The gluten free threads got me thinking. Something is wrong with my husband's digestive system, but I'm not sure what it is. He's willing to go to the doctor, but I'd love some thoughts in advance in case you ladies can help him pinpoint what to discuss with the doctor. Here's the deal:
He frequently has diarreah, especially in the morning. Sometimes he'll come home with an upset stomach and need to go to the bathroom immediately. Like, RIGHT NOW! And it seems like some foods bother his stomach - but we can't quite figure out which ones. It might be spicy food, but he eats a lot of spicy food at other times that don't bother him. So it's mostly food that he eats in restaurants that bother him.
At other times, he gets really low energy and can take a three hour nap. When his stomach is acting up, he can sleep for 10 hours and still want a nap the next day.
I know this isn't a lot to go on. He's a pretty healthy eater, and gets a good amount of fiber, protein, carbs (he does eat wheat), etc. He doesn't love veggies but does eat them. His mom also had a "weak stomach" so maybe this is hereditary?
Does it sound like anything in particular to you guys? IBS? Gluten issues?
Does he still have his gallbladder? What you are describing is not uncommon for someone who's had their gallbladder removed.
I like Cheryl O.'s advice. I think documenting everything he puts in his mouth, as well as every bowel movement that he has, is important, because digestive issues are really hard to diagnose, and it's a lengthy & invasive process. That sort of documentation can give his doctor(s) a jump on it. I would have him document for a month, don't change a thing diet-wise, and schedule an appointment with a gastro-enterologist after the month. This way, your husband, you, and your doctor will have a good idea of what's going on rather than "well, my stomach hurts sometimes".
HOpe he gets relief soon! Doesn't sound like much fun!
Keep a food diary for one month. Track EVERYTHING he eats. EVERYTHING and what the reaction was after eating the food....
Then schedule a doctor's appointment - I would also schedule an ENT or allergist appointment to get tested for food allergies. Your PCP may refer you to a Gastroenterologist for more tests...
Your PCP should get blood tests to include iron for anemia (it does happen in men too) as well as CBC, etc. a FULL work up...
I would ask him about his bowel movements - do they have blood in them? are they black, green, yellow? Sometimes men have hemorrhoids that cause blood in the stool and they overlook it...
it could be many things...he could have Celiac disease and need to see a nutritionist to find out what he can and cannot eat...that's why the food diary for one month...
GOOD LUCK!!
I would say it sounds like an intolerance of some sort. No way to know without a doctor testing or trying elimination diets of some sort. It could be wheat. It could just be gluten. It could be lactose (in dairy). It could be a preservative or additive (MSG--which is monosodium glutamate, but also has other iterations).
But I'm not a doctor, of course. Has he ever discussed it with a doctor? The fact that his mom has/had similar symptoms makes me think it could be some hereditary deficiency in ability to process something... an enzyme deficiency of some sort...
Sounds similar to me, I have IBS...problem with IBS is its hard to diagnose, there's so test. I've been to many doctors and its frustrating. The problem with food counseling is something might bother you one time, but not another. I had terrible gas, upset stomach, heartburn. I knee dairy bothered me, fiber bothered me, raw fruits and veggies...I couldn't eat anything. I just read the book "Eat to Live"...its basically a vegetarian (although some animal is allowed) and it amazing, I'm eating raw fruits and veggies, beans (haven't eaten those in years) and I have normal bathroom habits now....wahoo! Good Luck!
Sounds like an intolerance (ugh, sounds like me with dairy), but it can be ANY kind of intolerance.
((And it might not be an intolerance, but an allergy, or structural issue, or faunal issue, or, or, or. More on that in a mo'))
The difference between an intolerance and an allergy (most basically) is that an allergy is your body thinking a normal substance is a posion, and trying to neutralize a nonposionous substance causes a lot of damage. An intolerance, otoh, is our bodies being unable to digest something.
Which means our bodies react to that 'food', the same way they'd react to eating cardboard;
Constipation
Diahrrhea
Gas
Bloating / Swelling
Sleep disturbances (because our digestive system uses up about 80% of our 'left over' energy -the first bit being used to sit/stand aka ratiocination, the second bit being used for digestion, the third bit being for movement/exercise- when our diet creates malnutrition, it's exhausting for our bodies. Little ones started on solids too soon become over tired and WON'T sleep, adults with malnutrition become overtired and sleep and sleep and sleep)
Cravings for nutritionally dense / high fat foods
Loss of appetite (the body trying to stop the energy suck of the digestive system)
All kinds o' stuff.
The intolerance can LITERALLY BE ANYTHING.
If we don't have the enzymes to digest something (like lactase, protease, etc.), or don't have the beneficial bacteria or structure to absorb it, or a double whammy that we are alergic to it or something else (swelling making all foods undigestable), or we don't have the bile to neutralize the acids, or, or, or.
Dairy is a common aquired intolerance ... wheat is very UNcommon... but it could be a certain kind of oil, fat, protein, sugar, mineral, or vitamin that is causing these things.
Or it could be none of the above, and be something structural (like a malfunctioning bile duct, ulcerated stomach or intestines, inflammation, etc.)
Which all boils down to:
When you have 200 things it MIGHT be?
Doctor.
I think he should see a gastro doc.
Worst case scenario, it's colon cancer, crohn's, or some other intestinal illness. However, it sounds exactly like my IBS a few years ago.
IBS is essentially what they will call it if they rule everything else out, which essentially means we don't know what to call it. When I was diagnosed, there was not much they could do for me.
The good news is that after a really BAD year of symptoms, I am almost symptom free today. I still occasionally have a bad few days (if I'm stressed out), but if I eat yogurt, bananas, and a brat diet (bananas, rice, applesauce & toast) for a few days I can get past it and go back to "normal." I hope that he is able to get to the point eventually where he learns to manage it as well. Good luck.
P.S. A "weak stomach" (IBS) also runs in my family, with my dad, 2 brothers and a sister all affected.
He needs to look into this...could be anything from Colin cancer to a food allergy.
He shouldn't wait.
I hope a gastroenterologist can help him figure out what's wrong.
I was diagnosed with IBS after having an episode of colitis caused by a bacterial infection. I had a colonoscopy to rule out anything more serious. The doctor told me to avoid coffee, chocolate, and tomatoes(caffeine and acidic foods). I think he said it's because the caffeine stimulates the muscles in the digestive system too much. I couldn't completely give up coffee and chocolate, so now I just eat a banana at the same time to balance things out. If I'm having a bad episode, I eat milder things for a few days. At a restaurant that might be grilled chicken, rice, baked potato, french fries, or pasta without sauce. I also eat yogurt for the good bacteria.
