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Suggest Treatment For Severe Diarrhea And Sharp Upper Left Abdominal Pain
Posted on
Sun, 4 Oct 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 4 Oct 2015
Answered on
Mon, 26 Oct 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : Hi I am traveling in a non English speaking country and I have had very bad diarrhea for the past 48 hours. I also have strong sharp upper left abdominal pain which feels like it is on the left of my stomach and tender to touch.
Does this sound like classic food poisoning? I just ate a banana and some toast and plan on taking it very easy today.
My concern is that the pain could be something more like pancreatitis
I have no fever, nausea or vomiting just the severe diarrhea (over 10 times a day) and pain to the left of my stomach.
Does this sound like classic food poisoning? I just ate a banana and some toast and plan on taking it very easy today.
My concern is that the pain could be something more like pancreatitis
I have no fever, nausea or vomiting just the severe diarrhea (over 10 times a day) and pain to the left of my stomach.
Brief Answer:
gastroenteritis probably
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
your symptoms sound like gastroenteritis. Pancreatitis usually causes excruciating upper abdominal pain with vomiting. The intestine usually paralyzes and no diarrheas are expected. Gastroenteritis may cause pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Fever is also possible.
Travelers may sometimes suffer from "traveler's diarrhea" which is the result of coming into contact with different bacteria than your gut's inhabitants. While the local people's bowels are used the these bacteria, yours may be not, causing diarrheal disease.
Despite the fact that I believe this is a gastroenteritis, abdominal pain should not be left without a certain diagnosis, so you'd better seek medical help there. Some basic tests would include a complete blood count, a C-reactive protein, urea, creatinine, electrolytes, amylase and liver function tests. Since the diarrhea seems to persist for more than 48 hours, a stool microscopic examination and culture is appropriate.
Worrisome signs may include a high fever, blood in the stool, low blood pressure, high pulse rate, high respiratory rate, etc. Any of the above alone or in combination with others would be a very good reason to pay an urgent visit to a local doctor or hospital. I can't suggest any treatment, without a specific diagnosis. If I'm certain that a patient of mine has gastroenteritis only and there is no fever or blood in the stool I usually suggest using loperamide to reduce the diarrheas but you've got to be examined by a doctor first before using any drugs.
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
gastroenteritis probably
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
your symptoms sound like gastroenteritis. Pancreatitis usually causes excruciating upper abdominal pain with vomiting. The intestine usually paralyzes and no diarrheas are expected. Gastroenteritis may cause pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Fever is also possible.
Travelers may sometimes suffer from "traveler's diarrhea" which is the result of coming into contact with different bacteria than your gut's inhabitants. While the local people's bowels are used the these bacteria, yours may be not, causing diarrheal disease.
Despite the fact that I believe this is a gastroenteritis, abdominal pain should not be left without a certain diagnosis, so you'd better seek medical help there. Some basic tests would include a complete blood count, a C-reactive protein, urea, creatinine, electrolytes, amylase and liver function tests. Since the diarrhea seems to persist for more than 48 hours, a stool microscopic examination and culture is appropriate.
Worrisome signs may include a high fever, blood in the stool, low blood pressure, high pulse rate, high respiratory rate, etc. Any of the above alone or in combination with others would be a very good reason to pay an urgent visit to a local doctor or hospital. I can't suggest any treatment, without a specific diagnosis. If I'm certain that a patient of mine has gastroenteritis only and there is no fever or blood in the stool I usually suggest using loperamide to reduce the diarrheas but you've got to be examined by a doctor first before using any drugs.
I hope you find my comments helpful!
You can contact me again, if you'd like any clarification or further information.
Kind Regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks so much for your response. If it goes not resolve within a day and I get any of the above symptoms you mentioned I will get medical help.
Is there any way to tell or defining symptoms between gastroenteritis, campylobacter, E. coli or salmonella infections?
If I can work out what I have then treatment may be easier.
Is there any way to tell or defining symptoms between gastroenteritis, campylobacter, E. coli or salmonella infections?
If I can work out what I have then treatment may be easier.
Brief Answer:
not really
Detailed Answer:
It's not easy on clinical grounds only. Only a culture may reveal the real cause. They have similar incubation times, similar symptoms and the disease severity may vary from mild to very serious. For most of the pathogens ciprofloxacin is a good choice but sometimes it's not needed and in some cases it may cause even more serious problems like the hemolytic uremic syndrome. So clinical judgement is required before prescribing anything.
Kind Regards!
not really
Detailed Answer:
It's not easy on clinical grounds only. Only a culture may reveal the real cause. They have similar incubation times, similar symptoms and the disease severity may vary from mild to very serious. For most of the pathogens ciprofloxacin is a good choice but sometimes it's not needed and in some cases it may cause even more serious problems like the hemolytic uremic syndrome. So clinical judgement is required before prescribing anything.
Kind Regards!
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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