Hello doctor, Every once a month at least I get a flare up of diarrhea where I go at least six times a day and nothing seems to settle my stomach. The stool itself has a weird texture, almost sand-like. Most of it float down but some do float up and there is mucus in it. Other symptoms I am experiencing are lethargy, feeling of being full yet hungry, loss of appetite, and dry mouth. Any idea of what this could be?
Hello. Do you have lost some weight since the start of symptoms? Do you have noticed any triggers (diets, stress, change in lifestyle, or drinking alcohol ) before such episodes? Alcohol has a large amount of fermentable carbohydrates which can cause diarrhea, gas, and bloating, often episodes of binge drinking. The common possibilities are that you have one of the above trigger which causes your gastrointestinal (GI) upsets. They can go unrecognized with episodes of symptoms as in your case. The other possibility is endometriosis. Endometrium is the lining of the uterine cavity of the female internal genital tract. In menstruation, the lining sheds causing bleeding and pain. Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue is implanted into gut, and it behaves similarly as one has menstruation on monthly cycles. It causes pain (at times very severe), diarrhea, and even bleeding from the gut. It is important that you notice yourself the temporal (time) relation between the onset of symptoms and onset of menstruation. I want that you should provide me more information, as I can be able to investigate you properly in a specific direction, providing you target management plan which can fit you best. I hope this helps. Cyclical abdominal symptoms. Endometriosis. Celiac disease. Food allergies. Eosinophilic gastroenteritis. Endometriosis. Environmental triggers. Follow up to provide more information to diagnose and investigate properly.