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What Causes Abdominal Pain Along With Diarrhea And Vomiting?
Question: My wife is sweating and is in pain she has abdominal pain and bowl paid, feel like she may throw up or have diarrhea. She is 60 years old in excellent shape (ran a triathlon 4 months ago. ) Had some crab cakes for dinner. we feel she has food poisoning. She has hot flashes and is sweating a lot. This came on suddently.
Brief Answer:
Take her to ER
Detailed Answer:
Dear Mr. Hoof,
I understand your concern for your wife, and it is well founded on what you describe.
Food poisoning can be easily managed at home, but there are cases that need to be addressed by a more specialized care at the ER.
You need to keep in mind two things:
Dehydration - Diarrhea and vomiting are defense mechanisms that your body uses to get rid of the toxin,bacteria or virus. Stop them with medicine may trap the agent inside her body and this would be worse. That is why she needs to throw up and to have diarrhea so as to clean her gastrointestinal tract. But this comes with the danger of dehydration. This danger is increased if she has a lot of sweating and doesn't eat or drink anything. Try to give her chips of ice, small doses of water over time, broth or other forms of fluids. If she doesn't get better and feels a dry mouth then she needs to go to the ER and have an IV fluids done.
Second thing is blood - Blood in her stool or in the contents of her vomit should be alarming and convince you to take her to the ER as soon as possible.
From what you describe, I think she already needs to go to the ER, but you can assess her condition live and judge the right decision to make.
There is no general drug in this case, only some specific antibiotics or antifungal if bacteria or fungus infection is suspected from the blood in stool or other signs in the ER.
Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your wife good health!
Manoku Eni M.D.
Take her to ER
Detailed Answer:
Dear Mr. Hoof,
I understand your concern for your wife, and it is well founded on what you describe.
Food poisoning can be easily managed at home, but there are cases that need to be addressed by a more specialized care at the ER.
You need to keep in mind two things:
Dehydration - Diarrhea and vomiting are defense mechanisms that your body uses to get rid of the toxin,bacteria or virus. Stop them with medicine may trap the agent inside her body and this would be worse. That is why she needs to throw up and to have diarrhea so as to clean her gastrointestinal tract. But this comes with the danger of dehydration. This danger is increased if she has a lot of sweating and doesn't eat or drink anything. Try to give her chips of ice, small doses of water over time, broth or other forms of fluids. If she doesn't get better and feels a dry mouth then she needs to go to the ER and have an IV fluids done.
Second thing is blood - Blood in her stool or in the contents of her vomit should be alarming and convince you to take her to the ER as soon as possible.
From what you describe, I think she already needs to go to the ER, but you can assess her condition live and judge the right decision to make.
There is no general drug in this case, only some specific antibiotics or antifungal if bacteria or fungus infection is suspected from the blood in stool or other signs in the ER.
Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
If you do not have any clarifications, you can close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish your wife good health!
Manoku Eni M.D.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
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