Current medical status: Hello, I’m a 25 year old male in very good physical condition, I weight train, play sports and am very active. I’ll get right to the point, in April 2008, I had gotten very sick with the following symptoms: • Very watery diarrhea with what appeared to be an oily substance on the surface of the water. • Passing more gas or having more bloating than usual. • loss of appetite. • Abdominal cramps usually before an episode and then a feeling of temporary relief. • foul-smelling, floating, pale, frothy stool • terrible weight loss ( I’m normally 170lbs) and would lost around 20lbs within 1 week. • Fatigue After about 1 week I went to my neighbourhood clinic, explained to the doctor, and he prescribed me Flagyl for 5 days at I believe 1000mg/day if I can remember correctly. After this treatment I was completely back to normal including my stool was completely back to normal. By normal I mean, having a bowl movement about once per day upon waking up in the morning with it being medium brown in colour and about 6-8 inches and about 1.5 inches in diameter. About 3 months later in July 2008 I had gotten sick again with the exact same symptoms to a T. Once again I went to the clinic after about 2 days of being ill and the doctor prescribed me Flagyl for 5 days at 500mg/day. At the 5th day of Flagyl my symptoms were still occurring so I went back to the see the doctor and he prescribed me 10 more days of Flagyl at 500mg/day. For about 3 months after the second treatment, my stool was not normal. For these 3 months these are the symptoms I was experiencing: • Loose, soft, greasy stools that give me an urge to pass because of the discomfort in my stomach (not always watery or liquid). Sometimes the stools were foul-smelling, foamy, and are often passed in small amounts about 3-5 times within 2 hours of waking, and liquid at the later of the bowel movements. • Discomfort in the abdomen or pit of the stomach that is often worse after a meal. • Belly cramps and bloating • Passing more gas than usual. • Occasional headaches. • Weight loss. • General feeling of discomfort or illness, weakness, or fatigue • Some days were better than others and it appeared that when I didn’t receive a full nights sleep, I came down with a cold or sore throat, would physically stress myself the symptoms would become worse. I had been for blood tests and they all came back negative along with culture test and stool samples. (I should state that the samples that I submitted were not usually taken when the symptoms were at it’s worse or when I was very sick in April or July, they were taken about 1 month after I finished the medication the second time.) I had also went for a colonoscopy which I’m assuming that there was nothing found as I did not receive a call back within 10 days of the procedure. Although, during the procedure the doctor did notice an inflamed area of I believe to be the beginning of the small intestine where it connects to the colon, and the doctor took a biopsy. However, I did not receive a call so I’m assuming they did not find anything. For around approximately the last month and a half the symptoms have been some what subsiding with my stool returning somewhat to normal with about 6-8 inches and about 1.5 inches in diameter at first with passing usually about 30 minutes after a long thin stool that creates some discomfort in the pit of my stomach until it is passed. For the last few weeks, my bowel movements had appeared to be returning to normal with passing only 1 bowel movements upon waking, but would still experience the thin long stool about 50% of the time but appearing to gradually improve. However, for the last few days I had been somewhat sick with a cold and have been experiencing the symptoms once again but not nearly as bad as when I was ill the first two times. As of right now I’m experiencing the following symptoms: • normal with about 6-8 inches and about 1.5 inches in diameter with passing usually about 30 minutes after a long thin stool, then soft to liquid stool. • An urge to pass soft to liquid, pale, sometime frothy, floating stool after the initial bowel movements in the morning, mid afternoon, and before bed. • Pretty much all day I have an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach. • Some days are better than others and it appears that when I didn’t receive a full nights sleep, or would physically stress myself the symptoms would become worse either that night or next day. I had not travelled anywhere within the last year except for Within the US (I’m from Windsor Ontario Canada). The only thing I could think of is engaging in unsafe sexual practises. I have done some research and it seems like the symptoms of giardiasis and chronic giardiasis are pretty similar to my symptoms I am expiencing, however, I have no idea what is going on and it is affecting my work, schooling and personal life. Please help me with a possible diagnosis or options to get over this. Thank you and I am grateful for your help.


According to the symptoms you reported, you might be experiencing giardiasis. The fact that the symptoms almost vanished when metronidazole was taken favour the giardiasis. A simple microscopic examination of the stool might be enough to see the Giardia parasites.


If Giardia is not diagnosed, an irritable bowel syndrome might be your problem. Antidiarrheal and antispasmodic medications might be recommended by your doctor. Meanwhile, you might want to try taking more products that are rich in soluble fiber and avoid ones with insoluble fiber. Red meat, beverages, milk products, chocolate and coffee should also be avoided.