Pharmacist

Control the diarrhea

Alright. Before running to the pharmacy to get medication for this diarrhea, let the body clear the toxins out of your system as much as possible. This should take about 5 to 6 bouts of running to the bathroom.

You should help the system by drinking a lot of water after each bout of diarrhea. Wash your hands, take a big glass of water and drink as much as possible. See it as washing out the toxin from your body.

If after 6 bouts of diarrhea and lots of water the diarrhea is still there, you can go to the pharmacy to get Pepto.

The salicylate in Pepto has anti-inflammatory effects on the linings of the stomach and intestine. These should be inflamed by now. You should still take this even if the diarrhea is going away or gone. It may come back again due to the severe inflammatory process that the digestive system has just gone through.

Stay away from loperamide (Imodium®).

Prevent dehydration

A big step is to prevent dehydration from diarrhea and/or nausea. The key word here is "Prevent". Don't wait till after your 5th bout with diarrhea to start. Start with your first bout.

Choose any of the means  below that you are comfortable with:

1. Gatorade, Pedialyte.
2. In-store ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts). You will probably find this in the pharmacy marketed as electrolyte replacement packets in the weight loss, nutrition or protein bar aisle.
3. Homemade ORS: (6 + ½ + 1) 6 level teaspoonful of sugar + ½ level teaspoonful of salt + 1 liter (1000ml) of water (regular drinking water).

Drink as often as you can especially after a bout of diarrhea. If you throw up, wait 5 minutes and start again. 

Control the nausea

The goal for nausea due to food poisoning is to prevent dehydration.

Over-the-counter remedies available for nausea are for upset stomach. Cola syrup is an example.

Replace electrolytes

Choose any of the means below that you are comfortable with:

1. Gatorade, Pedialyte.

2. In-store ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts). You will probably find this in the pharmacy marketed as electrolyte replacement packets in the weight loss, nutrition or protein bar aisle.

3. Homemade ORS: (6+1/2+1) 6 level teaspoonful of sugar + 1/2 level teaspoonful of salt + 1 liter (1000ml) of water (regular drinking water).

Drink as often as you can especially after a bout of diarrhea. If you throw up, wait 5 minutes and start again.

Be sure to follow the mixing ratio above should you decide to use homemade ORS. Must add sugar and salt. Using salt alone is dangerous and can lead to quicker dehydration. This is because salt (Na+) by itself cannot cross the intestinal walls to become part of the body fluid during diarrhea. In fact, a high concentration of salt will draw water from the body making diarrhea worse. Glucose is what helps salt transportation from the intestinal walls. Same way glucose alone or at a high concentration can worsen diarrhea.

Probiotics

You should start this after diarrhea has subsided. Your digestive system has washed away all the good bacteria in the gut. You will need to replace them.

Compare probiotics using our comparison tool to see what will work best for you.