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Suggest Treatment For Persistent Intestinal Cramps And Nausea
Question: I had severe food poisoning (likely bacterial gastroenteritis) and was rushed to the hospital for hypovolemic shock 3 ago days. Although I no longer have diarrhea or black stools, intestinal pain/cramps and nausea still persists but I'm improving slowly. I'm hoping you can fill the role of a sounding board before I call my PCP for a consult. My question is will carafate and sulfasalazine hasten the healing process or at least ease the symptoms so I can return to work sooner rather than later? I cannot afford to miss work so more rest isn't realistically possible.
Brief Answer:
No.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
No, this medicines are completely useless in case of bacterial infection of GI tract. Carafate is used in case of stomach ulcers. It covers the wall of stomach and prevents acid from causing or worsening ulcers. Sulfasalazine is an immune suppressant and is used in case of inflammatory bowels disease.
The best you can do for your digestive tract is to rebuild your good intestinal bacteria which have been compromised due to the infection. To do that you should start probiotic intake. The rest is up to your immune system. Not much you can do to accelerate this process.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
No.
Detailed Answer:
Hello!
Thank you for the query.
No, this medicines are completely useless in case of bacterial infection of GI tract. Carafate is used in case of stomach ulcers. It covers the wall of stomach and prevents acid from causing or worsening ulcers. Sulfasalazine is an immune suppressant and is used in case of inflammatory bowels disease.
The best you can do for your digestive tract is to rebuild your good intestinal bacteria which have been compromised due to the infection. To do that you should start probiotic intake. The rest is up to your immune system. Not much you can do to accelerate this process.
Hope this will help. Feel free to ask further questions.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
By the way, I'm a 5th yr PhD student in biomedical science, not an MD which is why I'm asking the question on here before speaking to my PCP. Carafate coats both the stomach and intestines acting as an protectant does it not? And sulfasalazine is an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat bowel inflammation correct? Thus, wouldn't it seem reasonable these drugs might be useful for gastroenteritis whether it is caused by a virus or bacteria? Also, which probiotic product do you recommend that can survive the acidic environment of the stomach?
Brief Answer:
.
Detailed Answer:
Of course it covers also intestines, but what benefit we get from that? Intestines are covered with good intestinal bacteria. This creates a kind of biofilm. It makes the surface of intestines inaccessible for pathological bacteria. Covering intestines with carafate you can get temporal protection, useful in case of acute phase of infection. But if you want to get back to normal, intestinal bacteria is what you need. Without it, covered with carafate intestines wont be working property.
Sulfasalazine is an anti-inflammatory drug indeed. So if you take it, you will block immune system. Blocked immune system can not fight an infection. So it could cause worsening of your symptoms. Inflammation is a natural process which allows to fight the source of infection. It should be blocked only when the immune system is activated without real threat (we call such condition autoimmune diseases which is Crohns disease or Ulcerative Colitis).
Any probiotic is fine. Hard to give brand name as it is different for every country. Every probiotic is acid resistant (it is produced in the way it can reach the intestines, otherwise it would be useless).
Regards,
.
Detailed Answer:
Of course it covers also intestines, but what benefit we get from that? Intestines are covered with good intestinal bacteria. This creates a kind of biofilm. It makes the surface of intestines inaccessible for pathological bacteria. Covering intestines with carafate you can get temporal protection, useful in case of acute phase of infection. But if you want to get back to normal, intestinal bacteria is what you need. Without it, covered with carafate intestines wont be working property.
Sulfasalazine is an anti-inflammatory drug indeed. So if you take it, you will block immune system. Blocked immune system can not fight an infection. So it could cause worsening of your symptoms. Inflammation is a natural process which allows to fight the source of infection. It should be blocked only when the immune system is activated without real threat (we call such condition autoimmune diseases which is Crohns disease or Ulcerative Colitis).
Any probiotic is fine. Hard to give brand name as it is different for every country. Every probiotic is acid resistant (it is produced in the way it can reach the intestines, otherwise it would be useless).
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Makes sense. Thank you!
Brief Answer:
.
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
.
Detailed Answer:
You are welcome.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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