Author Topic: Bathroom issues (Read 11076 times)

Optimistic · « **on:** July 29, 2009, 10:10:03 pm »

Hello everyone,

Lately, I have been running to the bathroom every time I eat something. Do any of you have this problem? I eat a pretty good diet most of the time. Any suggestions on what I should do? It is a nuisance having to run to the bathroom everytime I eat. ugh!

- Justin

Robert · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2009, 12:04:04 am »

I was the same way for a long time but in the last year or so it's finally stated to slacken up a bit.

I don't know what to offer that you probably haven't already tried. Roughage is always good and that's why I start my day with a bowl of oatmeal. I tried the immodium route and I just couldn't hack taking more pills. So I've just had to wait it out and, like I said, the problem seems to have resolved itself.

I hope it gets better soon.

robert

Snowangel · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2009, 12:29:04 am »

I have the same problem and while I have to remind myself to do it alot of times, I try to take an Immodium when I take my meds at night, and that seems to help. No pun intended, but it is a bummer, I feel like food is one of the things I have left to enjoy and I can't even do that.

Good Luck!

water duck · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2009, 03:47:12 am »

Why not talk to your HIV Dr about it ??
Maybe it is time to donate a piece of your stool to him/her so they can check out how priceless they are and that there are no 'unwanted guests ' feasting on them.

Good luck.

weasel · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2009, 09:22:32 am »

May be in my head ?

I did ACTIVIA for a while ................................

I also take . forgive the spelling LOPEADOPEAINE !

i take TWO in the morning .

I have a belly day every three days .

This is MUCH better than ALL THE TIME !

Life is sort of back to normal .................. or as normal as it will be .

ask your doctor about a clogger !
They do help , don't over do or you get DEVERTICULITOUS that is most uncomfortable
until the explosion comes

Carl

Joe K · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2009, 01:55:48 pm »

I agree that you need to have your stool analyzed. If you use a gym it can be very easy to pick up "unwanted" visitors and since this seems to have come on quickly, there is a good chance you have some nasty bug that needs to die.

Moffie65 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2009, 09:25:42 pm »

Hi Justin.

I have found that yogurt is invaluable to keep the tummy in balance. I realize that eating yogurt every day for the rest of your life might not seem like the most enjoyable thing to look forward to, but it can be a very managable thing if you mix it up a bit.

I buy Mountain High in the half gallon tub, because theirs is totally natural, and it is whole milk yogurt, as opposed to skim, or light. Then I keep several varieties of canned, and fresh fruit in the house, and mix with a bit of desert honey to give me a boost for allergies, and presto, add about four to six ounces of yogurt to that and you have a healthy treat that will really work wonders to smooth out the mess that the drugs and HIV make to our systems. One of my favorite flavor combinations that you just cannot get in the store is Organic peanut butter with dark chocolate sauce with a bit of honey. HMMMMMM.... Reeses yogurt....

Hope this helps, it really works wonders. However, if you might have an infection, you do need to go get some lab work done.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #7 on:** July 31, 2009, 01:05:01 am »

12 mg of loperamide, 6 MS-8 Pancrecarb (pancreatic enzymes)... and I have taken about 6 stool samples and they've all been clean. My diet is fine, and I don't eat out much. Some of us just have bad GI issues.

I've done this for a decade, but my issues are now controlled even if that is a lot of pills. I am undetectable and my cd4's are 1200.

Gary85741 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2009, 08:30:59 am »

For me it's hard to find the right balance. Like others, I take Loperamide...started out taking it bi-daily but that wasn't enough. So now I take it almost daily which has improved the situation. Not to be graphic, but I have to settle for stools which are so dense they often clog the commode and I have to get the plunger. There's also Lomotil available by Rx...more "heavy duty" I think...for those who do not satisfactorily respond to Loperamide. it beats having the sudden necessity to 'go' which aggravates me if I'm not home...I'd rather have the problem in private!

Gary

wellington · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2009, 04:14:09 pm »

If you think your diet is pretty sound (i.e. not likely causeing the issues), you might want to check out Acidophilous capsules to kickstart your GI flora. I tend to use them for brief periods after taking any antibiotic and recall taking them over several months when I first got started on meds.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2009, 04:55:42 pm »

You've been on meds 3 years -- get back to me after you've had 16.

denb45 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2009, 05:17:43 pm »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on July 31, 2009, 04:55:42 pm

You've been on meds 3 years -- get back to me after you've had 16.

You tell 'em Miss Tempest Wee ta.......one Loperamide at night, and sometimes one in the AM does the job for me

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2009, 11:04:50 pm »

Quote from: denb45 on July 31, 2009, 05:17:43 pm

You tell 'em Miss Tempest Wee ta.......one Loperamide at night, and sometimes one in the AM does the job for me

Oh please Mary -- try taking 6-10 each day!

denb45 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2009, 11:21:21 pm »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on July 31, 2009, 11:04:50 pm

Oh please Mary -- try taking 6-10 each day!

6-10 each day of Loperamide, I'd be constipated for the rest of my life

, they'd have to do Surgery to unlock my bowels

Optimistic · « **Reply #14 on:** August 02, 2009, 02:42:14 pm »

Thank you everyone for all the advice....It has calmed down somewhat over the past couple of days. I will wait and see what happens in the next few days. I will definitely mention this to my doctor the next time I see her. Thanks again. =)

Justin

hotpuppy · « **Reply #15 on:** August 03, 2009, 12:49:18 am »

A few things:
1) Watch your stress. Stress does evil to your bowels.
2) Keep a diet log. small changes to what you eat can give you grief.
3) Depending on your meds load you may find that taking certain things apart may help.... or with certain types of food. The key here is to look at what sort of diarrhea you have. Loose stool is one thing, liquid stool is another. I find that when I'm stressed I get 'liquid stool' which is caused by my intestines being irritated and sending everything out the door so to speak.

I have alot of friends who take immodium or it's cousins... I try to avoid more meds. Yogurt does help as well. It tends to calm the squirrels within.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #16 on:** August 03, 2009, 11:13:47 am »

If it takes me 12 mg daily of imodium and 6 capsules of pancreatic enzymes to simply produce a normal bowel movement I somehow doubt that yogurt is going to work very well.

denb45 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 03, 2009, 01:56:41 pm »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on August 03, 2009, 11:13:47 am

If it takes me 12 mg daily of imodium and 6 capsules of pancreatic enzymes to simply produce a normal bowel movement I somehow doubt that yogurt is going to work very well.

Liquid stools, have always been a big part of my life, I've had them for last 13 yrs. imodium helps, but I can't take more than 2 of them in a 24hr period, also pancreatic enzymes, I cannot take that, as I already have kidney stones & Liver problems, according to my ID=Doctor, are so she says

I commend you, for at least having a hard stool, I haven't had a normal stool in about 13 to 15 yrs now....

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #18 on:** August 03, 2009, 02:04:11 pm »

Why don't you try something like tincture of opium? A friend of mine with GI issues that make mine seem like child's play has to take that. It will stop you up and halt the liquid shit -- basically it's heroin.

denb45 · « **Reply #19 on:** August 03, 2009, 03:35:57 pm »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on August 03, 2009, 02:04:11 pm

Why don't you try something like tincture of opium? A friend of mine with GI issues that make mine seem like child's play has to take that. It will stop you up and halt the liquid shit -- basically it's heroin.

I can't get that, form any AIDS ID-Doctor I've ever seen, at least not here in New Mexico......none of them ever did think it was that bad......, Lomotil was the closet I ever got to anything that strong, but, the Lomtil has Atrophine in it, and I'm allergic to that, and after a few yrs of that, it just made me feel even worse, so, after 15 yrs. your body get's real use to things, I taught my body, not think about it so much anymore.......I've been tested and given more stool samples thur the yrs. and they always came back clean (that's right no MAC) ......isn't it amazing what you body can live with after so many yrs.

GNYC09 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 03, 2009, 06:38:37 pm »

denb45, when you say "liquid stools" do you mean soft stools or diarrhea? I'm guessing the latter. Just curious because I haven't had a solid stool since I began my meds in April and I'm wondering if this is just the way it'll always be (I still haven't tried pancrecarb. My doctor didn't seem to think I need it). It's funny how one can miss having a "normal" bowel movement.

denb45 · « **Reply #21 on:** August 03, 2009, 07:22:39 pm »

Quote from: GNYC09 on August 03, 2009, 06:38:37 pm

denb45, when you say "liquid stools" do you mean soft stools or diarrhea? I'm guessing the later. Just curious because I haven't had a solid stool since I began my meds in April and I'm wondering if this is just the way it'll always be (I still haven't tried pancrecarb. My doctor didn't seem to think I need it). It's funny how one can miss having a "normal" bowel movement.

Watery, liquid stools, looks like coffee with cream in it, it's never hard or formed, but, always liquid, it's worse when I'm stressed out, but, I 've learned to live with mine, it's the reason why I've been on SSDI for the last 12 yrs. all of my past ID doctors call it IBS, along with Full Blown-Aids..........it's part of my Disability, so, I accept it, life go's on you know, and it's not the end of the world for me

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #22 on:** August 12, 2009, 03:17:09 pm »

Quote from: GNYC09 on August 03, 2009, 06:38:37 pm

denb45, when you say "liquid stools" do you mean soft stools or diarrhea? I'm guessing the latter. Just curious because I haven't had a solid stool since I began my meds in April and I'm wondering if this is just the way it'll always be (I still haven't tried pancrecarb. My doctor didn't seem to think I need it). It's funny how one can miss having a "normal" bowel movement.

He thinks continual diarrhea is healthy for four months? Are you not even taking loperamide? Or are you saying your stools are just not firm, and you're not having actual diarrhea?

denb45 · « **Reply #23 on:** August 12, 2009, 05:55:50 pm »

Quote from: Miss Philicia on August 12, 2009, 03:17:09 pm

He thinks continual diarrhea is healthy for four months? Are you not even taking loperamide? Or are you saying your stools are just not firm, and you're not having actual diarrhea?

Nope diarrhea, watery stools everyday for the last 12 yrs. YES I take loperamide twice a day, sometimes more a day, but, it makes me break out into Hives If take too much loperamide, but all of my ID doctors
think it's normal for me, and nothing else is needed.... they don't feel it's that serious, are life threatening
debilitating YES, but, that's why I cannot work anymore, among other things....

GNYC09 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 12, 2009, 05:58:48 pm »

I alternate between loose stools and diarrhea (a few days each). When I take fiber or loperamide, I have shaped stools but they're kind of like clay. No matter what the consistency, they're always a little yellowish (or in yellow liquid). When I told my doctor, he told me that my labs look ok and to call him if I had diarrhea for two weeks in a row. Maybe he thinks this will resolve itself as have a bunch of other side effects that I had? I'll definitely bring it up again when I see him again.

Do you think that taking loperamide is = to covering up an underlying issue that needs to be addressed? Assuming, of course, it's something that can even be taken care of $:-\$

denb45 · « **Reply #25 on:** August 12, 2009, 07:57:17 pm »

Quote from: GNYC09 on August 12, 2009, 05:58:48 pm

I alternate between loose stools and diarrhea (a few days each). When I take fiber or loperamide, I have shaped stools but they're kind of like clay. No matter what the consistency, they're always a little yellowish (or in yellow liquid). When I told my doctor, he told me that my labs look ok and to call him if I had diarrhea for two weeks in a row. Maybe he thinks this will resolve itself as have a bunch of other side effects that I had? I'll definitely bring it up again when I see him again.

Do you think that taking loperamide is = to covering up an underlying issue that needs to be addressed? Assuming, of course, it's something that can even be taken care of $:-\$

Well I know I have IBS along with Full Blown Aids, all of my labs are clean, and so are my stools, I've never had MAC, and nothing shows up in any Endoscopy or Colonoscopy , so, nothing else to be done in my case, however the Norivr and the Aptuvis is what causes all of the diarrhea, I'm told it's the side-effects of the medications along with the Aids and IBS....and YES, I do keep adult diapers handy

31diver · « **Reply #26 on:** August 18, 2009, 05:06:54 am »

I started on Truvada/Kaletra combo last year and dealt with GI issues pretty much on a regular basis until I started drinking Muscle Milk Protein Drinks. I know it sounds wierd, but it it's been working so far. I started drinking two of them per day between meals to supplement my protein due to starting to work out again. Ever since then, no major gastric issues, no loose stools.
I drink the 14 oz lactose free drinks. I get them at Walgreen's or GNC. The added benefits, they taste good, have 25g of protein and a good bit of vitamins and minerals as well.
Hope this helps.

Snowangel · « **Reply #27 on:** August 20, 2009, 09:53:20 am »

31- I will have to try those drinks, Thanks!
Nice to see you!

Snow

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #28 on:** August 20, 2009, 11:12:32 am »

Quote from: GNYC09 on August 12, 2009, 05:58:48 pm

Do you think that taking loperamide is = to covering up an underlying issue that needs to be addressed? Assuming, of course, it's something that can even be taken care of $:-\$

This is why I always recommend, as does my doctor, adding in the pancrecarb. Lopermide only masks the symptom by stopping you up, while Pancrecarb addresses the suboptimal absorption issues in the small intestine -- it's a delayed release capsule that passes the stomach.

However, I'd agree with your doctor that what you're describing sounds like a minimal issue, though I'd probably hedge it and do something before 2 solid weeks of explosive-D. If you're having diarrhea even every other day then obviously that's a quality of life issue, but also indicates malabsorption.

megasept · « **Reply #29 on:** August 20, 2009, 11:51:59 am »

Quote from: Optimistic on July 29, 2009, 10:10:03 pm

Hello everyone,

Lately, I have been running to the bathroom every time I eat something...ugh!

- Justin

justin: yep, that includes lots of us. two things have helped me immensely; large portion of oatmeal every am + vigorous walking (i already work out).

it's been suggested you have your stool probed for any bug worth killing. i'd agree with that as well.

food is to be enjoyed, more than fuel, so i'd struggle with this!

-megasept

Jeff64 · « **Reply #30 on:** August 21, 2009, 06:49:45 pm »

Hi

I signed up for a clinical trial for Advent. It is a anti-liquipoo drug that seems to really work. I have had prize winning poos for about 5 days now! They actually have a shape now.

The drug is made with an extract of a variety of croton and is called crofelemer.
I do not know why it needs FDA approval since it an herbal remedy...probably something to do with money, I am sure.

Jeff

PozBrian · « **Reply #31 on:** August 24, 2009, 11:51:02 pm »

I've been having "issues" as well but I now know the cause, and it took me a bit by surprise. Clostridium Difficile, a relatively nasty little bug. More so be cause when my Dr called me about the results of the stool samples I took in, she said do not take Imodium as it could result in blockage that would need surgery to resolve. 10 days of metronidazole, 2 every 8 hrs should do the trick. My Dr wasn't sure if being hiv + increased one's risk or not as it show up in a diverse group of folks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridium_difficile

Edited to add: I guess the lesson is don't just assume that loose stools or diarrhea are due to meds, it could be something else.

lforsyth · « **Reply #32 on:** August 26, 2009, 10:20:01 am »

Lot's of good information here. I've been positive since 80's but not given meds until 97. I never know how the day is going to go with Viracept side affects. Some days are good but some day's a simple cough could send me home to change clothes. I signed up for the study Jeff64 mentioned but noone has contacted me.

03/09 CD4: 1100, Viral load: N/A
06/09 CD4: 950, Viral load: 75.

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Author Topic: Bathroom issues (Read 11076 times)