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What Can Lead To Constant Watery Diarrhea Despite Taking Medication?
Question: I have had watery diarrhea for about two weeks. Nothing seems to help, if I take too much diarrhea control medication I get constipation. ( I take 4 mg of loperamide at per day).
Brief Answer:
Very likely common conditions like lactose intolerance (related or not to a viral infection) or a parasite infection are the likely cause- recommendations given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Diarrhea for 2 weeks can be caused from a number of causes but the first that we need to rule out is parasite infection. Having a stool test for ova and parasites and a stool antigen test for giardia is recommended.
Another possible cause is due to lactose intolerance that can develop independently or after a viral infection. In this case, avoiding mild for 1-2 weeks and also taking some yogurt might help the bowel bacteria grow back and help with diarrhea. If you improve you can restart milk in 2 weeks if symptoms come back then you will need to avoid milk for a long time (yogurt is ok to be taken).
If you take any regular medications it would be good for us to know it as some medications can cause changes in bowel.
To conclude I would say:
- try to avoid milk this coming week or two and make sure you take yogurt to help with the bowel flora
- sometimes taking enterogermina (bottles with bowel flora) in the pharmacy might help also
- if no better in a week or 10 days or any worsening please have some tests done like stool for ova and parasite and stool antigen for giardia to rule out parasite infection
- if these tests are normal and you still have diarrhea your doctor might decide to do more stool tests, blood tests and sometimes even examine your bowel with a camera (colonoscopy- this is also recommended routinely every 5-10 years in patients over 50 years of age)
- meanwhile, while you have diarrhea it is very important to prevent fluid and electrolyte loss with diarrhea. Taking ORS (oral rehydration solutions) is very important to substitute in balance amount both fluids and electrolytes.
- make sure you drink a frequent small amount of fluids to keep yourself well hydrated and also eat banana and plums to substiture potassium that patients lose with diarrhea.
- if you notice blood with stools please see your doctor as soon as possible.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Zotaj Antoneta, General & Family Physician
Very likely common conditions like lactose intolerance (related or not to a viral infection) or a parasite infection are the likely cause- recommendations given
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Diarrhea for 2 weeks can be caused from a number of causes but the first that we need to rule out is parasite infection. Having a stool test for ova and parasites and a stool antigen test for giardia is recommended.
Another possible cause is due to lactose intolerance that can develop independently or after a viral infection. In this case, avoiding mild for 1-2 weeks and also taking some yogurt might help the bowel bacteria grow back and help with diarrhea. If you improve you can restart milk in 2 weeks if symptoms come back then you will need to avoid milk for a long time (yogurt is ok to be taken).
If you take any regular medications it would be good for us to know it as some medications can cause changes in bowel.
To conclude I would say:
- try to avoid milk this coming week or two and make sure you take yogurt to help with the bowel flora
- sometimes taking enterogermina (bottles with bowel flora) in the pharmacy might help also
- if no better in a week or 10 days or any worsening please have some tests done like stool for ova and parasite and stool antigen for giardia to rule out parasite infection
- if these tests are normal and you still have diarrhea your doctor might decide to do more stool tests, blood tests and sometimes even examine your bowel with a camera (colonoscopy- this is also recommended routinely every 5-10 years in patients over 50 years of age)
- meanwhile, while you have diarrhea it is very important to prevent fluid and electrolyte loss with diarrhea. Taking ORS (oral rehydration solutions) is very important to substitute in balance amount both fluids and electrolytes.
- make sure you drink a frequent small amount of fluids to keep yourself well hydrated and also eat banana and plums to substiture potassium that patients lose with diarrhea.
- if you notice blood with stools please see your doctor as soon as possible.
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Zotaj Antoneta, General & Family Physician
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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