Please respond - need help understanding my symptoms. Possible TMI

[jessica.leigh]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to share what's been going on with me for the past few hours and would love your opinions on what this is and what I should do about it. I'm pretty confused and scared.

Last night I had 4 drinks (WAY more than I usually have) but didn't feel especially tipsy and it was over a 5 hour period. When my bf and I got home we were intimate, which can sometimes upset my IBS and give me a touch of d* but not ever more than a couple doses of pepto bismol can handle.

Anyway, I woke up at 4am with the feeling of needing to have a BM - I went, and it was normal. I was relieved given the drinking and the you know what. As soon as I got back in bed I started having the gurgley bubbly abdominal feeling of d* coming. Well, it came immediately after, and basically hasn't stopped since. I think I've been about 10-12 times total, sometimes more than others. It is pure water but is normal in color and smell.

I didn't have any additional symptoms. After the 4am start, I took 4 chewable pepto bismols and went back to sleep around 6am. I woke up at 9am and had to go more times. Same type. I took 4 more chewable pepto. Still happening. At this point (maybe around 10am) I was thinking I probably have an s*v*, so I took 2 chewable dramamine.

Since then (it's noon now) I haven't gone to the bathroom, haven't felt nausea, and have what I believe to be a slight appetite, but am having pretty severe abdominal cramps every few minutes. This is something I've felt before but only when I've had a s*v*.

The scariest thing for me is that every time I've had a s*v* (2 in my adult life) I've had these types of cramps and d* has proceeded v* by a few hours. It's been 7-8 hours since the start of the d* and last time I had a s*v* I v* once about 5-6 hours after d* started. I just don't think I'm out of the woods yet for v*.

I'm wondering if y'all think I have a s*v*, or if it's just a random (and terrible) bout of IBS related to the drinking and other stuff...I haven't taken Immodium but I have it. I don't want to eat anything but probably will later if I maintain my hunger.

PLEASE respond if you read this. I want to be able to get back to my normal life ASAP.
Thanks for reading. <3

[jessica.leigh]

Also, forgot to mention, my temperature is a normal 98.6!

[jessica.leigh]

Took my temperature again and it was 99.3, then a third time and it was 98.9. I've been lying under the covers in bed so maybe that's why it's elevated? Please read and respond, anyone!

[jessica.leigh]

Hey all. Doesn't look like anyone has tuned in to my thread, but wanted to update in case anyone replies. Fever has come and gone, but the highest it was was 99, so I don't know if that even really counts. The diarrhea has slowed down but is still happening once per hour or so. I think the main reason it isn't happening much is I've been still and resting all day. I have had a couple waves of nausea, but have not v*. I think I feel slight hunger, but definitely do not want to eat. I'm sipping water with electrolytes but even that is a little scary. The worst part right now is the waves of intense stomach cramps that happens every few minutes. They are very painful and radiate throughout my entire abdomen. The last 2 times I've had a definite s*v* (I know because of v*) I had the same cramps. The first time, these cramps happened after symptoms mostly subsided, but the second time they proceeded v*, so I'm just not sure if I'm out of the woods with v* or not. So scary.

Please please respond if you're reading this. I think I may need to go to the ER but would like a second opinion first.

[jessica.leigh]

​Hi again. I am now 12 hours from the start of my symptoms. Still having pretty severe abdominal cramping every 10-15 minutes and running a low fever at 99. D* quantity is less and I am only going about once per hour, but it is still unchanged in type. I wouldn't be so anxious and nervous about v* if I weren't having these stomach cramps. Do you think if I were going to v* I would've by now?

Please respond with advice.

[Jess44246]

I'd be more worried if the n was moderate or strong. With little to no n, I wouldn't worry so much. The smaller quantity of d, I think, is most likely because you are emptying your stomach in the preferred method instead of v. The slight fever may or may not be a factor. 99f really isn't that high, so hopefully that isn't pointing towards something more serious than just discomfort. I've had d (but not as bad as yours), stomach cramping, and n (at different levels) from eating too much rich, greasy, fatty foods (I pretty much follow a salad-a-day diet to keep my stomach healthy). Perhaps this, although you have less n and worse d, is similar to what I've experienced, caused by your IBS and last night. You should take it easy. Relax, keep it up with the medicine to try and help with it, and stick to ice water and crackers if you can handle it. Keep posted!

[CMM811]

Could very well be a mild sv or your IBS. 99 isn't a fever at all. Our normal body temperature is only .04 degrees below 99 so you're good on the "fever" part. I'd say to drink/eat bland foods. Introduce slowly back into your diet. Whether a sv* of IBS your intestinal tract is mad so go easy on it for a day or two and see how you feel. Going to the ER will do nothing besides fluids and unless you think you are dehydrated then it's not worth going. Rest, eat bland and follow the best diet and you should be feeling better very soon! I HIGHLY doubt you will v* at this point.

[jessica.leigh]

Thanks to both of you for responding. As of today, my stomach cramps are gone, and my temperature has been normal. I'm still having random bouts of d*, and it is still pure liquid with strange flakes in it. Very small quantity. I've eaten a banana and some crackers. How long do you think the d* will last from now on? I need to go back to work tomorrow...

[AoD]

Well, the upside is that if you haven't vomited yet you most likely won't. You're over 24 hours from onset of symptoms so I don't think it is likely to happen now. It is a bit concerning that you still have watery diarrhea for so long, though. You can use this article here as a guideline of what to look for and when to consult a doctor: http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disor...mptoms-serious

Try to drink Gastrolyte (or another electrolyte drink made especially for medical rehydration), that usually helps to settle the diarrhea because it acts on the osmotic balance in the intestines. You can also try to eat some rice, it can help form more solid stools (and cause constipation in healthy individuals). Are you known to have bouts of constipation? Could be a partially blocked bowel, although that would be unlikely but not impossible.

If you get moderate to high fever, or the cramping doesn't subside/comes back, I'd suggest you see a doctor at the emergency clinic. When I have diarrhea from IBS, it never lasts more than 6 hours or so, so I'd suspect it is something other than IBS in any case.

[jessica.leigh]

Thanks for responding, AoD. I am concerned too about the diarrhea. I've had some probiotics but nothing seems to have helped.

I rarely feel constipated, and usually only when I've eaten too many "binding" foods - like rice, which I eat fairly often.

[kiv91]

i think if you were going to V* you would have by now! thats what I always tell myself. You culd have just ate something that didnt agree well and its your bodies way of getting it out.

[randomperson]

Maybe you got ill from the alcohol. Your body was probably reacting to it and having ibs must have triggered it too. I hate when I get cramps, it's horrible. Just keep eating binding foods and drink lots of water. Coconut water helps bind and also helps with electrolytes.

[Dairyfreelife]

What everyone else said plus BRAT diet, perhaps consider a stronger anti diarrheal than pepto like Imodium.