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stomach upset and loose motion
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Digestive Health
Question #19341
63 days ago
105

stomach upset and loose motion - #19341

Rhea

I am really worried about this stomach upset and loose motion I’ve been having for nearly a week now. It started after I had this takeout, which honestly, probably wasn’t the best idea. I remember feeling fine, then like, suddenly I was running to the bathroom every hour or so! It’s not just the frequency; I have this awful cramping too, which is super painful! At first, I thought it might just be a 24-hour thing, but it just won’t go away. I even tried drinking ginger tea and staying hydrated, but that just hasn’t helped. Yesterday my friend suggested it could be a foodborne illness, but that sounds so dramatic! Do you think stomach upset and loose motion could be a sign of something serious? I did manage to see a doctor, and they mentioned it could be a viral infection, yet I’m not sure how long I should expect this to last. I mean, is it normal for stomach upset and loose motion to drag on this long? I can’t go anywhere or do anything; I even missed a friend's birthday party! What should I be doing right now? I just want my stomach to feel normal again!

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Doctors' responses

Certainly sounds like you’re dealing with a challenging situation. Stomach upset and loose motion that persists for a week, especially following takeout, could indeed suggest a foodborne illness, like a viral gastroenteritis. These infections are relatively common and arise from contaminated food or water, leading to your symptoms of diarrhea and cramping. While viral infections often resolve within a few days, bacterial causes can sometimes linger longer—it’s crucial to hydrate yourself adequately during this time. Continue drinking fluids like water or oral rehydration solutions to prevent dehydration, which is more serious risk here. Ginger tea is helpful to some extent but won’t replace what you’re losing. Over-the-counter remedies like loperamide can reduce diarrhea, but they should be used cautiously, as they may not be suitable if the cause is bacterial. Since loose motion hasn’t subsided, it’s worth considering additional evaluation. Collect any relevant stool samples for your doctor to analyze; it could reveal the underlying cause and specify if antibiotics are necessary. Since symptom persistence and severe cramping are present, keep watch for other red-flag symptoms like blood in the stool or high fever. If these occur, seek immediate medical care. In the absence of those symptoms, it’s reasonable to reassess after a few more days. If there’s no improvement in a week, or if symptoms worsen, visiting a healthcare provider is sensible for further investigation. In the meantime, rest your digestive system by consuming light, bland foods like rice, applesauce, and toast. This should help ease your cramping. While your daily routine seems disrupted now, careful self-care and observation should set you back on track soon.

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