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Suggest Treatment For Severe Diarrhea And Intestinal Cramps
Question: Symptom: intestinal cramps 10 days after eating bad batch of mac and cheese . Five other people also had same initial symptoms -- violent diarrhea -- but I'm the only one who still has cramps. No fever, vomiting or black/bloody stools, just the cramps.
Brief Answer:
Suggestions
Detailed Answer:
Hello Dr. Perlman,
I am sorry you continue to have abdominal cramps 1 1/2 weeks after ingesting contaminated food. I will assume your diarrhea has resolved. If not, please let me know.
Here are a few suggestions for things you can try.
Bismuth Subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) can help absorb any remaining toxins and also settle your digestive tract. Note that it can make stools look black or dark grey (but not tarry as with stomach bleeding) and may cause constipation in some people. Travelers to less developed countries are often advised to take bismuth subsalicylate or activated charcoal/clay to prevent food borne illnesses.
Hot water bottle or heating pad. After having a bowel movement (assuming you are at home), apply a heating pad or hot water bottle to your lower/mid abdomen for several minutes. This can help prevent continued cramping.
Peppermint tea or oil. Works as an antispasmodic. The oil is more potent - you may want to start with the tea. Chamomile has shown some benefit too.
Avoid dairy until you are fully well. Both the milk sugar lactose, and the sulfur bonds of the protein casein can be difficult on an already upset digestive tract.
Antispasmodic medication. There are a number of antispasmodic meds including Bentyl, which has been around a long time, to newer meds used for irritable bowel syndrome. For these you would need to talk with your doctor as they require a prescription.
I hope this information helps. I expect you will start to get better in the next week, but if not, and these suggestions don't help, then it is time to see your doctor. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
Suggestions
Detailed Answer:
Hello Dr. Perlman,
I am sorry you continue to have abdominal cramps 1 1/2 weeks after ingesting contaminated food. I will assume your diarrhea has resolved. If not, please let me know.
Here are a few suggestions for things you can try.
Bismuth Subsalicylate (Pepto Bismol) can help absorb any remaining toxins and also settle your digestive tract. Note that it can make stools look black or dark grey (but not tarry as with stomach bleeding) and may cause constipation in some people. Travelers to less developed countries are often advised to take bismuth subsalicylate or activated charcoal/clay to prevent food borne illnesses.
Hot water bottle or heating pad. After having a bowel movement (assuming you are at home), apply a heating pad or hot water bottle to your lower/mid abdomen for several minutes. This can help prevent continued cramping.
Peppermint tea or oil. Works as an antispasmodic. The oil is more potent - you may want to start with the tea. Chamomile has shown some benefit too.
Avoid dairy until you are fully well. Both the milk sugar lactose, and the sulfur bonds of the protein casein can be difficult on an already upset digestive tract.
Antispasmodic medication. There are a number of antispasmodic meds including Bentyl, which has been around a long time, to newer meds used for irritable bowel syndrome. For these you would need to talk with your doctor as they require a prescription.
I hope this information helps. I expect you will start to get better in the next week, but if not, and these suggestions don't help, then it is time to see your doctor. Please let me know if I can provide further information or clarification.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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