Welcome, Nate! Sorry to hear you're having such a tough time right now. You need to call the specialist and let them know it's been a week and you're not better. You may have an intestinal parasite that will require a prescription medication to get rid of.
In the meantime, let me run through the time honored home treatments for severe diarrhea so you can make sure you're trying all of them.
1. Stay hydrated. You are losing a lot of fluid from the D and it's very easy to get so dehydrated you'll collapse and have to be taken to the emergency room. Drink as much water as you can. Flattened caffeine free sodas like gingerale are also good. And get some Pedialyte from the drugstore. It's like Gatorade for children. Here's a quote from their website: Pedialyte® Oral Electrolyte Maintenance Solution — the #1 pediatrician recommended solution to prevent dehydration due to diarrhea or vomiting. Pedialyte is specially formulated for infants and children to quickly replace lost fluid.
2. Follow the BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce and toast (assuming you aren't allergic to any of them). Add other foods like potatoes or poached chicken with care.
3. Take something to slow down the D. Possible options are Imodium, Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate, stuff like that.
There have been a number of mentions of parasites here and in the Living Room recently. You can do a search and find them if you want.
Now, long term, this acute illness, whatever the cause, could very well make your IBS worse. Which means you're in the right place. So once you get the D slowed down and the bug killed off, Heather's diet and other suggestions, will be really helpful to you. There's lots of people here with busy lives and jobs and children who have been helped tremendously by following this approach.
Let us know what happens, okay? You'll be in our thoughts!
-------------------- Laura
Keep it simple!
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