I have really had some bad diarrhea. At one point I began to wonder just how fast food was passing through me? So I waited till 4 hours after my last intake, food or liquid. Then I ate a hunk of lettuce. I knew I could recognize this in the toilet. Ten (10) minutes later I had to go to the bathroom and sure enough there was the lettuce.

I don’t think I am getting much nutrition from the food I eat if it is going through from mouth to anus in ten minutes! That and the enormous water loss probably explains why I feel so weak.

Where is all that fluid coming from I wonder? After about four hours post meal it does slow down a little, but one little drink of ANY fluid or a mouthful of food and here we go again. And of course 4 hours post meal I am hungry, and so it goes. It started on a Tuesday evening, I thought it would pass. Then just as I was getting concerned, Thursday, it got better. Only to get severe late Friday afternoon. My doctors office was closed and I refuse to bother the after hours nurse about something that has been going on since Tuesday. How would that sound:

What is your problem?

When did these symptoms begin?

NOT ASKED BUT IN THE NURSE’S MIND: Why did you wait four days and then call on Friday night?

So I just will not call. Saturday it was so bad that is when I tested myself with the lettuce. I know there is very little nutrition getting absorbed, and that explains why Sunday I was getting weak. By this morning, Monday, I was feeble. I put my call into the doctor’s office.

This is what I was told: Go get some Metamucil. Take this three times a day. What, I thought that is what you use when you are stopped up and need a laxative. I ask the pharmacist and he said that it works both ways as an aid when you are stopped up and need a laxative, and also to add bulk when you can’t stop, diarrhea. He even said to be careful because you can get stopped up with this stuff if not careful. Can you believe it?

I was also given a couple of scripts in case the Metamucil doesn't hold me. One for Viokase which is a drug for something about digestion. I gotta find out more about this one tomorrow. Also Cholestyramine which combines with bile acids to keep them from being reabsorbed and allows them to pass in the feces.

I am starting to see good results now. It has been 3 hours with no trips to the bathroom! Have you ever heard about the miracles of Metamucil before?

Diarrhea

Diarrhea can sometimes be a problem after gastric bypass surgery. It can be triggered from eating the wrong types of food or beverages such as high sugar or fat foods/beverages. It can also be triggered by eating solid food and drinking at the same time. Diarrhea can also occur after eating or drinking milk products that have not been treated with the enzyme "lactase" (which helps break the milk sugar lactose down so you can tolerate it). Diarrhea may even be triggered after eating spicy foods or from drinking beverages high in caffeine. Even if you watch all these areas, diarrhea can still occur if you are not getting enough fiber in your diet. It may be difficult to take in enough fiber from your diet right after surgery since you can’t eat very much at that time. However, if you are having a chronic problem with diarrhea, try Metamucil one serving in the A.M. and one serving in the P.M. daily till the problem clears up. If the diarrhea has not cleared up within three days, call your surgeon.

Tips to control diarrhea:

1. Avoid high sugar or high fat foods or beverages.
2. Avoid untreated milk and dairy products (milk products not treated with the enzyme lactase).
3. Avoid eating and drinking at the same time (stop fluids a minimum of one-half hour before meals and do not resume fluids until a minimum of one-half hour after meals).
4. Avoid spicy foods.
5. Avoid caffeine.
6. Take Metamucil or Metamucil Wafers (an over the counter high vegetable fiber supplement) as follows: one serving A.M./one serving P.M. If diarrhea persists after three days, call your surgeon.
7. Try BRATT Diet for a day or two [Bananas (ripe), Rice, Applesauce (unsweetened), Tea (decaffeinated), and Toast (whole wheat)]. If diarrhea persists after three days, call your surgeon.
8. Take two or more tablespoonful (one ounce) of cultured yogurt or cultured buttermilk four times a day for four days.

Note: The cultured yogurt and cultured buttermilk contain "friendly" bacteria which can help your body get rid of the "bad’ bacteria which may be causing the diarrhea. If it is not helping within three days, call your surgeon.