I would definitely think about strictures coming into play with the change you saw. Also, did you change your diet? There are a couple of foods that totally impact my D one way or another...too much cheese (even my favorite gouda) will make me back up for a good part of a day.
TakeCare
Posted 7/12/2019 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
HabsHockeyFan: I saw you have your first surgery 29 years ago. That's very long time ago. With D running every day, can you hold on to a full time job, or do you stay home most of the time? I am wondering if I can hold onto a full time job if I have my small bowel resection down the road. Thanks
Posted 7/12/2019 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Eruditepaul - I do have a full time job, even travel for work quite a bit, travel for fun, and other stuff. Right now I work from home which is an added plus, but most of my career has been spent in an office.

I started taking cholestyramine (Questran then) about 1992 due to D post resection. Somewhere after 1996 a GI stopped it...I cannot remember why. I started again about 2004-5 at my request - D got much worse with acid after having my gallbladder out. My husband says it basically gives us our life back. I have driven 90 miles an hour to get to a bathroom and kept a clothes bag in my car when i did n't take it. I have a pretty normal life when i do take it. it is something you should check into IF you have issues post surgery---not everyone does because it also depends on diet, where your surgery is, how much was taken out, and if your body produces that amount of liquid (like mine does).

Take Care
Posted 7/12/2019 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
HabsHockeyFan: Thank you for your reply. What you said is quite encouraging and helpful.

I took Questran more than 20 years ago for my Chron's, which slowed down quite a bit of my D. It's good medicine. But I remember I bled (possibly hemorrhoids) when I took Questran. I guess it could be because Questran interferes vitamin K absorption. After I stopped Questran, the bleeding went away.
Posted 7/12/2019 5:57 PM (GMT 0)
HabsHockeyFan: You are 50ish, so am I. You were diagnosed in your 20s, so was I. You have Crohn's in your small intestines, so do I. You and I both work on a full-time basis. A lot of similarities. I am hoping some day I hit 60, so I can retire from day-to-day work and retire. yeah
Posted 7/15/2019 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hmmm...lots of common ground there. I'm not shocked that we are similar age and had dx at similar time. It was right around when Crohns seemed to become more commonly diagnosed than in prior years. Although I suspect my emergent surgery and pathology reports were the key to a quicker diagnosis than most folks get.

I would say that I wonder if the questran caused the bleeding or if it was coincidental timing. I'm also unsure if Vit K is impacted as I just had lab work done and my K was in the acceptable range---although I do get muscle cramping off and on that I believe is either lower K or magnesium...but it is not constant. Everything is so random even those of us are similar can have differing issues. I do know that I took Questran light and now I take Prevalite---there are downsides to artificial sweeteners versus real sugar, but I have had such good luck on these, I don't want to change.

Good luck with the retirement goal...I think I am going to have to work until 75 before I can consider retirement!
Posted 11/1/2019 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
I have had 3 bowel resections with running D 3 or 4 times a day (I'm 57) and still work full time (and have all that time), not easy but doable, I have an office job on a computer. I take questran and codeine for D., magnesium for joint/muscle pain, entyvio. Diagnosed 1994 but probably had it before that. After each surgery (complete bowel obs x3) I had years of being symptom free for the most part.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply