[46F] Experiencing abdominal pain, diarrhea, hives, and joint pain

What might be happening

Based on your symptoms, several conditions could be causing your discomfort:

• Gastroenteritis: This is an inflammation of the digestive tract, often caused by a virus, bacteria, or parasites. Symptoms can include stomach pain, diarrhea, and nausea. However, this condition usually resolves within a few days and doesn't typically cause a rash or joint pain.

• Food Allergy or Intolerance: Given your symptoms occur after eating or drinking, a food allergy or intolerance could be a possibility. However, these typically cause immediate symptoms and wouldn't explain your joint pain.

• Gastritis or Peptic Ulcer Disease: These conditions involve inflammation or damage to the lining of the stomach or upper small intestine. They can cause stomach pain, nausea, and black, tarry stools. However, they don't typically cause diarrhea, hives, or joint pain.

• Gallstones: These are hard deposits in the gallbladder that can cause pain in the upper right or middle abdomen, especially after eating. However, gallstones don't usually cause diarrhea, hives, or joint pain.

• Autoimmune conditions: Some autoimmune conditions, such as lupus or celiac disease, can cause a variety of symptoms including stomach pain, diarrhea, rash, and joint pain. Celiac disease can cause symptoms after eating, especially foods containing gluten.

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): Conditions like Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and sometimes extraintestinal symptoms like skin rash and joint pain.

What you can do

Given the severity and duration of your symptoms, it's important to seek medical attention. Your doctor may want to perform tests such as blood tests, stool tests, or imaging studies to help determine the cause of your symptoms. In the meantime, try to stay hydrated, especially since you're experiencing frequent diarrhea. Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication may also be helpful.

What you should look out for

Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:

• Severe abdominal pain
• Blood in your stool or vomit
• Unintentional weight loss
• Fever or chills
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Symptoms that persist or worsen

Please remember that while I strive to provide accurate information, I'm not a doctor and this advice should not replace a consultation with a healthcare professional.