CHRONIC Diarrhea? Here's What To Do | Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

We’ve all had unpleasant toilet experiences in our time. It can be distressing to deal with and not something we like discussing.

But when does normal diarrhea become chronic? And when do we need to seek medical care?

In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr Will ask what is chronic diarrhea and how can we rule out something more serious? Will also shares tricks of the trade to ease your symptoms and tells us how our amazing guts work to keep our whole body healthy.

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Mentioned in today’s episode:

- Chronic Diarrhea by Garrett J. Descoteaux-Friday; Isha Shrimanker, National Library of Medicine
- Chronic Diarrhea by Cleveland Clinic
- Diarrhea From John Hopkins Medicine
- Diarrhea From Stanford Medicine Healthcare
- Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) From Loma Linda University Health

Books:

[tillygirl]

I had chronic diarrhea for years and many other symptoms along with it.
I never received a proper diagnosis from any of the doctors I went to.

I was getting so frustrated with the most recent doctor visit that I went on the internet and typed in my symptoms.
What kept coming up was “Celiac Disease “.
I then requested the simple blood test to determine if I had it.

Sure enough I tested positive for Celiac Disease.
I stopped eating gluten immediately and within a short period of time a LOT of my symptoms went away.

At the same time I was tested to check my Vitamin D3 level and it was extremely low.
So with going off gluten COMPLETELY and taking Vitamin D3 supplements my health started to improve greatly.

[lilytea]

3:20: 💉 Different tests can be done to diagnose chronic diarrhea, including stool tests, blood tests, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy.
1:35: 🩺 Chronic diarrhea is defined as loose or watery stools happening three or more times within 24 hours for at least four weeks, and it can be a symptom of an underlying serious condition.
6:44: 🩺 Understanding the causes of diarrhea, particularly if it occurs at night, is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
10:04: 🩺 The speaker discusses the diagnosis and potential causes of chronic diarrhea, including C diff infection, absorption issues, and IBS.
13:04: 🚽 IBS is diagnosed by ruling out other conditions and identifying symptoms such as abdominal discomfort and improved discomfort after a bowel movement.
16:54: 🍌 Bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast can help improve symptoms of diarrhea by binding up the stool and giving it more form.
19:25: 🥛 Temporary dietary strategies, such as eliminating dairy, artificial sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, and fatty foods, can help improve symptoms of digestive issues.
Recap by Tammy AI

[adelaide]

Suffering right now thankyou all the information has helped me feel less anxious about what’s going on with me. 🙏🏻

[evelynrobbins]

Some really good info in here I hadn't heard before on possibly differentiating between infectious and inflammatory causes of chronic diarrhea. You are the best Dr Wil! I have your books and they are awesome. I also love the true empathy you show towards people suffering with GI troubles. Thank you!

[starletsatori]

Excellent information delivered with clarity!

[DoraeArtDreams-Aspy]

I’ve been having chronic diarrhea for 3 months now and… I don’t know why… 😖


Please help me… 😭

[junbug]

Had C. diff around 2005, colonoscopy 2012 was normal but biopsies showed MC. FF to May 2015. I’ve had short bouts of diarrhea through the years, but I’m on 4+ weeks of diarrhea not really helped by Imodium and Kaopectate, and I’ve lost 10 lbs. I was on various antibiotics for 2 years for chronic UTIs due to congenital UPJ obstruction and had a left nephrectomy March 2024. Stools had been great until May 20, 2025. Saw my GI last week and he didn’t seem impressed with my history, no stool culture ordered, no blood work done, no family history taken. When I asked about foods to eat/avoid he just said to eat. He put me on cholestipol to r/o bile malabsorption and scheduled my colonoscopy in 4 weeks. Still having mucousy orange diarrhea several times a day. After my colonoscopy I’m looking for another GI.

[margarethawielsma]

When I lived in the Middle East in my late 20's I found I had severe diarrhea after consuming anything with Olive Oil in it. Eliminated Olive Oil, diarrhea disappeared. Really weird. Dysentery was also a problem if water wasn't thoroughly boiled

[keithaldred]

More on BAM please. Took 42 years for me to be diagnosed. Most people don;t know what it is and never was it mentioned in all those years of GP visits and hospital tests.
A tablet after every meal and I can finally live a relatively normal life.

[JuliaTeilkemeier]

How can one of the worst chronic (idiopathic) conditions like BAD (bile acid diarrhoea) and it's lack in research and treatment be ignored???
It is hell for sufferers...

[bagreciasun]

I had gall bladder removed for years, so much trouble on my stomach due to acid. I had hronic diarrhea for weeks what I'm going to do.

[Buchoass]

16 weeks of this, finally got tested for: Parasites, Viral, and Bacterial infection. Waiting for results. I want to take Activated charcoal with psyllium husk and Polypore mushroom Tea but i'm thinking the Doctor will give me antibiotics. I will come back and update.

[BobDixon-lq]

I've been having diarrhea now for 3 months, the only thing that has helped me is taking Metamucil 3 times a day. I still have to go 4 or 5 times a day, but it's kind of solid so it's not near as urgent as it was. It gives me a little time to get to the pot.

[susanwanderer]

I find too much vegetable and too little protein, causes chronic diarrhoea . If I stick to a vegan diet for a long time, this occurs and disappears immediately goes if I add eggs, meat, fish.
8:10

[Robinhood]

Let's not be fearful to get all these tests....until the hospital bill comes in and you realize insurance covered almost nothing and your stuck with a hefty bill and possibly no diagnosis at all.

[sallyattwood]

Excellent - clear and methodical. Has made me think it IS worth me asking to discuss this with my GP, as I have been experiencing multiple loose stools ofr some years. Colonoscopy 18 months ago ruled out bowel cancer - at that point. Polyps were removed - Jonathan didn't mention them? Or whether something can live in our guts for decades eg the amoeba from dysentery? My dad always put his problemm down to the war years in India as a young adult. Any thoughts?

[megajcprincess]

I suffer from chronic diarrhea
I happened to have a hydration mix at home and made up one bottle and one cup and drinking the cup of hydration mix with filtered water and the diarrhea appears to have stopped .. I have sludge in my gallblader and a fatty litter from 4 months of chronic watery stool
I'm exhasted .. I've lost so much weight due to this issue
I will need to bring my doctor's attention to this in case it's another issue .. Going to order more hydration mix

[durga]

Dear all! I have been suffering from for past 2 months. 1) mushy stools that has undigested food
2) It happens 2-3 times a day
3) white mucus visible sometimes
4) Flatulence a lot
No other symptoms like pain or blood in the stool or anything else at all

[chrishemsworth]

Just became a sub. These gentlemen are great 👍 very intelligent.

[RBFR]

Regardless of what I drink or eat I get sloppy to straight diarrhea all the time.