How long can diarrhoea last?

[jinglybell]

I've been unwell since Monday, feeling "off" unable to get warm, slight dizziness on and off. Wednesday evening I had chills and a fever and Thursday afternoon I had some upper left stomach pain then started having bouts of watery diarrhoea. I was ok through the night, diarrhoea again Friday morning, then again Friday evening and it started back with a vengeance this evening.

I've had the odd bit of toast and some salty crisps here and there as well as some tea and an actimel early this evening. There's nothing left in me, I keep feeling grumbling / wind in my upper left tummy, them lower in the bowel then I feel like I need the loo but when I go it's mostly wind and what feels like acid - I'm starting to get worried so wondered if anyone had any advice?

Depends what the cause is. If you have a temperature then you might have food poisoning or viral gastroenteritis. You'll be getting dehydrated the longer it goes on so be sure to drink water. You could try the BRAT diet - Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast to see if that might help - basically bland foods.

I only had the temperature on Wednesday, that's been ok since, but I had an awful headache Thursday and Friday that only cleared today. I'm guessing it's viral - did a COVID test which was clear, but definitely something going on. Am keeping up with fluids but I feel like the diarrhoea will never end 😔

25 years so far for me with Crohn’s

Keep on top of electrolytes - double strength diahoralite sipped regularly is best

@CoastalCalm Goodness, poor you! I'll get someone to get me some diaoralyte tomorrow, thanks for the tip

I had this recently. A very nasty bug. The dizziness took about a week to fully go, diaherra for me was over a day but I was in bed for 3 days with awful stomach pains. Sinus pressure, headache and ear pain followed after.

I tested negative for covid too so who knows what it is. Rest up and stay hydrated, it's not a nice one. Myself and my kids ended up with throat infections after it, I think from being so run down.

Sounds awful, glad you are on the mend.

I think there is a COVID that affects the guts. Even imodium doesn't stop it. It'll go soon. I think mine was little over a week. But it could just be a random lurgy.

Pain in the arse it was though. Sore ring piece.

Depends on the cause

many moons ago I had food poisoning and it took 2 weeks to go. The cramping was something else, I was crying with the pain. Bleeding from my bottom (haemorrhoids), lost 7lbs. Awful.

I caught rotavirus off my toddler, diarrhoea for over a week, and when I say diarrhoea I mean water basically. That was pretty awful. I slept on the bathroom floor with that one.

last year I had diarrhoea that lasted over 3 weeks, no where near as ill but I think because I followed the stupid brat diet advice I basically cut all fibre out of my diet and extended the length of time I had diarrhoea for.

I hope you feel better soon

My young adult son had campylobacter recently, confirmed by a stool culture which our GP requested. He thinks he caught it from takeaway food and his symptoms were similar to yours. He went to the GP after a week when it didn’t improve at all. Online resources said campylobacter symptoms can take up to 7 weeks to fully resolve. They only prescribe antibiotics for babies, small children and eg elderly people from what I read, not routinely. My son had diarrhoea for at least 4-5 weeks afterwards. A high dose probiotic has helped.

From a d and v bug? Most the diarrhoea settles within 2 weeks.

Almost a month with campylobacter
I went from being a healthy and sporty 19 year old to having to sit down in the shower and needing my mum to dry my hair. Over 15 years ago and I remember it like yesterday

It wiped DS out too @Readytohealnow. I had such a forlorn SOS call from him I went round to his flat and brought him home for a few days, him sitting on a bin liner & old towel in the car just in case. 😬 Sipping on electrolyte solution helped a bit, though everything seemed to go straight through him.

Poor poor boy. What a loss of dignity
I was hospitalized for 2 days. Horrendous

Yeah it was about 2 weeks for me that that but I got antibiotics which did help
I felt awful

I thought COVID but tested negative, say 5 today and it's slowed but I haven't eaten a thing in 36 hours. Will try some dry toast

Thank you - 3 weeks? Poor you!