What should I do for unresolved diarrhoea after a stomach flu?

Doctor's Answers 2

Photo of Dr Paul Ang
Dr Paul Ang

General Practitioner

Thank you for your question. Diarrhea for prolonged periods of time (more than 1 week) is not common and not normal. You should get checked by a doctor soon.

Diarrhoea can sometimes persist for a while after a bout of stomach flu or food poisoning. The most important thing to do is to prevent dehydration, and replace your electrolytes as necessary.

Usually stomach flu is self-limiting, but as your symptoms have gone on for more than 5 days, do watch out for other symptoms such as fever - if so, your doctor may want to perform a stool culture.

If your diarrhoea (defined as >3 loose stools per 24 hrs) persists for longer than 4 weeks, then this is termed "chronic diarrhoea", and your doctor may need to do further investigations.

Similar Questions

What could be the cause of black stools and dull ache at my pelvic area?

Black tarry and unformed stool may represent the passage of altered blood - also known as melena. The most common cause of melena is internal bleeding from peptic ulcers, usually originating from a point higher up in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract like the stomach or duodenum. Risk factors for peptic ulcer disease include presence of Helicobacter pylori (a bacteria found in the stomach) and consumption of certain medications such as aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Photo of Human

Answered By

Human

How do I know if I suffered a seizure when I recently passed out?

It sounds like you suffered an attack of vasogagal syncope, which is a largely benign overreaction of the nervous system to certain stimuli. Ie your IBS symptoms resulted in your fainting episode. Seizures are generally determined when witnessed, although certain telltale signs (such as loss of urinary or bowel continence) might suggest a possible seizure. There are, however, many types of Seizures and it is difficult to comment on without further information. If this occurs frequently it might be best to be examined properly by a medical physician.

Photo of Human

Answered By

Human

Ask any health question for free

I’m not so sure about a procedure...

Ask Icon Ask a Question

Join Human

Sign up now for a free Human account to get answers from specialists in Singapore.

Sign Up

Get The Pill

Be healthier with our Bite-sized health news straight in your inbox