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What Causes Constant Diarrhea Despite Taking Dioralyte?
Posted on
Tue, 27 Mar 2018
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 27 Mar 2018
Answered on
Fri, 12 May 2023
Last reviewed on
Question : My wife has had diarrhoea for about 12 days. She saw her doctor a week ago. He said the hospital would not be interested in seeing her in under two weeks after his consultation so come back in a fortnight. He prescribed Dioralyte. She still has diarrhoea, and is eating very little. Her stools are liquid with no blood and she is not losing weight. Is it safe for her to wait another week before she sees her doctor?
Brief Answer:
If weak or dizzy or no improvement at all- should be seen.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
It would depend on if she uses enough fluids to avoid dehydration and also on the severity of symptoms eg if she starts to feel very weak and dizzy then she would need to be seen. If notice an increased pulse or palpitations, may mean dehydration- should be seen.
If the diarrhea is not improving at all by day 14, then she should be seen.
She is at risk of dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities because of prolonged diarrhea unless she is given appropriate amounts of fluid to replace what she loses.
The Dioralyte would help to give back fluids and electrolytes.
Treatment
(1) If she is having persistent diarrhea then her colon is not able to absorb solid food at this time and using solids would prolong the course of diarrhea.
Generally speaking, solids are avoided until there is a 4 hour period with no diarrhea.
When 4 hours pass with no diarrhea then solid food (small amounts of dry food- biscuits, bread, plain rice etc), can be used.
If these are tolerated and there is no diarrhea with 1 to 2 hours of using then other foods can be used.
(2) Probiotics may help to stop diarrhea. This can be in the form of probiotics in yogurts or plain probiotics
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
If weak or dizzy or no improvement at all- should be seen.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
It would depend on if she uses enough fluids to avoid dehydration and also on the severity of symptoms eg if she starts to feel very weak and dizzy then she would need to be seen. If notice an increased pulse or palpitations, may mean dehydration- should be seen.
If the diarrhea is not improving at all by day 14, then she should be seen.
She is at risk of dehydration and electrolyte abnormalities because of prolonged diarrhea unless she is given appropriate amounts of fluid to replace what she loses.
The Dioralyte would help to give back fluids and electrolytes.
Treatment
(1) If she is having persistent diarrhea then her colon is not able to absorb solid food at this time and using solids would prolong the course of diarrhea.
Generally speaking, solids are avoided until there is a 4 hour period with no diarrhea.
When 4 hours pass with no diarrhea then solid food (small amounts of dry food- biscuits, bread, plain rice etc), can be used.
If these are tolerated and there is no diarrhea with 1 to 2 hours of using then other foods can be used.
(2) Probiotics may help to stop diarrhea. This can be in the form of probiotics in yogurts or plain probiotics
Hope I have answered your query.
Regards,
Dr. Michelle Gibson James, General & Family Physician
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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