How to fix stomach bug fast

The stomach bug can hit at any time, without any notice—at least, until you make it to the bathroom and realize that’s not your normal #2. Diarrhea from the stomach bug can last anywhere from a day to a week. Unless you want to press pause on your busy life to run to the bathroom multiple times a day, you’ll need to find a way to get rid of diarrhea from the stomach bug, fast.

What is the stomach bug?

The “stomach bug” is the common name for the condition “acute gastroenteritis,” or the fancy medical term for irritation of the lining of your stomach and/or intestines. The stomach bug can come from a virus, bacteria, or parasite. Common symptoms include watery diarrhea, pain or cramping, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes fever, and typically last up to a week. Over 20 million cases of the stomach bug happen annually in the U.S.

5 Things to Know About the Stomach Bug and How to Get Through It

1. Hydration is essential.

One of the biggest concerns with stomach bug symptoms is hydration. It makes sense—if you have diarrhea three or more times in one day, you lose more fluids and electrolytes than you may realize as you go about your day, drinking water as normal. That’s why when you catch the stomach bug, it is key to stay hydrated, replacing the fluids and electrolytes you may lose from diarrhea. Stick to water, sports drinks, and broth. You can also consider an oral re-hydration solution to replace your electrolytes. Some drinks can make your diarrhea worse; avoid drinks with alcohol and caffeine, like coffee, teas, or soft drinks, if you have diarrhea from the stomach bug. Dehydration can cause serious health issues, so if you have a concern about it, reach out to your health provider immediately.

2. Pepto Diarrhea can treat diarrhea at the source.

The stomach bug will pass—but there’s no need to suffer through it or simply control the symptoms. Aside from staying hydrated, the best thing you can do for the stomach bug is treat the diarrhea symptoms. Pepto Diarrhea has you covered. Its dual action coats your stomach and kills the common bacterial causes of diarrhea. You can count on fast, calming, and effective diarrhea relief with Pepto Diarrhea. Even better? In addition to the traditional liquid form, Pepto Diarrhea also comes in liquicaps and caplets for on-the-go-relief. As always checking with your healthcare provider is a great step to confirm what’s causing your symptoms in the first place. (If your diarrhea symptoms get worse or last longer than two days, pause the Pepto use and reach out to your doctor.)

3. You can eat if you’re hungry.

The cherry flavor from Pepto Diarrhea Liquid may be the most flavorful thing you taste when dealing with diarrhea from the stomach bug. Experts recommend eating soft, bland, easy-to-digest foods like bananas, brown rice, broths, plain applesauce, whole grain bread, and potatoes. Don’t think mouthwatering, crispy, salty French fries, though. You should also avoid fatty foods, including fried and fast food, as well as spicy and sugary food—so no milkshake for dessert, either. Stick to frequent sips of liquid (hydration cannot be stressed enough) and small amounts of food at a time.

4. The stomach bug can be contagious.

Don’t be the person that goes out and socializes while dealing with diarrhea from the stomach bug. No one likes that person, and with good reason. The stomach bug can be spread by fecal, oral, respiratory, food, and even water transmission. And because incubation periods vary, you may be a day or two out from experiencing diarrhea symptoms and think you’re fine, though you may still be contagious. Don’t be the person that spreads the stomach bug. Let someone else handle and prepare food while you’re experiencing diarrhea symptoms and a couple days after the symptoms stop just to be safe. If you need to go out, have Pepto Diarrhea LiquiCaps with you for on-the-go relief so you’re prepared in case your diarrhea symptoms act up.

5. You can (try to) avoid the stomach bug.

You can’t always avoid contact with someone who has the stomach bug—especially if you live with that person. But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed to catch the stomach bug. First off, practice proper hand hygiene—meaning, wash your hands with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before and after handling, preparing, or eating food. Give an extra clean to anything the sick person comes into contact with, like counter tops, changing tables, bed sheets, pillowcases, and clothes.

Sometimes you may not know exactly where you caught the stomach bug. Handling food is one way to spread the symptoms—so if you know the stomach bug is going around your community, consider skipping the all-you-can-eat buffet. When traveling, stick to bottled water and avoid raw and peeled fruit and vegetables.

The stomach bug is no fun. Remember that Pepto Diarrhea has your back. Take Pepto Diarrhea at the first sign of diarrhea from the stomach bug so you can get to the source with its dual action formula and more importantly—get relief from your diarrhea symptoms.

Sources (Accessed March 2020)

Best Approaches to Acute Gastroenteritis”

What is the Stomach Flu?
What’s often called “stomach flu” is gastroenteritis, an infection of the stomach and intestines. The initial stages start with chills, fever, and nausea, which transition into vomiting, diarrhea, and aches and pains. It’s awful, and there is no cure. Stomach flu has to run its course. The sickness usually passes in about 10 days without medication. The first few days tend to be the worst, but you can take steps to help get through it.

Causes of the Stomach Flu?
Gastroenteritis is usually caused by any number of different viruses that can attack your gastrointestinal system. It’s not caused by the influenza virus, which gives you the seasonal flu. Less often, bacteria can cause it, typically due to contaminated water or food that was prepared inadequately or in an unhygienic environment. The stomach flu is contagious, so contact with someone who has contracted the virus

Recovery
While the stomach flu is definitely not a pleasant experience, most people make a full recovery without any complications. The first few days tend to be the worst, but you can take steps to help get through it:

1. Drink lots of fluids
Fluids are critical since you’re losing vital bodily fluids through sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea. If you are having trouble keeping liquids down, try taking small sips at regular intervals or chewing ice chips. The best fluids to drink are water, broth, over-the-counter preparations, sports drinks, and certain teas. Make sure to avoid caffeinated drinks like coffee, strong black tea, and chocolate, and alcohol, as they can worsen your symptoms.

2. Change your diet
Keeping food down can be difficult with the stomach flu. Don’t force yourself to eat if the mere thought of food makes you cringe. When you do finally feel you can get something down, it’s best to start slow and simple. The BRAT diet, standing for bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast, can be your go-to when it comes to an upset stomach. These foods are easy to digest, contain carbohydrates for energy, and replenish nutrients. Generally, avoid dairy, fibrous foods, and anything fatty or spicy.

3. Get plenty of rest
When you have the stomach flu, your body needs rest in order to fight off the infection. Get plenty of sleep and reduce the amount of activity you normally do during the day. This means lounging on the couch when you’re not in bed. While you’re resting, your body is working hard to fight off the infection and repairing damage on the cellular level.

4. Cool Compress
Cool compress won’t take away your nausea or diarrhea, but if you have a low grade fever and are feeling exhausted, putting a cool, damp cloth on your forehead may help you to feel a little bit better. It’s a perfect addition to resting on the couch or in your bed. How to get rid of the stomach flu naturally means treating yourself to comforting details like this so that the time feeling sick is a little more bearable.

5. Medicate
The stomach flu can’t be cured by medications, and antibiotics won’t help when a virus is the culprit. However; you can take over-the-counter medication to treat some symptoms but do so sparingly. For fever or aches, ibuprofen can help. Acetaminophen is often recommended for the stomach flu, relieving fever and aches and has fewer side effects than ibuprofen. If you are seeking relief from nausea or diarrhea, your doctor may prescribe an antiemetic. You can also try an over-the-counter antidiarrheal medication. Check with your doctor before trying over-the-counter options.

6. Probiotics
Much of the time, viruses or bad bacteria cause stomach flu. Probiotics are great for both? When it comes to how to get rid of the stomach flu, I definitely recommend increasing your intake of probiotic-rich foods and probiotic supplements. Research has shown that probiotics can help diarrhea to stop approximately one-day sooner.

Preventing the Stomach Flu
If you know the stomach flu is going around, take extra precautions. Avoid close contact with infected people if possible and wash your hands frequently. Some basic ways to avoid getting the stomach flu include washing your hands regularly and getting plenty of rest. Additional methods of prevention include:

• Use the dishwasher instead of hand-washing dishes when possible.
• Use soap and water instead of hand sanitizer.
• Keep a sick family member isolated. Try to restrict them to one bathroom, and have the rest of the household use another.
• Wipe off shopping cart handles.
• Clean countertops and surfaces with a disinfectant solution, and be sure to wash clothes and bedding as well.

Fighting the stomach flu can be terrible way to spend your week. Use these tips to help prevent the stomach flu, and treat it if infected. If the virus is too much for you to handle on your own, come into myDoc Urgent Care and we will be able to lend you a helping hand in getting through the week.