DIARRHOEA – ANTIBIOTICS
When diarrhoea starts during or soon after a course of antibiotics, it usually means that the antibiotics have killed all the useful bacteria which are normally in our bowel. When this happens, other harmful bacteria can take over. Stopping the responsible antibiotics and eating yoghurt (a source of useful bacteria) may be enough to get the bowel back to normal.
Diarrhoea due to malabsorption can often be corrected by a special diet and medications to help the bowel break down and absorb fats. If the malabsorption is due to blockage of the tubes running from the liver or pancreas to the bowel, it may be possible to correct this surgically. Just because it is possible does not necessarily mean it is best. Check the likely costs and benefits carefully.
Whether or not the cause of your diarrhoea is being tackled, you should take something to control it in the meantime. Anti-diarrhoea drugs work by slowing down the bowel muscle ^nd/or making the motions more solid. Chemical names of some good ones include kaolin, pectin, codeine phosphate, aluminium hydroxide, loperamide hydrochloride and diphenoxylate hydrochloride. It should be possible to improve diarrhoea greatly within less than a day with these drugs. If anti-diarrhoea treatment is not offered to you while the cause of your diarrhoea is being looked for or treated, ask for it.
It is important to make sure that you don’t get dehydrated while you have diarrhoea. If it is severe or accompanied by nausea and vomiting, you might need intravenous fluids until it is brought under control.
If you have malabsorption, you could become deficient in certain vitamins (such as vitamins A, D and K) and minerals (such as calcium). Make sure your doctor checks these. You may need to take extra of some things, either by mouth or in injection form.
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