icon-nav-help
Need Help

Submit your question to our team of health care professionals.

icon-nav-current-questions
Current Question

See what's on the mind of the community right now.

icon-conf-speakers-at-a-glance
Meet the Team

Learn more about our world-renowned team.

icon-nav-archives
CWD Answers Archives

Review the entire archive according to the date it was posted.

CWD_Answers_Icon
November 25, 2002

Complications

advertisement
Question from Moulton, Alabama, USA:

For two months, my wife, who has had type 1 diabetes for 35 years, has had severe diarrhea, upset stomach, and vomiting. She is under the care of our family doctor who seems to be at a loss, and we’ve tried antibiotics, etc. Can prolonged diabetes cause this type of intestinal distress?

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

There is a condition called diabetic diarrhea. It is generally thought to be a form of neuropathy involving the gut, and severe, debilitating diarrhea can occur. The symptoms are also accompanied by gastroparesis, a condition in which the stomach doesn’t empty well. I would suggest your wife speak to her physician about these conditions, get some feedback, and consider consultation with a gastroenterologist.

JTL