What Does It Mean If My Diarrhea Keeps Coming Back?

Key Takeaways

• Diarrhea that comes and goes over weeks or months usually has an ongoing trigger that is worth finding.
• Common recurring diarrhea causes include food intolerances, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
• IBS causes repeated belly pain and bowel changes without visible damage, while IBD causes real inflammation in the digestive tract.
• A simple symptom diary can help your doctor spot patterns and reach a diagnosis faster.
• Diarrhea that keeps returning for four weeks or more, or that comes with blood, weight loss, or fever, should be checked by a specialist.
• Newtown Gastroenterology's board-certified gastroenterologists help patients in Great Neck and across New York City find the cause of recurring symptoms, and you can request an appointment online.

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Why Does My Diarrhea Keep Coming Back?

One bad week of diarrhea after a stomach bug is frustrating. Diarrhea that keeps coming back, with no clear reason, is confusing and can make it hard to plan your day.

Doctors call diarrhea that lasts at least four weeks 'chronic.' According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) diarrhea facts page, chronic diarrhea symptoms may be ongoing, or they may come and go. NIDDK also reports that up to 5% of people in the United States live with chronic diarrhea, so you are far from alone.

Common Patterns of Recurring or Cyclical Diarrhea

Paying attention to when your symptoms show up can point toward the cause. Common patterns include:

• After certain foods or drinks: Symptoms start soon after dairy, sugary foods, or another specific trigger.
• In flares: Weeks of symptoms are followed by weeks of feeling fine.
• Alternating with constipation: Loose stools one week and hard, infrequent stools the next.
• During stressful times: Symptoms get worse when life gets busy or tense.
• After starting a new medicine: Symptoms begin after a new prescription or supplement.

Food-Related vs. Condition-Related Triggers

Most recurring diarrhea causes fall into two broad groups. Some come from how your body handles certain foods. Others come from a digestive condition that needs ongoing care.

Food Intolerances and Allergies

A food intolerance means your body has trouble digesting a certain food. For example, lactose intolerance happens when your body doesn't make enough lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the sugar in dairy. This can cause bloating, gas, diarrhea, and cramps after milk or cheese. Some people also have trouble absorbing fructose or sucrose, natural sugars in fruits, vegetables, and processed foods.

Newtown Gastroenterology offers food allergy and intolerance testing, including hydrogen breath tests for lactose, fructose, and sucrose intolerance. During a breath test, you drink a liquid containing the sugar, and your breath is checked for hydrogen. Higher hydrogen levels suggest your body isn't digesting that sugar properly.

Medicines

Some medicines can cause diarrhea as a side effect. Examples include certain antibiotics and antacids that contain magnesium. If your symptoms started around the time you began a new medicine, mention it to your doctor. Don't stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

IBS and IBD sound alike, but they are very different conditions. Both can cause diarrhea that comes and goes.

Chronic Diarrhea and IBS

The NIDDK guide to irritable bowel syndrome describes IBS as a group of symptoms that happen together. These include repeated belly pain and changes in bowel movements, which may be diarrhea, constipation, or both. With IBS, these symptoms happen without visible signs of damage or disease in the digestive tract.

IBS is common. Newtown Gastroenterology notes that it affects up to 15% of people in the United States and is more common in women. There are different types of IBS, and for some people, diarrhea is the main problem. To diagnose IBS, doctors look for a certain pattern in your symptoms, which is one reason tracking them is so helpful.

IBD: Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis

IBD is different. The Cleveland Clinic overview of inflammatory bowel disease explains that people with IBD have chronic inflammation in the intestines. The two main types are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

IBD symptoms tend to come in cycles. Periods of active symptoms are called flares. Periods without symptoms are called remission. During a flare, a person may have:

• Ongoing diarrhea, sometimes with blood
• Belly pain or cramping
• A strong, urgent need to use the bathroom
• Tiredness
• Weight loss

Treatment can help control inflammation and keep IBD in remission longer. Newtown Gastroenterology treats IBS, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and SIBO as part of its care for lower GI conditions.

Can You Have Both IBS and IBD?

Yes. According to Cleveland Clinic, it's possible to have both conditions. However, no evidence that having IBS raises your risk of developing IBD.

Why Keeping a Symptom Diary Can Help Your Doctor

When diarrhea comes and goes, it's easy to forget the details by the time you see a doctor. A symptom diary gives your gastroenterologist a clear picture of what's really happening. Cleveland Clinic even suggests keeping a food diary to help identify foods that trigger IBD flares.

For a few weeks before your visit, try writing down:

• The date and time of each bowel movement
• What your stool looked like (watery, loose, or formed) and whether you saw blood
• What you ate and drank at each meal
• Other symptoms, such as cramps, bloating, or tiredness
• Stress levels and sleep
• Any medicines or supplements you took 

You can use a notebook or a notes app on your phone. Bring it to your appointment so your doctor can look for patterns together with you.

When Recurring Diarrhea Should Be Formally Evaluated?

It's time to see a specialist if:

• Diarrhea has come and gone for four weeks or longer
• You have blood in your stool or black stools
• You're losing weight without trying
• You have a fever, severe belly pain, or signs of dehydration

At Newtown Gastroenterology, your visit starts with a detailed talk about your symptoms, medical history, eating habits, recent travel, and medicines. Based on what your doctor learns, testing may include stool analysis, blood tests, breath tests, or endoscopic exams to look for infection, inflammation, or problems absorbing nutrients. Learn more about how the practice approaches diarrhea diagnosis and treatment.

Find the Pattern Behind Recurring Diarrhea With Newtown Gastroenterology

Diarrhea that keeps coming back is your body's way of signaling that something needs attention, whether it's a food intolerance, IBS, or IBD. Newtown Gastroenterology's board-certified specialists can pinpoint the cause and create a personalized plan to help you feel in control again.

Request an appointment with Newtown Gastroenterology online to have recurring diarrhea evaluated by a gastroenterologist in Great Neck, NY, or at one of the practice's New York City offices in Elmhurst, Flushing, Brooklyn, Bensonhurst, and Manhattan.

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Frequently Asked Questions