Diagnose my mom Please! TMI
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Anonymous
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My mom,74, is otherwise very healthy, eats organically and exercises ever day - has lived like this for most of her life.
about 6 months ago she suddenly started experiencing bouts of diarrhea. it would catch her by surprise as it would sometimes come on when she was out and about. she has soiled herself a few times and the very first time it happened she didn't even realized it had happened until she figured out that an odor was following her 
These bouts would last for weeks and then suddenly stop. And by stop I mean zero, not even a regular bowel movement. at one point she went for 3 weeks without an actual BM - there was an occasional TINY, TINY amount once a day but that's it. that's not the oddest part of this. During her bouts of D, she feels otherwise fine. no pain, weakness or weight loss. During her periods of serious constipation - there is NEVER the urge to actually "go". her stomach is not distended, she does not feel bloated and isn't gaining weight. another odd thing that's happening - which may or may not be related. around the same time as the onset of her bowel issues, she started noticing a "fecal" smell coming out of her nose. right side only. its not her breath and I can't smell it when I'm near her. Her gastro is stumped. she has had a sonogram which showed nothing. I suspect a parasite but have no idea. thoughts anyone? |
Anonymous
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My mom had diarhea like that due to eating bad pork (no parasite) and it lasted maybe 2 months.
But the odor makes me think she should get a brain MRI just to be safe. I am guessing she already had a colonoscopy. |
Anonymous
Thanks PP. She has had regular colonoscopies - all normal. also numerous endoscopies. Interesting that you mention a brain MRI. about 2-3 years ago she had one (don't recall why but I think she was referred by her ENT). the doctor told her she had something growing in the lower area of her brain and needed it removed. my mom was shocked and skeptical. took her MRI results to her ENT and told him what the other doctor told her. the ENT said that he saw nothing on her scan and didn't know why the other doc wanted to perform surgery. she is now wondering if the odor is due to what doctor #1 claims he saw - and that maybe she really does have something going on. again though - she feels terrific. |
Anonymous
I meant to tell you *hugs* to you. I would definitely follow up on another brain MRI to rule out a tumor, but honestly it could just be old age/dementia. Of course, that wouldn't explain the diarhea, but maybe that will go away in a month. Or maybe it's just IBS. |
Anonymous
| Rule out a brain tumor. Then try a gluten free diet. That's what has finally worked for my older mom. |
Anonymous
| the diarreah alternating with constipation totally sounds like giardia to me, which is really common but easily missed in stool samples. |
Anonymous
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OP here -
I wondered about giardia as well....along with brain tumor. she is seeing her gastro again next week to pester him for more tests. I am going to add giardia to the list, along with other parasites. going to also discuss the issue re: brain
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Anonymous
| Bear with me here, it's going to sound a little crazy. Is it possible that she may have an eating disorder. I know a lot of older women who would binge eat and have very strange bowel complications. They wouldn't tell the doctors what they were doing, so the doctors were always stumped. We typically think of younger women when we talk about eating disorders, but the shame and stigma keep most people from telling others. |
Anonymous
| ^^pp here again. Did she take any antibiotics before this all started. It also sounds a little like CDiff -- but I am sure that the gastro would have ruled that out already. |
Anonymous
| What's the link between brain tumor and GI issues? |
Anonymous
Yes, I was wondering that too. What made PP think brain tumor? |
Anonymous
| I think it's the fact that she's perceiving a bad odor even when there isn't one. |
Anonymous
| Ulcerative colitis? |
Anonymous
| C diff doesn't ever give you constipation. Ever.. |
Anonymous
| Leaky gut? Celiac? |