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Suggest Remedies For Severe Diarrhea In An Elderly Person

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Posted on Thu, 2 Feb 2017
Question: My 94 year old father-in-law has lived with us for two years. My husband had a bug involving diarrhea this week and now my father-in-law has it. My father-in-law is amazingly healthy but this morning he's going back and forth to the bathroom so often, it's wearing him out. What's the best thing we can do for him.If you know any natural things to use like for him to eat or drink, this would be best. His system is pretty pure as far as not using many meds.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Amit Jain (17 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
give him plenty of fluids and electral powder

Detailed Answer:
Hello. Thanks for putting your query in HCM. I am a Gastroenterologist.

I can understand your concerns.

In my opinion give him adequate fluid and ORS/electral powder to prevent fluid or electrolyte insufficiency.

Give him a course of probiotic which are good for health and really useful in infective diarrhoea.

Meanwhile, please get his stool examination and blood examination like complete haemogram to see whether there is any bacterial infection. If it is there then he will require a course of antibiotics also. For hastening the recovery he may be given antisecretory agent like lomotil later on (once infection ruled out).

I hope I have answered your query and this will help him.
Feel free to ask further.

Wish him a good health
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Amit Jain (1 hour later)
Thank you for your help. For being very thorough. It is hard to get my father-in-law to drink that much but he does keep water by him all day. He has a permanent catheter and that makes it important also for him to drink water. Perhaps if we try some other liquid.

My husband was thinking a dose of Immodium would be good for him which we already have on hand. Anything wrong with that?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Amit Jain (10 hours later)
Brief Answer:
there is nothing wrong with immodium

Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.

Whatever water he takes give him with electral powder.

Imodium and lomotil are same which I suggested. It can be used on sos basis that is depending on the stool frequency it can be given. There is no harm in it

Wish him a good health. May he get well soon
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
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Answered by
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Dr. Amit Jain

Gastroenterologist

Practicing since :2000

Answered : 1524 Questions

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Suggest Remedies For Severe Diarrhea In An Elderly Person

Brief Answer: give him plenty of fluids and electral powder Detailed Answer: Hello. Thanks for putting your query in HCM. I am a Gastroenterologist. I can understand your concerns. In my opinion give him adequate fluid and ORS/electral powder to prevent fluid or electrolyte insufficiency. Give him a course of probiotic which are good for health and really useful in infective diarrhoea. Meanwhile, please get his stool examination and blood examination like complete haemogram to see whether there is any bacterial infection. If it is there then he will require a course of antibiotics also. For hastening the recovery he may be given antisecretory agent like lomotil later on (once infection ruled out). I hope I have answered your query and this will help him. Feel free to ask further. Wish him a good health