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Some Times In The Morning I Have Loose Bowels And
Question: Some times in the morning I have loose bowels and even on occasion diarrhea. Many times this is maybe an hour or two after eating. Most recently after a breakfast of Cream of Wheat at 8:am around 1000 am I had loose bowels. Could it have been the breakfast, the milk, the cereal and additions to cereal like raisins and dates or sun flower seeds, a drink of egg nog?
I had gone to the gym the day before but I wash my hands religiously while entering and during and upon leaving. So is it more likely that I picked up some germ at the gym rather than what I ate just before? Conversely, is it possible, short of poison, for a stomach distress can happen shortly after eating, or does it take 6- 8 hours for the food to progress through my system before needing to evacuate my bowels? XXXXXXX
I had gone to the gym the day before but I wash my hands religiously while entering and during and upon leaving. So is it more likely that I picked up some germ at the gym rather than what I ate just before? Conversely, is it possible, short of poison, for a stomach distress can happen shortly after eating, or does it take 6- 8 hours for the food to progress through my system before needing to evacuate my bowels? XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Gastroenteritis.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for trusting HealthcareMagic,
The symptoms you are describing are suggestive of Bacterial gastroenteritis , which is the bacterial infection of the intestine. However it can be Protozoal or viral also.
Stool analysis and culture test
is required to confirm the diagnosis.
Management is with antibiotics (usually a combination of Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole) for which you will need a prescription. So please be advised to follow up with the urgent care.
Follow a no protein and high simple carbohydrate diet for 2-3 days.This would give time to your inflammed intestines to relax and function properly again.
Meanwhile, drink plenty of water and electrolyte containing drinks like Gatorade. Follow soft diet. BRAT (Banana, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast) diet will be easier on your tummy.
You can also take Buscopan 10 mg thrice daily for stoping going to loo every time after eating.
Hope this answers your query
Please let me know if you need further clarification
Regards
Gastroenteritis.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for trusting HealthcareMagic,
The symptoms you are describing are suggestive of Bacterial gastroenteritis , which is the bacterial infection of the intestine. However it can be Protozoal or viral also.
Stool analysis and culture test
is required to confirm the diagnosis.
Management is with antibiotics (usually a combination of Ciprofloxacin and Metronidazole) for which you will need a prescription. So please be advised to follow up with the urgent care.
Follow a no protein and high simple carbohydrate diet for 2-3 days.This would give time to your inflammed intestines to relax and function properly again.
Meanwhile, drink plenty of water and electrolyte containing drinks like Gatorade. Follow soft diet. BRAT (Banana, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast) diet will be easier on your tummy.
You can also take Buscopan 10 mg thrice daily for stoping going to loo every time after eating.
Hope this answers your query
Please let me know if you need further clarification
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Thanks for the prompt answer and good recommendations. I will follow them. However as to my other question, how long does it take for food to pass from throat to being evacuated. Can a person have distress from food just eaten as in maybe 2 hours? Or is that too quick for food to have any effect? XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Usually it takes about 12 to 36 hours for complete digestion of food(from ingestion to excretion).12 is for detox diet like fruit vegetables and 36 is for heavy foods like meat egg etc but in case of gastroenteritis your intestines are inflammed and are irritated when food enters into it.
As soon as food enters the intestine the rate of contraction and relaxation becomes very high(Therefore anti spasmodics are given) and food passes without digestion and water absorption in 30 minutes to 3-4 hours.
Time period is not specific varies from person to person but reason behind is inflammation in intestines.
Hope I was clear and easy to understand.
Follow ups are welcome,
Don't worry follow what I said you would be much better in 2-3 days.
Avoid gym and give rest to body.
Thanks.
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX
Usually it takes about 12 to 36 hours for complete digestion of food(from ingestion to excretion).12 is for detox diet like fruit vegetables and 36 is for heavy foods like meat egg etc but in case of gastroenteritis your intestines are inflammed and are irritated when food enters into it.
As soon as food enters the intestine the rate of contraction and relaxation becomes very high(Therefore anti spasmodics are given) and food passes without digestion and water absorption in 30 minutes to 3-4 hours.
Time period is not specific varies from person to person but reason behind is inflammation in intestines.
Hope I was clear and easy to understand.
Follow ups are welcome,
Don't worry follow what I said you would be much better in 2-3 days.
Avoid gym and give rest to body.
Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
Thanks for your helpful answer. So now I have a follow up. After that episode referred to in my first question, I was completely normal by mid afternoon with no medication. So does that mean that more than likely my stomach is no longer inflamed? XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
Gastroenterologist as said earlier can be viral also and virus is self limiting in nature. So once virus is gone inflammation settles down by itself.
Therefore stool culture test is done to know if it's bacterial or Protozoal or viral.
Thanks.
Follow up.
Detailed Answer:
Hi again,
Gastroenterologist as said earlier can be viral also and virus is self limiting in nature. So once virus is gone inflammation settles down by itself.
Therefore stool culture test is done to know if it's bacterial or Protozoal or viral.
Thanks.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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