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Suggest Treatment For Diarrhea, Excessive Bloating And Pain In The Ribs

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Posted on Mon, 2 Jan 2017
Question: I am having diarrhea, excessive gas, feel bloated, chills and pain that radiates from my right rib cage down to my ovaries. This will awaken me at night and resembles a gall bladder attack. I had my gall bladder removed in 2009. This has been ongoing since Friday evening, December 9, 2016. During the day, I am okay but have a feeling of fullness.
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Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James (49 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
most cases due to infection but if pain severe need to rule out other cause

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

Acute onset of diarrhea (at least 3 bowel movements daily) is most often related to viral or bacterial infection though there are also other causes. In most cases the symptoms resolve after 7 to 10 days, some sooner than this.

The chills are part of the body's inflammatory response.

The liver, right kidney, parts of the intestines, appendix are the main organs on the right (you mentioned your gallbladder has been removed).

Besides infection, another cause of acute diarrhea would be food intolerance (bowel intolerant to certain foods ).

Treatment: (1) abdominal pain is best diagnosed with examination of the abdomen ,so if your pain is severe then you should really consider seeing your doctor for an assessment.

Continue the water though , if possible substitute with gatorade or another sport drink. Water would give back fluid only but these would also give back electrolytes

(2)probiotics- restore the normal bacterial flora and help with some cases of diarrhea.
They can be used on their own or found in some yogurts
(3)medications such as lomotil or pepto bismol would help with the diarrhea.
Pepto bismol would turn the stool black
(4)pepcid, zantac, prilosec, prevacid or nexium would help with the bloating and fullness, though can sometimes take a few days for maximum effect
(5)till the diarrhea stops, persons are advised to hold off solid food and use only liquids.
If solids are used before the intestine is ready, it delays healing

When 4 hours pass with no symptoms,then you can use small amount of dry solids.
If you pass the whole day with no symptoms, then you can use solids.

If the diarrhea lasts more than 4 weeks then it would be called chronic diarrhea and there are other causes that you would need to think about as well.

If your pain is severe or persistent or there is blood in the stool or the diarrhea is not improving or worsening, then you should be seen.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
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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 Diarrhea, Excessive Bloating And Pain In The Ribs

Brief Answer: most cases due to infection but if pain severe need to rule out other cause Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Acute onset of diarrhea (at least 3 bowel movements daily) is most often related to viral or bacterial infection though there are also other causes. In most cases the symptoms resolve after 7 to 10 days, some sooner than this. The chills are part of the body's inflammatory response. The liver, right kidney, parts of the intestines, appendix are the main organs on the right (you mentioned your gallbladder has been removed). Besides infection, another cause of acute diarrhea would be food intolerance (bowel intolerant to certain foods ). Treatment: (1) abdominal pain is best diagnosed with examination of the abdomen ,so if your pain is severe then you should really consider seeing your doctor for an assessment. Continue the water though , if possible substitute with gatorade or another sport drink. Water would give back fluid only but these would also give back electrolytes (2)probiotics- restore the normal bacterial flora and help with some cases of diarrhea. They can be used on their own or found in some yogurts (3)medications such as lomotil or pepto bismol would help with the diarrhea. Pepto bismol would turn the stool black (4)pepcid, zantac, prilosec, prevacid or nexium would help with the bloating and fullness, though can sometimes take a few days for maximum effect (5)till the diarrhea stops, persons are advised to hold off solid food and use only liquids. If solids are used before the intestine is ready, it delays healing When 4 hours pass with no symptoms,then you can use small amount of dry solids. If you pass the whole day with no symptoms, then you can use solids. If the diarrhea lasts more than 4 weeks then it would be called chronic diarrhea and there are other causes that you would need to think about as well. If your pain is severe or persistent or there is blood in the stool or the diarrhea is not improving or worsening, then you should be seen. I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions