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Let's see how to take care of this stomach bug.

Pharmacist

Usually, the stomach bug will have to run its course. Your goal will be to make life easier while it is running its course.

To accomplish this, you will use self-care or over-the-counter measures to prevent dehydration, take care of any headaches and try to conserve or gain any lost energy while at it.

With this in mind, see what we recommend below.

 

Lady with stomach flu


Prevent Dehydration

Prevent dehydration from diarrhea and/or nausea. The key word is "Prevent". Start preventive measures with the first bout of diarrhea.

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

1. Gatorade, Pedialyte.

2. In-store ORS (Oral Rehydration Salts). Marketed as electrolyte replacement packets (Find this in the weight loss, nutrition or protein bar aisle of most pharmacies).


Lady drinking gatorade

3. Homemade ORS: (6+1/2+1). That is 6 level teaspoonfuls (2 tablespoonfuls) 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 for 5 to 10 minutes and start again.

 

Pain Relief

For headaches or body aches and pain, take ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen.

Lady taking medicine

Prefer ibuprofen or naproxen if you mainly have body aches.

 

Worth Doing

1. Drink tea. Ginger (for nausea) or peppermint tea (calms the stomach)

2. Eat BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast (white bread)).

3. No yogurt until after the diarrhea. It will be hard to digest and can make the diarrhea worse if taken during diarrhea.

4. Rest. Your body is fighting hard to get rid of the virus. You should make it easy by resting.

5. Wash hands frequently. Same for the household.

 

Last updated by pharmacist on : 04/07/2018

 

 

Know this about the safe and effective use of this recommendation.
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Our disclaimer

  • Recommendation is the opinion of a registered US Pharmacist currently practicing as a community pharmacist.
  • Recommendation is not an attempt to discuss all possible self care or treatment approach to this health challenge.
  • The responsibility of the recommending pharmacist is limited to this question:
    "If a patient presents with these symptoms, what will you recommend and why?"
    It is not an attempt to publish an article on the treatment of any condition. Just what would you tell a patient who present with so and so in the usual course of your practice.
  • The pharmacist image presented in this article may or may not be the actual image of the authoring pharmacist.
    Because we insist on using articles written by currently practicing community pharmacists, these pharmacists may choose to remain anonymous especially if they are employed by an employer to avoid being pressured to recommend a particular product to drive sales.
  • Please read the policies and terms of use for self-care OTC, selfcarepharmacist.com and it's affiliates by clicking on the button below.

 

 

 

 

 

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