Hi. I'm male, 30, and have no pre-existing conditions other than a slightly elevated blood pressure. I've been having very soft stools since about a month now. Soft, but not liquid as in having diarrhea after having eaten something bad. Also, it happens usually in the mornings after a couple of coffees (it also happens without coffee, but later); I then get a very full feeling in my tummy (and not in the butt/rectum as with the usual diarrhea) and it releases rather explosively on the toilet. But I don't have to rush to the toilet, I can still control it for quite some time. Sometimes I need to go a second time in the afternoon, sometimes not. Since I don't have to rush to the toilet every half an hour it's not really interfering with my normal life, but I'm starting to get a little concerned now that it has been persisting for about a month now. Some more background: Due to the start of the Corona crisis, I returned on March 20th from Colombia back to my home Switzerland after having been travelling in Brasil and Colombia for half a year. I know for sure that I already had those symptoms the day I left Colombia and the day before, so they're pretty surely not caused by the Swiss food or climate. I don't remember exactly when the symptoms started, but I surely didn't already have them for weeks back then. I spent my last days in Colombia in the Tatacoa desert and before that in Salento in the coffee area where I also went to Nevados National Park and climbed up to more than 5000 meters, but didn't experience problems like altitude sickness. In those 6 months in South America I only had some colds, a very light fewer once or twice and sometimes diarrhea, but never lasting long. In the last couple of weeks, I had some very light symptomes of colds, like sneezing, running nose and sore throats, but no coughing or fever, so I don't think I had the Corona virus. Since at the moment it's advised only to see doctors in emergencies, I'm asking here what that might be. Could that be a parasite?
so…long story short… try probiotics… order online…
it could be some change of flora in your gut… i would not worry too much… and soft stool is the best… not liquid or hard…soft is the best consistency…indicating healthy gut and good liquid intake… while you may be worried i would try diet and see if it changes… coffee in the morning will make the push for most of us.
just saying…that i will try to stay healthy and boost the probiotics…and see…
It could be the beginning of IBS and the sooner you see a doctor the better.
It could be IBS. Can you get a virtual or telephone appointment with a doctor to explain the symptoms? You could ask to try some Alverine, it is an antispasmodic and can help with your symptoms if they are IBS. I have kefir yoghurt drinks to help with bloating but if I can’t get hold of them I use Alverine. Alverine also can help with loose stools. Have you tried giving up coffee and caffeine for a couple of weeks to see if your symptoms improve? IBS can have triggers and caffeine is a very common one.
I would get tested for parasites. Friend of mine went to Haiti and she came back with a parasite. I’d rule it out at least. By the way, as a stay at home mom of 2 little girls and I also homeschool…your life sounds really exciting!! lol Hope you figure out your problem 