Is it possible to be healthy with constant diarreah?

I'm wondering if the body already uses all the nutrients before the diarrhea stage.

If the answer is yes, then I'm going to forget about this darned UC and just go on living, which is what I generally do anyway. Yes, I know our goal is to stop the diarrhea but how badly does it affect our health.

So my main question is, can someone be healthy with constant diarrhea? Or, if they can't what vitamins, nutrients can they take to stay healthy? Would someone who has no colon sort of be in the same position healthwise?

Serious answers only please. :)

Thank you!
John

I was wondering the same thing. I was flaring for about 6 weeks this last fall. Finally got all symptoms under control except the loose stool. Its not diarrhea, but a very fuzzy stool that easily disintegrates upon flushing. I know it's a sign of continued inflammation, just not sure if it warrants increasing meds, or an occasional Rowasa. It sounds like you already are watching what you eat. Have you tried a probiotic?

What is rehydration salts? Is it actual salt? Is there a way to stay really hydrated without using salt?

Joey, yes I tried probiotics for a long time, then recently quit them. They are expensive and like many other things I didn't know if they were doing anything. Are you suggesting the probiotic keeps us healthier if we have D?

all depends on your definition of healthy - do you want to be healthy ? you have the power jp

Yeah im around 6 or 7 on a good day... usually closer to 10. Some times of the day are better for me. Yesterday was pretty great... ill contribute that more to the vicodin for my hemmy than the clean, fiber free eating though.

I actually do think my diet the last few days has helped me feel quite a bit better tho. Once I get this hemmy taken care of ill be excited to see how "healthy" I feel/am again. Just another bump in the road :)

Soy - how deep. :D

John- have you had bloodwork done recently?

Sherry you say in your sig that you can't tolerate Mesalimine, but then you list Apriso? Can you explain?

ya eg, I tried deep once - never again - life is way too short

deep is for octopusses ! or is it octopi ?

LOL jp !

Is it possible to be healthy with constant diarreah?

My guess is maybe but not for long. At the height of my last flare, bloody diarrhea 15-20 times a day, my blood counts were so fouled up that I was referred to oncologist to check for lymphoma. At the very least you should get your blood levels checked: Vitamin D, B12, folate, iron, etc., and check for whatever other abnormalities resulting from chronic diarrhea.

Yes. The colon reabsorbs water + a few salts back into the body, but all the nutrients will have been absorbed long since by the small bowel. People with diarrhoea-prominent IBS and ileostomies live a normal lifespan.

Diarrhoea caused by IBD is a different kettle of fish, because there you have an inflammatory component. The main danger of not treating IBD is that chronic inflammation could have long-term health consequences, far more so than the diarrhoea itself. In UC, the worst-case scenario is colon cancer. In Crohn's, the inflammation can go through all the layers of the bowel and cause strictures, abscesses and fistulas. Not to mention the systemic complications of inflammation such as fevers, anaemia, joint pain, increased blood-clotting etc.

Maybe in mild IBD none of the above might ever happen. But it is a gamble, and if you are newly diagnosed, mild disease might very well become severe disease over the next few years: mine most certainly did.

Post Edited (NiceCupOfTea) : 1/11/2014 8:59:54 AM (GMT-7)

i think so as long as your UC is in remission through colonoscopy and your bloodwork is good.

my sister bounces between D and C but always has perfect blood work and no other symptoms. she is on other medications so maybe that has something to do with it.

i agree with Red about the D in that it doesn't physically hurt my gut. i had been getting a lot of C lately and decided to add in eggs last week because i now they give me the runs. well, they've loosened up my stool a lot (now it's like porridge instead of bananas) and i feel 1000x better! i dont need any mag citrate and the eggs aren't giving me extra gas. feels so much better than having that uncomfortable lump in my gut. i poop one loose poop in the morning instead of a harder one now.

i dont even notice it anymore, john!

i love when there's a conservative person on here and they're like "sorry if this it too graphic but..."

I would think that if it were constant and you weren't eating a balanced diet, some things could go awry...but you're only having it in the morning.

So, diarrhea means that it's pure liquid...not really soft stool that's sort of a cow-plop?

What probiotic were you taking exactly?

I would suggest you try fibre supplements. I originally started with Metamucil Smooth, and it did help lessen the diarrhea.

Since you're not bleeding and going in just the morning, it's obvious that you're improving med-wise. You just started the enemas (nightly??)....hang tough till you start to see more improvement.

The diarrhea would mean you still have milder inflammation higher than limited to the rectum (if you can't account some of the cause to diet intake, since some foods will nicely loosen stool or quicken it through the digestive tract).

Regarding you losing nutrients...don't overdo the water...staying in a normal range would suffice if you're eating well-balanced.

Forgot to as... what other supplements you're taking?
q