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Original poster

To ask do you limit dairy when you have diarrhoea?

20 replies

HighHopes20 · 22/01/2020 07:36

Or just eat normal plain foods until it passes?
I’ve had diarrhoea for 4 days now and really want it gone for the weekend!!
I’ve also got some Imodium as meant to be working tomorrow but not sure if I should take it or let it run it’s course?

OP posts:
NoSquirrels · 22/01/2020 07:45

Four days is on the long side - are you otherwise well in yourself? The official advice is to just eat normally, and make sure you drink lots of fluids. I’d look at buying a decent probiotic to take once it’s cleared up, though, to give your gut a bit of a boost.

peachypetite · 22/01/2020 07:50

You should be eating plain food.

dementedpixie · 22/01/2020 07:53

I would maybe limit dairy, fatty or spicy food and fruit juices for a few days to see if it helps.

TheSandgroper · 22/01/2020 08:01

I’ve been off cows milk dairy for ten years because of the most painful diarrhoea. No dairy, not even the smallest crumb of cheese and I’m fine.

Buscopan reduces the symptoms from a week to three days with reduced intensity.

Original poster
HighHopes20 · 22/01/2020 08:02

Apart from feeling a bit nauseous/achey, I’m otherwise well. I’ve mostly been eating toast, eggs, bananas, chicken, potatoes etc but have had the odd yoghurt and milky tea so maybe I’ll knock them on the head today!
I was up half the night with my stomach gurgling.

OP posts:
fairislecable · 22/01/2020 08:16

24 hours without eating. Drink clear fluids ( no milk in tea or coffee).

If possible take Dioralyte.

dementedpixie · 22/01/2020 08:19

You do not need to stop eating. NHS says to continue eating. Keep up fluids

Traffy · 22/01/2020 08:20

I'd have no dairy. Stick to bananas, toast etc.

I wouldn't take the immodium but you could get some Pepto Bismol.

DH had awful diarrhea for 2 weeks which wasn't clearing up even with rest and plain diet, it's clearing up slowly now with Pepto Bismol.

CountFosco · 22/01/2020 08:24

As long as you are in the west and having pasteurised milk and have no dairy allergy there is no reason to stop eating it. A lot of the folk advice around diarrhoea is nonsense. Like 'eat plain food' which always seems to be toast so complex carbohydrates so actually very hard to digest. Eat what you fancy and if it doesn't sort itself out and you are losing weight then go to the GP.

TheHagOnTheHill · 22/01/2020 08:25

I personally wouldn't take imidium but let my body clear itself.
I also wouldn't be going to work and risk passing it on to others.
Hope you are well soon.

JohnVirgo · 22/01/2020 08:30

24 hours without eating. Drink clear fluids ( no milk in tea or coffee).

This is not current advise.

If possible take Dioralyte.

This is a treatment for dehydration, not diarrhoea.

OP eat and drink normally as you are, please don't pop and Imodium and go to work though.

Original poster
HighHopes20 · 22/01/2020 08:45

This is why I asked because the advice online is so mixed! 🤯

OP posts:
Mistymonday · 22/01/2020 08:46

I had a bug like this a week ago. Like noro without vomiting. Took a week to go but still on bland diet as very sensitive stomach still.

Damntheman · 22/01/2020 08:57

I don't limit it but I've never had a runny bum for four days in a row before. Is there any point? Doesn't dairy take a while to get out of your system anyway?

I'd take the immodium! Comfort is paramount and your poor backside must be suffering by this point.

ShowOfHands · 22/01/2020 09:09

Limited diets and avoiding food is quite old fashioned advice now. I wouldn't be taking Imodium either. If you have the option to stay in and let it run its course, do that. Plenty of fluids, food as you fancy it and take it easy. If it really isn't improving over the next couple of days, I'd perhaps consider seeing the GP in case it's bacterial.

OptimisticNincompoop · 22/01/2020 10:53

I've just had the same, 4 days of diarrhoea, I was eating plain food and not having dairy apart from one cup of tea with milk, I then had a day where I didn't even have the tea and ate just crackers, plain toast and rice with chicken and carrots and it stopped. Don't know if it was that milk but I'd try that of I were you, and drink lots of diarolyte, I'm breastfeeding so was worried I wasn't getting enough food in me but GP said just keep fluids up and diarolyte. At one point my weight had dropped 12lb (I was quite happy about this) but it went back up so must've just been water.

ragged · 22/01/2020 20:50

I got lactose intolerance when I was pregnant: the intolerance made me puke. No diarrhoea. So I wouldn't link funny bottom with milk products.

Mummyshark2019 · 22/01/2020 22:30

Four days is quite a long time to have the runs for. Eat normally. You just need to expel the bug from your system.

Original poster
HighHopes20 · 23/01/2020 08:40

Well I had no dairy yesterday and no diarrhoea so back at work today. It could be that there’s a link or it could be that after 4 days all the infection had left my body? Might have a milky tea later today to test the theory. 💩

OP posts:
RhodaCamel · 23/01/2020 08:44

Tummy bugs can leave you temporarily lactose intolerant for a while so it’s always a good idea to cut out dairy whilst unwell and for a while after.

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