Loose, watery and possibly more-frequent bowel movements are a common problem. This condition may be present alone or be associated with other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain or weight loss. Luckily, it is usually short-lived, lasting no more than a few days. But when it lasts beyond a few days into weeks, it usually indicates that there's another problem - such as irritable bowel syndrome or a more serious disorder, including persistent infection, celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease.