How to treat abdomen distention?

Question

Hello doctor,

Yesterday, I ate a homemade salad for brunch and later in the evening, I ate panipuri from two different vendors with a time gap of maybe 30 minutes. At around 7:00 PM, I had some veg hakka noodles and a mixed fruit shake. After coming back home, I ate a mango as I was feeling that my abdomen was distended. Today, early in the morning, I passed out a motion and I had been pooping for half-hour. After I came out of the washroom, I felt as if my stomach was fully distended. After drinking a glass of water, I tried defecating again but nothing happened. There was no medication at home. I had to travel back to my hostel with my parents in the morning so I was not given any medication as there was none at home. I had to sit very uncomfortably in the car for two full hours. Sometime later, after my parents went on their way, I made the mistake of eating Meftal spas on an empty stomach around 9 AM. My stomach continued to pain for many hours. Even though I have eaten some khichdi with curd, the pain was not decreased. So, I took the second dose of Meftal spas around 2 PM. My stomach is still aching and to top it all, I am constipated. Doctor, kindly help me.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have reviewed your case history in detail. This seems to be infective colitis or enterocolitis because of eating out likely. My suggestions include the following.

1) Take a soft diet home-cooked or hygienic diet at the hostel and drink plenty of water.

2) Regular yogurt for five to seven days as a source of probiotics.

3) Anti-spasmodic medicine like Mebeverine (Mebeverine hydrochloride) 135 mg or 200 mg half an hour before breakfast and dinner would help to release pain, for two to three days.

4) Take a tablet of Pantoprazole 20 mg half an hour before breakfast and the first dose today before dinner for three to five days.

5) Gaviscon syrup (Sodium alginate, Sodium bicarbonate, and 80 mg Calcium carbonate) or any antacid syrups 10 ml after every meal would help to relieve bloating and abdominal discomfort.

6) Ideally, the stool should be checked for evidence of infection, blood complete profile, and CRP (C-reactive protein) before starting antibiotics like tab Norflox TZ (Norfloxacin, Tinidazole, and Lactobacillus) once daily for at least three days.

Thank you.