diarrhea on dialysis

[jerseyjezebel]

I've been in and out of the hospital for a couple of months now because of bouts of diarrhea.  My father thinks it has something to do with dialysis but all the doctors say it can't be.  I just came home from the last stay on Friday.  i thought that I had it figured out, that the Nepro was causing it.  It sure seemed to match up with when I had diarrhea.  I stopped drinking it but tonight I just had diarrhea again.   I don't want to have to go back to the hospital!  The insurance  company is getting fed up with paying for it all the time.  I don't know...it really can't be the dialysis because I just got out of subacute rehab and I never had diarrhea the whole time i was there.

i really need some advice, guys.  They're talking about putting me in a nursing home and I'm only 36! 

[justme15]

so what did the GI docs say?  does immodium/lamotil help at all?  when my mom  had severe diarrhea they gave her codeine for a little while, and it seemed to help.

[jerseyjezebel]

I had an ultrasound and CAT scan on my stomach, had an endoscopy with a partial colonoscopy, countless blood tests.  Nothing showed anything...no infection or any bacteria.  I really don't know what to do.  I've been taking immodium but it doesn't seem to help that much.  I've never been given anything else for it.

[justme15]

so why are they thinking about putting you in a  nursing home? because of diarrhea?

[jerseyjezebel]

I have rheumatoid arthritis too, and I'm in a wheelchair right now.  When the diarrhea hits, I can't get to the bathroom fast enough.   I can't clean myself,  either.  I have an aide that comes every day,  but she leaves at 3.

[Angiepkd]

So sorry you are going through this, jerseyjezebel!  I cannot believe that there is nothing the doctors can do to help you with this.  Especially in your current situation!  I have had bouts of diarrhea several times since starting D.  I am currently taking some pain meds and now have the opposite problem.  I am sure they won't want to prescribe pain meds to stop diarrhea, but there has to be a medication out there that will work.  Talk to your doctor again and do some more research online.  Hope you find something that helps!

[jerseyjezebel]

Oh, believe me, I'm already on a ton of pain medicine for my rheumatoid arthritis!  I used to have constipation from it, but it's not helping the diarrhea at all.

I just don't know how much more I can take. 

[Zach]

I know this sounds counterintuitive, but you might want to try Metamucil.
A rounded teaspoon, twice a day (about 12 hours apart).

It can help bulk you up a bit.

 

[jerseyjezebel]

I started taking Citrucel tonight.  That's the same thing, right?

[cariad]

Coconut, sweetie! Try it. Many people with this problem have quite seriously credited it with saving their lives and/or sanity.

Most people swear by two of these a day: http://www.amazon.com/Archway-Coconut-Macaroons-10-Box/dp/B006ULABWU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370948238&sr=8-1&keywords=archway+macaroons Read the comments - these are legendary for their medicinal power.

Or, have a mounds bar each day (both sections). Some people go so far as to take a teaspoon of straight coconut oil a day, not just for this but because coconut oil is just so good for you. (It is sickeningly rich, though, so I wouldn't recommend it.) Only trouble is, I don't know the potassium/phos content of these suggestions.

Also, I know it's not too cool to recommend liquid on a dialysis site, but I find mint green tea is essential when I am not feeling too well. It is an anti-spasmodic, so helps settle your stomach. I drink Rishi Green Mint (with chocolate notes) and I love it.

[Zach]

Sorry, but Metamucil and Citrucel are not quite the same.
The primary active ingredient within Metamucil is psyllium fiber, which is derived from psyllium husks and psyllium seeds.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/469435-comparison-of-metamucil-citrucel/

I only have experience with Metamucil, and the version without any sweetener.

Also, some sweeteners can cause diarrhea, such as those derived from sugar alcohol:
Mannitol
Sorbitol
Galactitol
Fucitol
Iditol
Inositol
Volemitol
Isomalt
Maltitol
Lactitol
Maltotriitol
Maltotetraitol
Polyglycitol
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_alcohol

Dietary drinks (ie: Nepro) and protein bars can contain such sweeteners and should be avoided, if possible.

And always check with your nephrologist.
What's good for folks without kidney failure may be bad for those of us with CKD.

[noahvale]

*

[PatDowns]

Some dialysis centers administer mannitol along with saline to patients whose blood pressure drops out during treatment.  If this happens to you at your clinic, the mannitol could be causing your diarrhea.  Sorry, not more helpful.

[jerseyjezebel]

I just spoke with my nephrologist and he told me to eat a serving of white rice and take imodium.  Has anyone else had success with this?

[billybags]

Phew, I feel really sorry for you, diarrhea is aweful and I can see where it is getting you down. Some times it can be brought on by stress and you sound like you have got heaps of that. Perscription pills can bring it on, check them all out, and you take loads of them, are you on any antibiotics, they can bring it on. Personally and I am no doctor I would stop taking things like ammodium. Try taking a probotic drink like actimil or a greek plain yogart, every day, put some good bactaria into your gut. Dont drink any thing fruity, just plain water. I really hope this clears up quickly. All these things come to try us. Let us know how things are going.

[bevvy5]

Have you had a chance to review your meds list with a top draw pharmacist?  Hubby was having a similar problem, no idea from anybody why and then at one of his clinics, they brought in the hospital pharmacist who took one look at his meds list and said he was taking too much (can't remember, it was a while ago.)  It was something the nurses and the nephrologist didn't know was a side effect in some people and it cleared up within a few days when he decreased his dosage.

I sincerely hope you can get it sorted out.

[jeannea]

Did they check for c. diff? Nasty infection, causes terrible diarrhea, gets passed around in hospitals, nursing homes and sometimes dialysis. They probably did but you can ask.

[jerseyjezebel]

Yes, I was negative for C-Diff.  My regular doctor said that maybe the bad constipation I had in the past could be causing the diarrhea.  Apparently if you have constipation the stool blocks the opening and all that can come out is diarrhea.   She suggested that I drink Citrucel to regulate my bowel movements.   Let's hope it works!