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What Causes Diarrhea With Appetite Loss And Headache Indicate?
Question: Dear Dr,
I wonder if you could help me my husband had a bit of a funny stomach on Sunday night, he had a bout of diarrhoea, loss of appetite his stomach then sounded like it was bubbling. He was sick 4 times on Monday morning and then slept through most of Monday on and off whilst also complaining of a headache, fuzzy head feeling and couldn't eat anything. He tried to go into work today but had to go home he was so lethargic. He complained of headache/neck ache and slept on and off for for the rest of the day had something to eat (soup and garlic bread) and went back to bed early with a headache tonight.
My young daughter aged 1 also had 2 bouts of diarrhoea firstly on Saturday Morning (with loss of appetite on Friday) seemed fine on Sunday (did have a small loss of appetite) but had another bout of diarrhoea on Monday afternoon.
I have also been ill as I have had a cold for the last week and a half, I am still very congested, coughing up green mucus, sore throat when I cough, and my voice is quite husky at times these symptoms are worse just after waking up till an hour or bit after and in the early/late evening.
Could my husband's and daughters illness be related to something I have or do they have the typical D &V Virus?
I know a cold can not be treated with antibiotics but as I am still ill a week and a half in is it worth me going to the doctors?
Thank you very much for your help
I wonder if you could help me my husband had a bit of a funny stomach on Sunday night, he had a bout of diarrhoea, loss of appetite his stomach then sounded like it was bubbling. He was sick 4 times on Monday morning and then slept through most of Monday on and off whilst also complaining of a headache, fuzzy head feeling and couldn't eat anything. He tried to go into work today but had to go home he was so lethargic. He complained of headache/neck ache and slept on and off for for the rest of the day had something to eat (soup and garlic bread) and went back to bed early with a headache tonight.
My young daughter aged 1 also had 2 bouts of diarrhoea firstly on Saturday Morning (with loss of appetite on Friday) seemed fine on Sunday (did have a small loss of appetite) but had another bout of diarrhoea on Monday afternoon.
I have also been ill as I have had a cold for the last week and a half, I am still very congested, coughing up green mucus, sore throat when I cough, and my voice is quite husky at times these symptoms are worse just after waking up till an hour or bit after and in the early/late evening.
Could my husband's and daughters illness be related to something I have or do they have the typical D &V Virus?
I know a cold can not be treated with antibiotics but as I am still ill a week and a half in is it worth me going to the doctors?
Thank you very much for your help
Brief Answer:
Yes ma'am, best to visit a doctor
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query and would like you to know that I am here to help.
I doubt what your husband and daughter have is related to what you have. In my opinion your husband and daughter could have a gastrointestinal condition (?? probably gastroenteritis, although it is difficult to be accurate without any investigations), whereas, your condition seems to resemble an upper respiratory tract infection.
If at all your symptoms have lasted this long, you should visit a doctor and request for a physical examination, sputum analysis and even an x-ray of the chest. Please note that some respiratory infections have a bacterial source which can be treated with antibiotics. So the sputum analysis shall let us know if at all we can help treat you with antibiotics or require another appraoch. So my answer would be yes, please do report to a doctor ma'am.
I would also suggest adequate hydration for your husband and daughter, which is most probably what is causing the headaches (i.e. dehydration).
I hope you find my response helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Yes ma'am, best to visit a doctor
Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query and would like you to know that I am here to help.
I doubt what your husband and daughter have is related to what you have. In my opinion your husband and daughter could have a gastrointestinal condition (?? probably gastroenteritis, although it is difficult to be accurate without any investigations), whereas, your condition seems to resemble an upper respiratory tract infection.
If at all your symptoms have lasted this long, you should visit a doctor and request for a physical examination, sputum analysis and even an x-ray of the chest. Please note that some respiratory infections have a bacterial source which can be treated with antibiotics. So the sputum analysis shall let us know if at all we can help treat you with antibiotics or require another appraoch. So my answer would be yes, please do report to a doctor ma'am.
I would also suggest adequate hydration for your husband and daughter, which is most probably what is causing the headaches (i.e. dehydration).
I hope you find my response helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I would be more than happy to help you.
Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you so much for your reply, so detailed and so polite.
One thing I need to ask is is my husbands neck ache anything to worry about it or could that be related to dehydration too?
Im sure my husband and daughters gastro problems will get better in the next few days but if not, at what point would it become necessary for them to visit the doctor? especially my husband he is so lethargic!
Many Thanks
XXXX
One thing I need to ask is is my husbands neck ache anything to worry about it or could that be related to dehydration too?
Im sure my husband and daughters gastro problems will get better in the next few days but if not, at what point would it become necessary for them to visit the doctor? especially my husband he is so lethargic!
Many Thanks
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Concentrate on hydration level
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am and thank you for your kind words.
Both lethargy and neck pain could be due to dehydration. In my opinion, it is already time to visit a doctor. The only reason why patients with a stomach infection are admitted for medical supervision is dehydration. So make sure their hydration is dealt with, and symptoms of dehydration should subside. If at all this does not happen within the next 2-3 days, it would be wise to take them to a doctor.
You could also initiate probiotics to help with digestion so that they get nutrition from whatever they can manage to eat.
Hoping for nothing but the best for both of them. Please do not hesitate to keep in touch ma'am, I am always available to help.
Best wishes.
Concentrate on hydration level
Detailed Answer:
Hello once again ma'am and thank you for your kind words.
Both lethargy and neck pain could be due to dehydration. In my opinion, it is already time to visit a doctor. The only reason why patients with a stomach infection are admitted for medical supervision is dehydration. So make sure their hydration is dealt with, and symptoms of dehydration should subside. If at all this does not happen within the next 2-3 days, it would be wise to take them to a doctor.
You could also initiate probiotics to help with digestion so that they get nutrition from whatever they can manage to eat.
Hoping for nothing but the best for both of them. Please do not hesitate to keep in touch ma'am, I am always available to help.
Best wishes.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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