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How To Rehydrate After Diarrhea: What To Know
August 19, 2022
Dehydration can be caused by a number of issues, including sickness, jet lag, lack of hydration, or bacterial infections. One of the most common ways that people get dehydrated is through sickness or infections that cause diarrhea, which results in significant fluid loss through your stool.
We know that taking care of yourself is a priority, which is why The I.V. Doc has a diverse and intentional selection of intravenous hydration therapies available. So many people who choose IV hydration therapy are looking for a safe, effective, and discrete way to take care of themselves, without having to leave the comfort of their homes.
Here are some ways to rehydrate after diarrhea, including medical options, IV hydration, electrolyte-packed beverages, and some liquid food options. If you’ve suffered from the stomach flu or food poisoning, this guide is for you.
Keep reading for our helpful strategies on how to rehydrate after diarrhea.
Know the Signs of Dehydration
Dehydration is no joke, especially when it’s accompanied by a range of symptoms that are uncomfortable and difficult to manage on their own. Dehydration can be caused by a number of different reasons with the same result — that your body is losing liquid faster than it can replenish it.
There are various stages of dehydration – mild, moderate, and severe – which each come with their own set of symptoms. Mild dehydration is usually marked by feeling thirsty, having a dry mouth or throat, and showing signs of slightly darker urine.
Moderate dehydration includes all the signs of mild dehydration but also may be accompanied by a headache, fatigue, feeling faint, and dizziness. If you are experiencing signs of mild or moderate dehydration, it’s a sign that your body needs to hydrate.
Severe dehydration is the most worrisome of the stages of dehydration, as it is the most advanced stage of dehydration. It’s usually due to sickness, overconsumption of alcohol, or heat-related issues.
Dehydration and Diarrhea: What’s the Connection?
The signs of dehydration are pretty clear, but it might be hard to remember that you can get easily dehydrated. Diarrhea is a relatively common issue that typically resolves on its own, but can pose significant threats to your health if it persists.
Acute diarrhea usually lasts from one to a few days, and resolves on its own, but still can be dehydrating. Persistent and chronic diarrhea are more concerning versions of diarrhea, in that they do not resolve after a few days, but can last for weeks or even months in some cases.
The Importance of Rehydration After Diarrhea
If you are experiencing diarrhea for more than two days, contact your team of medical professionals who will help you figure out a plan for mitigating your symptoms and moving forward. However, whether you’re experiencing mild or severe diarrhea, the importance of rehydration cannot be understated.
After significant fluid loss, your body can get dehydrated. Particularly if your diarrhea is coupled with stomach sickness or vomiting, your chances of getting severely dehydrated are much higher.
Rehydrating after having diarrhea is important because you’re not only getting much-needed fluids back into your body, but are replenishing your system with lost vitamins and nutrients that keep your body balanced and functioning normally.
Try Electrolyte-Enhanced Beverages
If you are dehydrated, then your first thought might be to consume as much water as possible. To an extent, your inclination is correct. Dehydration is caused by lack of water in the body, so prioritizing drinking water can help you rehydrate.
And yet, when you are losing fluids because of diarrhea or vomiting, your body is not only losing fluids, but critical nutrients and vitamins that your body needs to maintain a balanced system. When you have diarrhea, you are passing watery stool that is also taking those critical nutrients with it.
Sports drinks and drinks with added electrolytes can help restore your body to normal levels, or at the very least, help you replenish some of the lost nutrients that your body passes when it has diarrhea. However, be mindful of high sugar content, as excess sugar can actually contribute to diarrhea.
Restore With Electrolyte-Packed Foods
Bananas, avocados, and spinach are all foods that are packed with electrolytes that can help provide your body with important nutrients it may need if you have diarrhea. If you are able to keep food down, try eating bananas, which are packed with potassium and electrolytes and can help replenish lost minerals in your body.
Sodium and potassium are two important electrolytes that will help restore your body to its normal levels of electrolytes. Next time you’re trying to rehydrate after diarrhea, try blending up a smoothie with spinach, kale, bananas, and some coconut water to rehydrate naturally.
Can I Rehydrate With Medicine?
Imodium is an over-the-counter medicine that can help you with the effects of diarrhea. The main active ingredient in Imodium is loperamide, which causes the muscles in your intestines to contract slower. You can take Imodium as soon as you start to experience symptoms of diarrhea, but it is not recommended that you take it for more than two days in a row.
Take Imodium until your stool achieves a firm (but not hard) consistency, and contact your medical team if your stool has not become firmer after two days. Be mindful of the possible side effects of Imodium — the most significant of which is affecting your heart rate — so be sure to read drug interactions and side effects before taking it.
How IV Hydration Therapy Helps With Diarrhea
IV hydration can help with diarrhea because of its relatively immediate and direct means of hydrating into your bloodstream.
When you schedule an appointment with The I.V. Doc, you can expect one of our trained medical professionals to arrive at your home or office with your selected treatment for an effortless and quick hydration treatment.
IV hydration is highly effective at helping you rehydrate because it delivers vitamins and minerals directly into your bloodstream. Instead of needing to pass through your gastrointestinal tract — which happens when you consume liquids orally — IV therapy replenishes lost fluids in your body directly into your bloodstream.
Our Food Poisoning Relief IV hydration treatment replenishes essential electrolytes and minerals, and provides medication for symptomatic relief, allowing you to support your body if it’s quickly losing fluids due to diarrhea, vomiting, food poisoning, or sickness.
The Bottom Line
If you have diarrhea, then you’re going to want to be on top of your fluid intake. Diarrhea usually coincides with bacterial infections that may also include nausea and vomiting, so you may be experiencing significant fluid loss.
To mitigate dehydration symptoms due to diarrhea, prioritize drinking beverages with electrolytes, try taking Iimodium to create a firmer stool, and eat foods that replenish your body with fluids you may have lost due to diarrhea or vomiting.
To avoid dehydration, prioritize drinking water throughout the day, and be sure to take care of yourself if you do get food poisoning, the flu, or a bacterial infection that might cause diarrhea.
Even if you are experiencing mild dehydration, The I.V. Doc can travel to you in the comfort of your home, office, or hotel, and deliver the right hydration treatment to you.
Sources:
The Importance of Hydration | News
Is Something in your Diet causing Diarrhea? | Harvard Health.
Loperamide (Oral Route) Description and Brand Names | Mayo Clinic
