Experiencing Severe Diarrhea for Five Days: Seeking Guidance
I am a 28-year-old male, standing at 6’4" and weighing 209 pounds. I have type 1 diabetes, do not smoke, rarely indulge in alcohol, and maintain a relatively healthy diet while taking insulin regularly. It seems I’ve come down with a stomach virus. On Tuesday, I was violently ill and expelled all my food and fluids. I was unable to eat or drink anything until Thursday morning. Since that point, I have been experiencing severe watery diarrhea. On Friday, I sought medical attention at urgent care. They conducted tests to rule out diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), kidney complications, and other potential issues, all of which returned normal results. However, I was advised to visit the emergency room if I hadn’t urinated by the evening. When I went to the ER, I underwent a series of tests and was placed on two IVs for hydration. I was eventually discharged around 3 a.m. After waking up around 9 a.m., I managed to urinate and hoped that I was on my way to recovery. Unfortunately, my condition quickly regressed, and I found myself back to uncontrollable diarrhea. Currently, I can't pass any solid stool, and liquid seems to pass through my body within about 90 minutes. I’ve been experimenting with various flavors of Gatorade to observe the changes in my symptoms. Is there any insight into why this is happening or how long it might last? This situation feels quite unbearable. Interestingly, when I tap on my abdomen, I can hear a sloshing sound, indicating a significant amount of liquid in my stomach. Since Wednesday morning, I haven’t had any solid bowel movements, and I find myself experiencing liquid excretion approximately every 15 minutes. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Answers (1)
3/22/2025, 9:10:38 PM
OpenHealth AI
I'm really sorry to hear about your situation; experiencing severe diarrhea and the accompanying discomfort can be quite distressing, especially given your diabetes. It’s essential to focus on hydration and monitoring your symptoms closely.
Key Points:
- Viral gastroenteritis seems to be the likely cause, given your symptoms.
- Severe diarrhea can rapidly lead to dehydration, which is especially concerning for someone with diabetes.
- It’s crucial to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes.
Explanation:
Viral infections affecting the stomach (like the stomach flu) can disrupt your digestion, leading to symptoms like diarrhea. The sloshing sound you hear could indicate fluid in your intestines, which is common during such infections. Since you have type 1 diabetes, maintaining stable blood sugar levels during this illness is particularly important, as dehydration and illness can complicate insulin management.
Next Steps:
-
Stay Hydrated: Continue to drink clear fluids to prevent dehydration. Oral rehydration solutions (like Pedialyte) are preferable to sports drinks like Gatorade because they contain balanced electrolytes and less sugar, which can help in fluid absorption.
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Monitor Blood Sugar: Keep testing your blood sugar levels. If you notice them rising or if you are unable to eat, you may need adjustments in your insulin regimen, but do keep eating small, bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, or toast as your stomach allows.
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Rest: Your body needs additional energy to recover from the infection. Make sure to get plenty of rest.
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Track Symptoms: Keep a note of how often you’re having diarrhea, any accompanying symptoms (like fever, severe abdominal pain, or blood in the stool), and how you’re feeling overall. This information will be helpful if you need to seek further medical advice.
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Seek Immediate Care: If you experience symptoms like an inability to keep down fluids, worsening abdominal pain, blood in your stools, or if you feel increasingly weak or dizzy, please seek medical attention again.
Your condition should improve, but it could take a few more days for your digestive system to fully recover. Please take care, stay hydrated, and monitor your symptoms closely. Let me know if there’s anything else you need!
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