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Suggest Treatment For Severe Acute Diarrhea

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Posted on Thu, 31 Aug 2017
Question: I ate a pizza about 3 hours ago. It was a frozen pizza and it had icing on it so i knew it could contain bacteria since there was time temperature abuse. Just recently I had a few stomach cramps and went to the bathroom. I had a very dark, black, tar like color to my diarreah (spelling?). I'm concerned that I could be internally bleeding or it's simply food poisoning. Please help, and should I go to a emergency room?
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Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James (21 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
more likely infection

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

Acute/recent onset diarrhea is most commonly due to infection of the gastrointestinal tract, usually viral or bacterial.
This infection is due to food poisoning.

It can sometimes be associated with blood in the stool. The blood usually resolves as the infection resolves.

Other causes of dark stool include iron supplements or the use of pepto bismol or kaopectate.

If the diarrhea becomes very severe or you are weak then you should be seen.

In most cases, diarrhea resolves after a few days but if this is not the case for you or the symptoms are severe, then you should be seen

At home treatment of diarrhea consists of: (1) holding off all solid food till there is a 4 hour window with no symptoms

When this occurs then a small amount of dry food can be started eg toast, bread, plain rice

(2)fluids and electrolyte replacement

(3)probiotics- these can help to shorten the course by giving back the good bacteria

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Michelle Gibson James

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 16808 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Severe Acute Diarrhea

Brief Answer: more likely infection Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Acute/recent onset diarrhea is most commonly due to infection of the gastrointestinal tract, usually viral or bacterial. This infection is due to food poisoning. It can sometimes be associated with blood in the stool. The blood usually resolves as the infection resolves. Other causes of dark stool include iron supplements or the use of pepto bismol or kaopectate. If the diarrhea becomes very severe or you are weak then you should be seen. In most cases, diarrhea resolves after a few days but if this is not the case for you or the symptoms are severe, then you should be seen At home treatment of diarrhea consists of: (1) holding off all solid food till there is a 4 hour window with no symptoms When this occurs then a small amount of dry food can be started eg toast, bread, plain rice (2)fluids and electrolyte replacement (3)probiotics- these can help to shorten the course by giving back the good bacteria I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions