Diarrhea treatment?
Hi all!
Can you recommend some natural methods of dealing with diarrhea? I've been experiencing it for four days now, and Immodium and Pepto Bismol haven't helped at all. I know at this point I should see a doctor but unfortunately I can't get to one until Monday, if then, and I also don't think there is much they can do. Antibiotics would screw up my digestion worse, a stomach virus and food poisoning could only be waited out anyway, etc. In the meantime, I don't want to put all this Pepto and Immodium into if they don't even work.
I've been drinking tea, alternating between peppermint and black tea. I'm always wary about the caffeine in black tea upsetting my stomach more, but my mother insists it has a "binding effect" that outweighs this side effect. It's made me feel better in the past, but I can't find very much about this effect online. I've been sticking to bananas, rice, and applesauce, with very little bread. Last night I was feeling much better and had a few plain pierogies for dinner, but now that "much better" is gone. I've been drinking plenty of water and resting. I took probiotics for the first few days but didn't notice any difference. Then, as luck would have it, I ran out, and have been reluctant to leave the house to get more given the nature of my illness. I know yogurt is sometimes recommended, but that is unfortunately out of the question for me. Is there anything else I can do?
I should also mention that I have Ulcerative Colitis, but that this does not appear to be a flare up or otherwise directly related to that, and I have been taking all my medication for UC as directed. It appeared out of the blue one night, I thought in reaction to a cake I had eaten, but it's gone on far too long for that.
Also a disclaimer: I am not seeking a diagnosis, just some ideas and advice, and I will see/contact a doctor as soon as I am able.
Thanks so much for your help!
Can you recommend some natural methods of dealing with diarrhea? I've been experiencing it for four days now, and Immodium and Pepto Bismol haven't helped at all. I know at this point I should see a doctor but unfortunately I can't get to one until Monday, if then, and I also don't think there is much they can do. Antibiotics would screw up my digestion worse, a stomach virus and food poisoning could only be waited out anyway, etc. In the meantime, I don't want to put all this Pepto and Immodium into if they don't even work.
I've been drinking tea, alternating between peppermint and black tea. I'm always wary about the caffeine in black tea upsetting my stomach more, but my mother insists it has a "binding effect" that outweighs this side effect. It's made me feel better in the past, but I can't find very much about this effect online. I've been sticking to bananas, rice, and applesauce, with very little bread. Last night I was feeling much better and had a few plain pierogies for dinner, but now that "much better" is gone. I've been drinking plenty of water and resting. I took probiotics for the first few days but didn't notice any difference. Then, as luck would have it, I ran out, and have been reluctant to leave the house to get more given the nature of my illness. I know yogurt is sometimes recommended, but that is unfortunately out of the question for me. Is there anything else I can do?
I should also mention that I have Ulcerative Colitis, but that this does not appear to be a flare up or otherwise directly related to that, and I have been taking all my medication for UC as directed. It appeared out of the blue one night, I thought in reaction to a cake I had eaten, but it's gone on far too long for that.
Also a disclaimer: I am not seeking a diagnosis, just some ideas and advice, and I will see/contact a doctor as soon as I am able.
Thanks so much for your help!