Diarrhea

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Diarrhea

On-the-Spot Relief for the Runs

Everybody has had diarrhea at least once--those loose, watery stools that have you on the toilet seat eight or ten or more times a day. Diarrhea is the body's way of saying, "Out with the bad"--a quick fix that will put your digestion back in balance.

A sudden attack of the runs can originate from a number of sources, most commonly bacteria in food or water, a virus or, more rarely, a parasite picked up while traveling.

TAMING LOOSE BOWELS A.S.A.P.

If you have a sudden sharp attack of diarrhea, it probably won't last longer than three days, even if you do nothing. But while you're going-going-going, diarrhea is all-consuming. And if you suffer from the chronic diarrhea usually associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as many women do, you know all too well what a crimp it can put in your day-to-day life. Either way, diarrhea can leave you feeling limp and lousy.

But don't worry. Easing the pain and getting your bowel function back to normal is simple.

Avoid milk. When you have diarrhea, you temporarily lose the ability to digest lactose, a milk sugar, says Sheila Crowe, M.D., gastroenterologist and assistant professor of medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. So while you have the runs, dairy products won't be absorbed. In fact, they make diarrhea even worse.

Eat lightly. "The less food that your system has to process, the fewer symptoms of cramping and diarrhea you will experience," says Dr. Crowe. If you're hungry, eat bland, light foods such as toast, cooked rice or bananas.

Try the pink stuff. If you can't stay home and ride it out, over-the-counter antidiarrheal remedies such as Imodium A-D, Kaopectate and Pepto-Bismol all will help stop the runs, says Dr. Crowe.

Pepto-Bismol binds toxins produced by bacteria in the bowel, says Barbara Frank, M.D., gastroenterologist and clinical professor of medicine at Allegheny University of the Health Sciences MCP-Hahnemann School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

"I generally don't take medicines," says Dr. Frank. "But when my husband and I went to South America, we took Pepto-Bismol from the minute we got on the airplane." Result: No diarrhea.

What Women Doctors Do Hot Tea Works Wonders Elaine Feldman, M.D. Like most women, Elaine Feldman, M.D., professor emeritus of medicine at the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine in Augusta, has had bouts of diarrhea. Her home remedies: "Strong hot tea without too much sugar is binding. I can't say whether it's temperature that makes a difference or something in the tea." Boiled rice, plenty of fluids and sometimes warm, flat ginger ale also do wonders, she says. If all else fails, she tries strawberries when they're in season. Yep, strawberries, a remedy from one of her former professors. "They're very good for controlling diarrhea," says Dr. Feldman.

Drink as much as you can. When you have diarrhea, your body loses water every time you use the toilet, so you can easily become dehydrated very quickly. "Try to drink at least ten glasses of clear liquid a day," says Dr. Crowe.

Try chicken bouillon. Fluids that contain salt and small amounts of sugar, such as chicken bouillon or sports drinks like Gatorade, are also good, because they help the body replace not only fluids but also minerals and nutrients lost during an episode of diarrhea, Dr Crowe says.

DEALING WITH CHRONIC DIARRHEA

You may not be able to say an eternal adieu to diarrhea if you have a chronic condition such as IBS, but if you follow these steps, you may be stopped up by the runs a lot less often.

Eat a lot of fiber. If you have diarrhea because of IBS, a high-fiber diet is the number one tool for a calmer, happier colon.

If your stool is normally watery and moves out of your bowel too quickly, fiber will bulk it up and slow it down.

When To See A Doctor Simple diarrhea usually disappears within 72 hours; other symptoms may be signs of a more serious condition. See your doctor immediately if you notice blood in your stool, you have worsening pain or fever, you're vomiting or you have severe cramps. You should also see your doctor immediately if the diarrhea is severe enough to make you dehydrated (dizzy or lightheaded when you stand up). Other reasons to see a physician about diarrhea that lasts include: * You wake up at night with diarrhea. * You have severe diarrhea. * You have diarrhea for longer than three days. * You have recently camped out or traveled. You may have the parasite giardia, which can be treated with antibiotics. * You have recently added or changed a medication. (They can cause diarrhea.)

For optimal bowel function, we need at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily, says Ann Ouyang, M.B., B.S. (the British equivalent of an M.D.), professor of medicine and chief of the Division of Gastroenterology at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in Hershey.

Eat cereal every morning. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole-grain bread and bran-based cereals, says Dr. Ouyang. Examples: A serving of Kellogg's All-Bran with Extra Fiber contains 15 grams of fiber per half-cup serving; Fiber One contains 13 grams and Bran Buds, 11. A half-cup of cooked baked beans--another good source of fiber--has 7 grams.

Try a fiber cocktail. If you're not used to eating high-fiber foods like vegetables and bran, your diarrhea may even get worse--at first. That's where fiber cocktails--supplements mixed with water or juice--can be helpful.

"It takes months for the gastrointestinal tract to adjust to eating more fiber," says Dr. Crowe.

So while you slowly up your fiber count--perhaps by one vegetable or fruit a week--"try fiber in tiny little doses, like a quarter dose of Citrucel" or other natural supplement, says Dr. Crowe. You can buy fiber supplements in supermarkets and drugstores. The granular form is mixed with water or juice. If you find the taste too grainy, try fiber in wafer form and wash it down with water or juice.

Cut back on meat. "Fatty foods are hard to digest and may often lead to diarrhea," says Dr. Frank. So avoid high-fat snacks, and eat lean meat and nonfat dairy products, not full-fat versions.

Stay away from artificial sweeteners. Sorbitol, found in sugarless gums and mints and many diet sodas, often leads to the runs, because it's not easily digested, says Dr. Ouyang.

(For practical ways to manage lactose intolerance, which can trigger diarrhea, see page 336.)