A Need To Pop When Running

[minnie76]

I have been running for years and in the last year i have this overwhelming need when running to have to poo!! this can be for a 3 miles or a 13 miles, there is no explanation. i have tried Imodium which does not work! When i need to go i have to go, there is no waiting to find a private place to go! i know it is going to be difficult to participate in an organised runs and it is spoiling my love of running.
The GP has not been helpful at all and not offer any advice or a referral to a specialist ( i guess they are not runners). My question is who can i privately refer myself to or is there any advice people can offer! thanks

[minnie76]

mamyalynne - no issues when i am not running, regular and all okay!! just when i run

[Mamyalynne]

I'd have another try to get the GP to refer you on.

[piggynose]

what about fasting?

[douglas9401]

I believe they call it accelerating or a kick, Piggynose.

[EdmundD]

You really do need to get this checked out. Have you asked your GP if he is willing to refer you for a colonoscopy?

[237SJ]

It might be caused by adrenaline

[woofgang]

really personal question......does your gut churn and its explosive or is your gut relaxed and it kind of falls out? Do you get stomach ache with it? If your gut churns then maybe something like Colpermin (peppermint oil) or Buscopan will relax your gut and slow transit?

[Sqad]

Minnie in answer to your question, you can phone your local Private Hospital and ask for an appt to see a GastroEnterologist.
Most Consultants will see you without GP referral.

Be careful if you decide to go down the antihistamine route.

[LadyCG]

Why does she need to be careful, Sqad?

NICE Guidelines currently recommend that you can take four times the recommended daily dose of non-sedating antihistamines for the treatment of idiopathic urticaria.

If this diarrhoea is histamine-mediated (I'm trying to think outside the box given that she is getting no symptomatic relief from Imodium and her bowels are otherwise normal when she is not exercising) it's certainly not going to hurt to try an antihistamine before her next run.

If it works that would be interesting, if not she can explore other avenues.

[Sqad]

I am not a sports medical expert or indeed a pharmacologist but if my memory serves me, then antihistamines reduce muscle blood flow significantly. No big deal,apart from maybe cramp, but a reduction of blood flow to the heart worries me.
Your answers are usually helpful, but in this case, although you may well be correct...I do have my concerns.

[LadyCG]

I'm talking about trying it once to see what happens. Ideally, if it were histamine-mediated, treating the underlying cause such as endocrine disturbance or Vitamin D and / or foliate deficiency (the biggest underlying causes of spontaneous histamine release) would be infinitely preferable to just throwing antistamines at it and only treating it symptomatcally.

This is a big if, but it's worth a try in my opinion.

[LadyCG]

*Folate*

[davebro]

A strong cup of coffee always makes me (and probably a fair few others) poop about 20 minutes later. Try that 1/2 hour before you start your run.

[LadyCG]

Coffee and exercise together would give me palpitations.

[anneasquith]

Good and relevant advice from woof. She. HAS medical knowledge .. BA surely .

[AuntPG]

Anyone giving unqualified medical advice should add a caveat that they are not medical professionals, or, like often sqad does, say its not their field, but then give advice based on his years of being a Consultant. Using medical terminology to infer you know more than you do can be dangerous, as people may follow that advice and become ill. Giving advice based on personal experience though, can be a valuable and most useful, and part of the AB experience.

[LadyCG]

Do you see anyone using medical terminology to infer they know more than they do, or are you just twisting things in the manner in which you have become so adept in order to have your little dig?

Be careful, you are starting to sound EXACTLY like your alter ego (ego being the operative word). That's how you started harassing me after I fell pregnant - by undermining my posts in this category.

JFTR, I only know what I have learnt over the years working across many different specialities in Medicine. I consider my knowledge to be quite good and won't apologise for lending my thoughts in this section of AB. Anyone, medically knowledgeable or not, can participate in this thread.

[anneasquith]

JFTR ?

[LadyCG]

Really Anne?

[Canary42]

When we get old, we do have to shed certain activities. That's the unfortunate truth.

Health Warning: This advice comes to you from a medical ignoramus.