Diarrhea

(shawnk) #32

My protein intake is pretty moderate, and the diarrhea starts around day 2 or 3 of a fast when I’m not eating anything, and continues a few days when I’m eating again. So it’s not the protein in my case. Just coffee and water. I may be overdoing the coffee. I want to try water only, but don’t want to go through caffeine withdrawal.

(Anne) #33

I am suffering from peeing from the butt as well. It happens for 2-3 days every week. I’m a different case though. I have had weight loss surgery (Duodenal Switch) which means my stomach has been cut down to just a tube and my intestines have been re-routed…the portion that don’t work anymore are the fat absorption and some vitamin absorption ones. I also do not have a gall bladder. Prior to going Keto, I was pretty regular for me…stools were never “normal” due to surgery but it wasn’t a firehose shooting out of my rear. Now, it’s unbearable. I have to get up every hour at night and go, and it’s very inconvenient. I am taking metamucil pills in the morning and I am only eating what I can. By default I cannot eat huge meals as my stmach is too small to allow that. I do have maybe 2 fat bombs and I’m wondering if those little buggers are causing my issue. Since my case is not the norm, there may be no advice for me. Given that my surgery bypasses the fat for me, and I’m increasing my fat intake on this way of eating, maybe it’s just alot of fat being sent straight to the toilet. I’ve been Ketoing for 6 weeks now. I’m not hershey squirting every day, but probably 60% of the time. THe good news is that my weight and inches are coming off nicely. Just in case there’s anyone out there w/ the same situation as me please do tell me if you are having the same issues. Thanks
PS. The surgery was 12 years ago and I think my body has adapted to getting what it needs. The body is an amazing thing.

(Robin Weitzman) #34

I’d suggest a fat digestion enzyme!! Also try some bitter green tea, like dandelion. I know both help with fat digestion. Also, I’d stay away from mct oil if you’re not already. Best of luck!!!

Maybe you can try like a fat elimination diet tosee what’s best.

One week only eat, say ground beef for fat (27/73 is 80% fat!!!) And one week do just bacon for fat, and one week do just butter, and one week do just coconut… Etc. See what works best. Keep macro ratios exactly the same so the ratio is not an additional variable, just the specific type of fat molecule.

I’ve switched to a zero carb style and it has been great. I did eat fermented kimchi last night, which is not part of zero carb/carnivorous diet style, and the squirts are back. Oh, I basically eat just ground beef, butter, and eggs these days, 80% fat, so not over doing protein and thus beIN kicked out of ketosis. Anyway, it’s been working well!!

(Robin Weitzman) #35

I’d say coffee has a lot to do with it. Perhaps switching to a black tea, maybe earl grey, and then a green tea, and then just water would ease the wthdrawal.

I also hear that the benefits of fasting start to taper off at around 20-24 hours, and around 72, starvation mode kicks In, meaning the body starts to break down muscle for energy.

(Maria Carr) #36

I have been keto for a month and have had diarrhoea since week 1. I get the odd day where I don’t go, I assume because I have been cleaned out. It usually hits me first thing in the morning and can go till 3 pm. Pre keto I ate healrhy and the only food I’ve had to cut out was fruit. I suffer from IBS, but keto doesn’t have any of the trigger foods such as legumes, gluten and high amounts of lactose. Gluten and lactose I could have in small amounts, legumes were the worst culprits. So apart from eating what I normally ate, the difference is high fat. I am guessing the fat isn’t being metabolised as it should. I haven’t lost weight in the 4th week and my concern is that if my gut flora isn’t balanced that I won’t lose weight. Which has been the case with IBS. I have cut back on fat the past two days and this morning’s epic bathroom event was the worst yet. I’m stumped by the whole ordeal.

(Carpe salata!) #37

Keep your fluids up and there’s always otc medication to slow you down…

Some would say it’s your body being able to get rid of built up toxins. Of course if it doesn’t settle soon I would be checking with the doctor.

(Allan L) #38

I also suffered from chronic diarrhoea and managed to bring it under control by:

1 - Having 5g of glutamine every time I got a gurgle. Its pure protein so if I have 3 or 4 doses a day I would reduce my protein for the day but 15-20g. Glutamine is really good at calming the digestive system.
2 - Having a green leafy salad for my first meal of the day with other keto salad veg, with lots of olive oil to raise the fat. Often with tuna for protein. This really helped feed my gut bio and calm things down
3 - Cut back on Eggs. Can’t remember where I read this, think it was Dr Jason Fung, mentioned they can upset the tummy.
4 - Cut out all coconut / mct oil and coffee. Moved to green tea. I’ve now managed to re-introduce coffee once my gut stabilised, but no cocnut / mct oil.
5 - Psyllium husk is an amazing fibre to slow down the digestive system. Would take this morning and night.

This really helped me.

(Maria Carr) #39

Thank you Allan. I am a bit of a gym junkie and of course have glutamine as well as psyllium husk. I will give them both a go. I eat leafy greens often. I have never had a problem with eggs, which I have almost every day.
Because my diet hasn’t altered much from before keto, I can’t help but think that my body is having a hard time processing the increase in fats. I may start taking slippery elm also. What harm could it do?

(Maria Carr) #40

Thank you Peter. I will monitor it closely. Unfortunately my Dr is almost an hours drive from here. I live in the Aussie bush. I’m not sure I can venture so far from the bathroom. I may have to fast to do that.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #41

@Carrma Are you getting enough calcium, potassium, and magnesium—not to mention sodium? You sound as though you have already thought of everything, but I thought I’d mention these minerals just in case.

(Carpe salata!) #42

I drove Sydney to broken hill once. I know what you mean. You can probably phone a doctor, nurse or pharmacy with all the symptoms to get proper advice.

(Allan L) #43

Do you have right shoulder / back pain? I had this when starting keto and it went away after a few weeks but discovered the other week it was caused by my gallbladder. Turns out that my gallbladder was battling to cope with the sudden fat increase and right shoulder pain is a symptom.

#44

Yep.
Happens to me too. Could be the fat cells collapsing and (finally) releasing all that water.

(Stuart) #45

I’m curious if you’ve resolved the diahreh issue?

(Damon Edwards) #46

Spot on Robin !
I had runs today after 2 table spoon butter coffee with 3 eggs 3 bacon and 1 sausage patty. That’s a lot of fat. 30 minutes later… runs. Then about every 2 hours after that. When I have only 1 tablespoon butter coffee at 7:00 am. I’m not hungry til 2:00pm or so. I have found that over consumption of fats will lead to loose stools.

#47

my diarrhea went away in about 2 weeks i guess my body was adapting

(Empress of the Unexpected) #49

I would love to believe that theory but I have been Niagra Falls for 30 days, Can’t believe this is good for my body.

(Edith) #50

I had the runs on and off for about six months. It helped to up my protein. After six months I think my body finally adapted. I still get them occasionally when I have higher than normal fat. I keep fat around 65 to 70% of my calories.

(Lunachk) #51

I’m at about the 8 week mark and twice in the last 2 weeks I had severe emergency diarrhea. If I moved the wrong way, I was certain I’d need a change of clothes. It was watery but more of a muddy consistency.
I saw where a lot of people started taking psyllium (mostly by taking Metamucil), but a couple of years ago before I started keto, I took Metamucil and actually had a watery stool “accident”. Why would psyllium bulk some people up but have the opposite effect on me?

I’m wondering if I ate too much fat and dairy yesterday and that’s what caused yesterday’s issue. In fact, last week’s episode was brought on after cold cuts & I had pepperoni yesterday. I think I need to cut back on dairy & avoid all cold cuts. At least for now. I used to have the same issue with eggs and found it could be “leaky gut syndrome” so I started taking L-Glutamine. I may have to go back to that.

Obviously when something changes like this we want answers but seem to come up with so many it’s hard to know which one is right - or if it’s all of them.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #52

I find Pepto-Bismol to be helpful in reducing diarrhea.