. I have been diagnosed with IBS in the past, but I too feel it is a “catchall” term when they don’t know the cause of your symptoms. Thank you much appreciated,Carolyn. It's also thought the 'coffee runs' are prompted by neurons that surround the digestive tract. I’m also buzzing from the caffeine. i still occasionally have a cup of half caffeinated / half decaffeinated coffee, even if it has side-effects (greatly reduced side-effects, thank goodness),and i have taken a fondness to “constant comment” orange spiced tea, especially on cold mornings. Note that coffee may stimulate the bowels but should not cause diarrhea. I have 6 or 7 in the morning to get started, with no ill effects. Well now its getting to the point where I feel like popping all day but nothing comes out. Coffee can also irritate your small intestines, causing cramps, abdominal spasms, and alternating constipation and diarrhea–a condition known as IBS. Great to read that I’m not the only one who has experienced this. I drink a fair amount of coffee and it seems as though decafe makes me feel worst than regular coffee is that possible. If they both cause you to run for the toilet, I would guess caffeine is not for you. It may not be the coffee or the caffeine that’s causing your diarrhea. I used to like expresso :). No fun. im a med student .. my phama. But I don’t like suffering :). I too have these IBS symptoms since August 2012 but I also have had my gallbladder taken out in July 2012. I hope your story reaches and helps many. All of that extra bile can upset your stomach and … Diane 17 November, 2014, 7:06 pm Reply. I have had the bathroom issues for months and thought I was going crazy!!! I also have, what I think, is bile reflux which burns my asophagus (bile reflux is not acid reflux apparently) I have just had a G and C and I seem to be clear of cancer but I have an irritated bowel and an irritated and ulcerated asophagus. I also think I may have IBS, as I had a couple weeks 2 mos ago of loose, watery, soft blobs of stool. Kirstie Griffith 25 November, 2014, 5:10 am Reply. Coffee also increases contractions of the muscles in your colon, which is why it helps some people poop. Cathy, if you have IBS, drinking coffee is one of the worst things you can do to your body. I didn’t realize coffee was linked to diarrhea until my husband told me that could be the problem so I stopped only one day when I was out of creamer which my husband was right coffee does link to diarrhea but I did not stop there drinking the coffee because diarrhea only happened after I drank more dry creamy chocolate with my 1 cup of Joe which diarrhea didn’t happen when I had the dry dark chocolate creamer with my 1 cup of Joe. I know this is a little late, but you and all the comments have helped ease my mind. Excessive calcium with no Vit D, and other minerals, may harm your health. Its truly disturbing and i feel for all the coffee lovers of the world. I must admit, I’m a coffee addict. I hope it helps! I find I don’t have problems with tea causing diarrhea. I can’t imagine medicine making it all the way to your colon then washing away. I’m not a doctor, and you should check with yours. Ditch ALL forms of caffeine – my $0.02 worth. – Shawn, Whisperingsage 4 September, 2012, 10:24 am Reply. What has also helped me is a product my husband started using and I am now trying it out. I too thought that I had IBS for years, but one day decided that I was going to give up the green liquid. ive just gone two days without tea or coffee no stomach cramps or diarreah…i had a coffee this morning soon after i had a niggly stomach ache…and a few hours later im having to make continuous visits to the bathroom!!!! Milk and other dairy products. Stick to your resolve as a matter of pride. Here is to being social again! Michael 19 January, 2013, 5:02 am Reply, It’s a big relief to see that other people have those same issues and I’m impressed that someone has even made a website about it! The fix. Interesting news about the small strong coffee. I typically drink 3-4 12 ounce cups of coffee in the morning, before my routine “bathroom break”. This week I’ve started drinking tea as we were out of coffee filters and I kept on forgetting to pick some up. :))), Shawn 12 October, 2011, 8:49 pm Reply. Then I tried decaf, which didn’t give me any problems, and coffee in the afternoon isn’t bad either. Next thing I know, I’m guzzling the high octane coffee for breakfast. Shawn 15 February, 2012, 11:44 am Reply, Thanks for thinking it’s clear. How long after quitting coffee will there be signs of the diarrhea stopping? I used to drink coffee in Starbucks and I got the urge to go to the toilet verrry quickly before I had even gotten halfway through my cup, I changed to tea but that gave the same effect so then I changed my milk to soya but that didn’t help either… Does this sound normal to you? This will help to settle your stomach and dilute the acidity of the coffee. The caffeine in coffee does seem to stimulate the digestive system. Thank You!!! Jennifer 3 January, 2013, 11:20 pm Reply. Also, I have issues when eating ice cream!! But the pain and cramping and chills and all over unwell was horrible. I think my love affair with coffee may be over. A lot of people have chronic morning diarrhea. LOL! Other factors are dairy in general which some people find to be “binding”, or maybe other foods you’re sensitive to. I too was surprised about the l-theanine thing. It is not an instant change. I drink 10 to 20 cups per day. I also drink it black because I’m lactose intolerant, and don’t like creamer. I take prescription meds for blood pressure first thing in the morning, then a cup or two of coffee.. and yes, I believe I have the coffee induced diarrhea thing. I didn’t make the connection right away though. I found that coffee with sugar gives me inflamation on the head. All the best. All the best to you! I was really concerned over this apparent developing bowel incontinence. I was in Edinburgh with my wonderful Polish girlfriend ( 3 times to the toilet within a half hour). It just confirms what I’ve been starting to suspect! I know I have a sensitive tummy. I’m with you. I found that coffee was my trigger for my morning diarrhea. While I’m making it…conditioned response? I have CICO: Coffee in — coffee out! If you think of it, let us know back here if you continue to get relief from the switch from coffee back to tea. and sugar first thing every day. ;). seksan Mongkhonkhamsao / Getty Images. it didn’t help that my baby brother owns a custom coffee roasting business. i’ve found that i can get a better morning stimulation, plus increased alertness drinking 2 ounce vitamin b shots. I do however drink about 5-10 Cups of tea a day and get along just fine so it can’t be the caffeine. I also have WAY fewer problems. I had severe diarrhea for about 7 years, but did not go to a doctor for it. Muscle relaxer has helped it but who wants to keep taking those to calm your system down.. pls advise. Now I know what’s been causing my irritation as I was starting to suspect coffee. Dutchanadian 15 August, 2012, 10:25 am Reply. {whimper} I know you’re right Colin. I thought I had a severe problem! Coffee and energy drinks should only be used in careful moderation. I could feel the caffeine getting my bowels rumbling after just a few minutes. The only time I poop is in the morning when I drink my coffee, but I’m scared that if I stop I will not be able to poop at all. Ugh!! I really CAN’T do anything dairy though. Since I was a baby, (I am now 58) I always suffered with constipation, I believe I have had true diarrhea twice in my lifetime. When I found out at times when the dry dark chocolate creamer was not stocked in stores at times than my husband found dry creamy chocolate to try that was good but not as good as dry dark chocolate that I liked even more. We used instant as well as ground coffee with same effect. :). If this were me, I would STOP immediately. I haven’t been drinking coffee as much this week, only one cup per day in fact and guess what? Amazing! Stay STRONG! In fact, my symptoms were greatly alleviated. I’m glad you found something that helps! You’ve just given me a new lease! Coffee doesn’t seem worth what you’re describing. Learning about Ltheanine was quite interesting as well. As extra liquid rushes to the intestines and coffee stimulates peristalsis, you may get all kinds of cramping…. I will see how well this works for me over time. Shelley 12 January, 2013, 2:06 pm Reply. Sugar can also cause cramping in some people. While others need coffee in order to feel peppy, even a few sips of coffee can cause you to feel a little too peppy. L-Theonine has a reputation for being calming, relaxing, and increasing a person’s sense of well being. Stop coffee for at least 2 months. If you experience diarrhea around the same time you cease your consumption of caffeine, the diarrhea isn't necessarily a symptom of caffeine withdrawal. We’ve got to have… Try switching to tea, possibly with lemon or lime but not with milk. I have a feeling that is similar to some of the stories here – especially Chad – where now you are experiencing those symptoms even without drinking coffee. I hope this can help someone out there too!! I don’t think they have a mucous shortage though. Shawn. – Shawn, Laura 25 February, 2013, 1:02 pm Reply. I drink iced tea throughout the day with no problems. – Shawn. Needless to say, this morning I had a Starbucks vanilla frappucino (bottle) and almost immediately got stomach cramps followed by diarrhea, which has not stopped yet. Thanks for stopping by. What is wrong with doctors? dollie 6 December, 2013, 10:51 am Reply, i often get a bad stomach due to ibs but could never really pinpoint what was making it worse and i came across this site….i didnt realise that caffeine is the cause…. My mother wants me to see a specialist but the thought of that really kind of scares me. But I did find lists of foods with probiotics. It also happens to my dad too. Thanks for letting us know. So I began using regular milk not my favorite flavored creamer. I’ve been reading many of the comments above, and decided to add my own. I, too have taken myself off coffee because of the severe diarrhea it causes. The containers usually last for about a week when you do this, So buy 2 at a time and you are good for a couple of weeks. I drink tea to start my day. This type of diarrhea is often unexpected, and the feeling to use the restroom can be quite urgent. Thank you for this wonderful information you have provided. 64 yo male. The problem did seem to ease up but never completely cleared. I have breast cancer and drastically changed my diet – basically whole food/plant based (with occasional seafood – no dairy, very little sugar). IBS is what they call it when they can’t figure out your digestive tract problems (usually bowel problems). GloriaL 26 December, 2013, 12:32 pm Reply. I like tea but wonder if it will give me enough caffeine. hence i stopped drinking it and now i am fine. I know it. If you do a site search here you can find info about her and annatto. Thank you again for your website and information. Why Does Coffee Make Me Nauseous and How Can I Avoid It? OMG, this sounds like it could be the answer to my prayers… I’ve been having horrid issues for 20+ years and have been having all the tests for caeliacs, chrons, colitis etc. I drank two cups of coffee about 40 min ago, and got really bad diarrhea and gas pains. ;), Shawn 23 January, 2013, 4:19 pm Reply. Than my husband found dry dark chocolate creamer to add to my coffee besides just sugar only that I liked a lot so I drink 1 cup of Joe every morning. Time for another article. Thanks !! It’s always nice to hear that other people share in your misery. I couldn’t find any other info about it. It’s never strong as sttell though. Somehow my problem was coffee related. Hey there Hypno, Caffeine CAN irritate bowels, from what I’ve read. I think i have found that coffee is the cuprit in my long term issue. I’d say to anyone whose Irish/English ancestry (like me), the formula may be to get off caffeine, certainly gluten and dairy (since there is evidence we simply are genetically adapted to handle it), and I’ve recently learned that gluten destroys the ABILITY to digest dairy and soy properly and can even set into play zinc/copper imbalances at the cellular level that can cause a whole new level of illness. | Livestrong.com Thankyou for posting this! Specifically a yea meant ti eade the stomach. There’s general agreement that there’s something in coffee causing it to act as a pro-motility agent, but there isn’t agreement on whether that something is caffeine. I admit to some guilt, because I know chronic use of AD pills can’t be good on the body. Was this page helpful? Wish me luck. I change brand, creamer, and even change to cold coffee. I use Garden of Life: Primal Defense. There are probably all kinds of other things in creamer. Stumbled across this blog after a terrible time in the bathroom after a few cups of coffee. Similarly, while carbonated water may help reduce queasiness, avoid fizzy sodas or sugary drinks that can make diarrhea worse. I was diagnosed with IBS in 2002 after a very stressful time in my life. I was never a coffee drinker, but when i had gallstones for two years, Ironically, I found out if I drank a strong cup of coffee when having a stone “stuck” (quite painful), 70% of the time it would pop it out within an hour or so. Green tea has even less in most cases. Your stool might be loose, though not always. I gave up lactose and gluten trying to solve the problem, all allergy tests came up negative . Nice clear post. I’m glad you found it interesting, and easy to read. Secondly, all those caffinated drinks out there these days are often full of sugar as well as cause your ph levels to become highly acidic. If I drink decaf coffee for the first time. Start slow if you’re going to try it. I volunteer at a local museum and I commented that my stomach was hurting the other week and my covolunteer said that I always say that and maybe something is wrong. I had diarrhea every morning for 6 months. Then the caffeine is gasoline on the fire. Tea has caffeine too. Shawn 24 January, 2013, 8:35 am Reply. The numbers jump around a bit depending on brewing, and source though. Frank, that’s GREAT news. I used to drink iced mocha from a grocery store carton – big mistake! It is called “Veema Bode” Shakes. I used to be constipated (most of my life) but now I am the opposite. I’m glad you found something that helps. I had instant diarrhoea(about3 mins after eating a tomato with skin on) . You could also be lactose intolerant. The other advice I was given was exercise to relax the intestine. Thanks Connie! Sometimes I drink it on an empty stomach and after a few minutes,on my way to school I get this pain in my stomach like its grumbling and cramping and twisting somewhere around my belly button like I had to go the bathroom but it always go away after a min. In the United States, coffee is the wake up beverage for most people. And I believe the answer for me has been probiotics. I’d try skipping the coffee. Well, it was a gross neon orange drink and I just couldn’t take the stuff. Now (at 27), whenever I drink coffee in the office it always follows with diarrhea. So I am pretty sure a lot of caffeine does NOT like me in the morning. Immediately I found it was no where near as bad. Clostridium difficile (klos-TRID-e-um dif-uh-SEEL), also known as Clostridioides difficile and often referred to as C. difficile or C. diff, is a bacterium that can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon.Illness from C. difficile most commonly affects older adults in hospitals or in long-term care facilities and typically occurs after use of antibiotic medications. Thank you so much for this article. I had developed terrible diarrhea after about 1 week and a half after starting celexa. If you get diarrhea after drinking coffee every time you sip on your favorite cup of java there may be something else going on. Green tea has a little less caffeine. I’m happy for you. Firstly, as you mentioned, caffeine will stimulate the bowels, and it does this in an unnatural way. Hey there Kevin. to solve dilemma due to caffeine eat a small piece of lemon immediately before drink coffee. I mean it was all day long!!! I think I’ve gotten it beat, then… How about a decaf after dinner. Also, watch what you put in your coffee. Black tea has from 15 to 60 mgs of caffeine, green tea goes from about 25 to 40 mgs. I gave up coffee months ago and have been drinking Pero (an “immitation” yet healthier alternative) which has been working wonders. If anyone has issues with anxiety/stimulants, palpitations, etc, beware! However, coffee itself can be an irritant for some people. I have cramping and loose stool, but only in the am and only once a day. If you have IBS-D, you have belly pain and other IBS symptoms plus frequent bowel movements. Tea on the other hand has less caffeine, but tea also has a special amino acid in it called L-Theonine. I’m glad you have this website, it’s great that people with IBS can get support. Both times I have had no troubles with diarrhea. Coffee can cause cramping and bowel spasms that lock the stool in place until it dries out. Yes, but usually not. I’ve read in a few places I’ve read that drinking more fluids CAN help IBS symptoms in some cases.