Digestive Concerns Following Lipoma Excision
In March 2024, I underwent surgery to remove a hibernoma, roughly the size of an orange, from my lower left abdomen. Since then, I have been grappling with ongoing digestive challenges. Despite my attempts to modify my diet, incorporate probiotics, and use fiber supplements, I haven't found a lasting solution. I regularly experience intense diarrhea, which consequently leads to spikes in blood pressure and other related complications. I've noticed that beverages like Ripple and Prime seem to alleviate some of my symptoms, prompting me to suspect that my diarrhea is causing an electrolyte deficiency. These drinks contain essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, and in the past, medical professionals indicated that I had low potassium levels during severe episodes. I sought help from two hospitals when my symptoms were more pronounced, consulting a gastroenterologist and my primary care physician. However, despite my concerns, they assert that there is nothing wrong. I have undergone numerous tests, including a colonoscopy, only to receive normal results each time. What troubles me most is that after breakfast, around 6 to 8 hours later, I often notice remnants of undigested food in the toilet. At 28 years old, standing 5'10" and weighing 280 lbs, my only other health issues are high blood pressure, for which I'm prescribed 20 mg of telmisartan, and allergies for which I take Allegra. Currently, I've exhausted my financial resources and time for medical consultations. I'm facing considerable medical debt, amounting to thousands of dollars, and I feel lost regarding my next steps.
Answers (1)
8/14/2025, 2:11:34 PM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you are facing significant digestive challenges and emotional distress after your surgery. Your symptoms of ongoing diarrhea, undigested food, and concerns about electrolyte levels are indeed concerning. Let’s focus on practical steps you can take to alleviate your symptoms and improve your situation, emphasizing what may help without additional medical costs.
Main Points:
- Digestive Symptoms after Surgery: Ongoing digestive issues could relate to diet, digestion speed, or reactions to certain foods.
- Potential for Electrolyte Imbalance: Managing your electrolytes is crucial, especially since diarrhea can lead to deficiencies.
- Next Steps in Managing Symptoms: Implement dietary changes and explore new self-care strategies.
Explanation:
Given your history, it’s possible that the digestive changes stem from the surgery, even if the colonoscopy was normal. Diarrhea can have multiple triggers, including dietary habits, food intolerances, or changes in gut flora post-surgery. The observation of undigested food could indicate incomplete digestion or rapid transit time through your intestines, both of which should be addressed.
Since you mentioned that beverages like Ripple and Prime improve your symptoms, they might be helping with hydration and replenishing electrolytes. It’s important to stay hydrated, so you might consider maintaining a list of what helps alleviate your symptoms.
Prioritized Next Steps:
-
Dietary Adjustments:
- Focus on Simple, Easily Digestible Foods: Start with bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (commonly referred to as the BRAT diet). Gradually reintroduce other foods to see what might be causing issues.
- Identify Triggers: Keep a food diary to track what you eat and any symptoms that arise. This can help you pinpoint potential food sensitivities or intolerances.
-
Electrolyte Management:
- Continue Consuming Electrolyte-Rich Beverages: Incorporate drinks like coconut water or electrolyte solutions, especially after episodes of diarrhea.
- Monitor Your Intake of Potassium and Magnesium: Foods high in these minerals include bananas, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. You could also consider gentle supplementation, but only if within your budget and without risking excess intake.
-
${General Tips to Manage Diarrhea:}
- Eat Smaller, Frequent Meals: Instead of larger meals, smaller portions throughout the day may aid digestion.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids but avoid sugary drinks that can exacerbate diarrhea.
- Limit Dairy and High-Fat Foods Temporarily: Dairy can sometimes worsen motility for sensitive individuals.
-
Mindful Monitoring and Reflection:
- Keep a Symptom Diary: Track your symptoms alongside dietary intake, activity levels, and any other factors you think may be linked. This could provide more insight into what exacerbates your symptoms and help you communicate your experiences more effectively if you need to see a healthcare provider in the future.
Support and Reassurance:
It's understandable to feel frustrated and exhausted in navigating your health challenges, particularly with financial concerns as well. While it may feel overwhelming now, taking small, systematic steps can sometimes lead to improvements or at least a clearer understanding of your needs. Remember, your health journey is unique to you, and addressing these concerns with patience can eventually lead to relief. Please reach out if you seek more specific dietary advice or emotional support strategies.
Related Questions
Can Eating More Fiber Alleviate Menstrual Cycle-Related Constipation?
Every month, during the week and a half leading up to my menstrual period, I experience constipation. I'm curious if boosting my fiber consumption might ease this issue. I already ensure that I drink plenty of water throughout the day. I am a woman in my mid-20s.
Seeking Relief from Mild Fecal Impaction: Should I Go to the ER?
At 20 years old, I find myself dealing with a frustrating issue: fecal impaction. It's not something I've faced before, or at least I can’t recall, but I’ve had chronic stomach difficulties throughout my childhood, including constipation from ages four to twelve. Recently, I've been experiencing more digestive challenges after a few years of feeling normal. Currently, I’m under the care of a gastroenterologist, and we’re working on diagnosing the underlying problems. For about five days now, I haven't been able to relieve myself. While I’ve had considerable gas, that’s been the only symptom. Today has been particularly difficult; I’ve spent the last 11 hours in the bathroom grappling with severe discomfort and impaction. Each attempt to relieve the situation is excruciating, to the point where my body is resisting the effort—it’s so painful that I find myself in tears. I imagine this is what birth must feel like. I suspect this intense fear and pain are remnants of my past struggles, as for many years I’ve feared using the bathroom due to the agony it causes. Despite trying various remedies like Miralax mixed with coffee, a bullet suppository, and even a manual approach with gloves, nothing is yielding results. I’m genuinely tempted to head to the emergency room and ask them to put me under so they can help me without the pain. My mother suggests they would likely opt for a liquid suppository treatment like they did during my childhood, which was quite traumatic. I’m torn—it feels like the ER might be my last resort, but I'm concerned they won’t take me seriously since my situation doesn’t seem dire. How foolish would it be to bring up wanting sedation? I desperately want to avoid this pain; it’s becoming increasingly difficult, and I’m fighting back tears from the frustration. Can they truly provide sedation for this type of issue even when it isn’t severe? I worry that my parents might react negatively to my quest for relief and think I’m being dramatic. I’m utterly drained and don’t know where to turn. When there’s no painful push against my body, I can’t even sense the severity of the issue, yet, I am experiencing leakage, leaving me unsure. Would it be unreasonable to pose this question to the doctors in the ER? I apologize if this message is jumbled; I’m also dealing with a migraine, making it hard to focus. For context, my daily medications include phentermine, iron supplements, and vitamin D. I stand at 5’4” and currently weigh 204 pounds as part of my ongoing weight loss journey.
Did My Appendectomy Resolve My Digestive Issues?
I’m a 27-year-old non-binary person who had their appendix surgically removed due to appendicitis early last October. Since that procedure, I’m experiencing something I never thought possible: regular bowel movements. Remarkably, this newfound routine hasn’t faded away, contrary to what my doctors predicted. Historically, I have struggled with constipation throughout my life. As a child, I often felt compelled to mislead healthcare professionals about my bowel habits, claiming I had daily movements out of fear that something was amiss. In reality, I would only have a bowel movement every three to five days. I also live with autism, ADHD, dysthymia, and PTSD. Given my history of burnout, it would be logical to attribute my digestive struggles to stress. However, these issues persisted even during holidays and rarely intensified during particularly stressful times. Most of the medications I tried, including SSRIs and various birth control options, had no impact, except for Ritalin, which occasionally provided some relief when not taken consistently. Prior to the appendectomy, I underwent two surgeries: one for a fractured arm and the other a double procedure to remove my uterus and breasts. Unfortunately, neither operation had any effect on my bowel function. Since my surgery, my dietary, hydration, exercise, and substance use habits have remained unchanged. A bit of additional context: My thyroid hormone levels are normal, although I occasionally have low Vitamin D, for which I take supplements. I receive B12 injections to address low levels since dietary sources aren’t effective for me. Additionally, I deal with a persistent mystery of chronic fatigue that shows no signs of improvement post-surgery. This leads to my question: Could my appendix have been the source of my gastrointestinal issues? Alternatively, did the surgery trigger some other change that resolved my long-standing problem? I’m curious if anyone else has encountered similar experiences. What are the chances that I’ll revert back to my past issues with constipation? Any insights on this would be greatly appreciated, mostly out of interest.
Interpreting My Gastrointestinal Discomfort
A 26-year-old female, weighing 155 pounds, has a background of experiencing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and anxiety. She has been using marijuana for several years and is currently taking venlafaxine at a dosage of 150 mg each day. Residing in the Midwest USA, she identifies as white. On January 20th, she experienced what she initially believed to be a low blood sugar episode. Due to being preoccupied and busy, she had not consumed much food throughout the day. Consequently, she felt lightheaded, nauseated, pale, and was sweating. To alleviate these symptoms, she consumed around 60 to 80 grams of carbohydrates once they began, but it took roughly 2.5 hours for her to start feeling better. The following day, she faced additional discomforts including nausea, heartburn, body aches, trembling with chills and sweats, along with diarrhea. These symptoms persisted for a few days. By January 23rd, she consulted urgent care, where the medical team suspected a stomach virus and advised her to let it run its course. Regrettably, her stomach has not returned to its normal state since that incident. She has been experiencing occasional heartburn and indigestion reminiscent of her previous severe GERD episodes. Additionally, she is suffering from lower abdominal cramps, particularly triggered by consuming items like popcorn or spicy foods, which feels akin to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. During the height of her symptoms on January 20th, she ceased smoking. She partook in smoking a few times between January 24th and 28th, without noticing any changes in her symptoms – positive or negative – and has refrained from smoking since then. It is worth noting that she has not experienced any vomiting or severe abdominal pain typically associated with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS). Are her symptoms indicative of CHS? She intends to abstain from smoking yet seeks clarity on the underlying cause of her discomfort. She has read about post-viral IBS and is curious if the suspected stomach virus has reignited her GERD, which had been stable for several years.
Exploring Probiotic Effects and Antibiotic Strategies in Gut Health
Greetings, M30. Is it possible that consuming an excess of probiotics could lead to SIBO or a similar condition? Earlier this summer, I suffered from a campylobacter infection, and in an attempt to remedy that without realizing its full extent, I resorted to high doses of probiotics. This approach, however, only aggravated my situation. I experienced severe bloating, intensified brain fog—especially after consuming carbohydrates—and following a comprehensive examination of possible causes, including an initially misleading negative test for c. jejuni that later revealed IgG antibodies in my blood, I was prescribed rifaximin (200mg four times a day). Unfortunately, after five days of rifaximin treatment, my symptoms escalated dramatically, resulting in excruciating lower abdominal pain and a marked intolerance to carbohydrates. Through my research, I discovered that the probiotic strains I had been using were sensitive to antibiotics, so I requested that my physician switch my medication to amoxicillin, which promptly resolved the issues I was facing. Complicating matters, I later learned that I had been contending with an acute bartonella infection, which likely contributed to my motility problems. As the year progressed, I indulged in kimchi after having been on antibiotics for bartonella treatment for about a month. However, I had to stop the antibiotics over the Christmas holidays when I developed rashes from herpes on my face and required alternative treatment. Following my kimchi overindulgence, I began to experience bloating again, cognitive fog intensified, and I felt a toxin-like sensation after consuming larger amounts of carbohydrates, alongside a newfound intolerance to wheat products. My doctor once again prescribed rifaximin as the primary treatment, but I am starting to notice that familiar acidic sensation in my abdomen returning. Is this reaction indicative of die-off symptoms, or could it mean that rifaximin is targeting competitors of the kimchi bacteria in my gut, resulting in their proliferation and creating a cycle where lactic acid bacteria alter the colon's pH, promoting further growth of lactic acid producers? I suspect this situation mirrors what transpired during the summer months. Would switching back to amoxicillin be advisable, or might I need to consider amoxiclav instead, given that the kimchi contained fish sauce which might be a source of beta-lactamase? Best wishes,