Loose motion is not controlled with antibiotics and bland diet. What should I do now?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 39-year-old male. I am 5 feet 5 inches in height and 149 lbs in weight. Since last one month, I have been suffering from intermittent loose motions (yellow colored). There is no vomiting, no fever, or major abdominal pain (except for occasional cramps).

Initially, I took a combination of Norfloxacin and Tinidazole for four days, but things did not improve. Thereafter on the prescription of my doctor I took Metronidazole 400 and Dicyclomine 20 mg for a period of 14 days. I also took Lactobacillus tablets for the entire period.

During these times I only ate poha, rice, curd, and banana. Also, I took boiled water. It is the fifth day now and I have discontinued the medicines. Despite on such a bland diet (no wheat), I still have at least one to two loose motions in a day. My routine medical tests were done in January this year which was normal. My wife and son also developed loose motion in between for a very brief period. However, they recovered fully within three days. Please advice.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I cannot see any red flags in your symptoms. More likely nothing to worry. It is the function of your intestines that is triggered by some infection and you are facing overactive intestine. More likely it is a functional problem unless proven otherwise. I will advise you to keep things simple. Quit all medications. You already took a few antibiotics.

Please follow these general guidelines:

1) Add fibers in your diet like vegetables and Ispagol husk two spoons daily.

2) Keep yourself well hydrated.

3) Add yogurt in your diet.

4) Eat less.

5) More important is to keep yourself relaxed. The best way of doing is by doing a walk, exercise.

Please start tablet Mebeverin 135 mg (antispasmodic) before breakfast and dinner for eight days. Tablet Rifaxamine 200 mg (antibiotic) after breakfast and dinner. Continue probiotics. Please follow me after one week. I hope you should be fine, otherwise, I will advise you on some tests.