Arlenroy had acute diarrhea. The problem was that he was in a public place when he had to go to the bathroom.
This is the way it went…
“I ran into 7-11 because I couldn’t take it much longer. The feeling of letting go of that toxic foam was incredibly relieving, but I had pinched a nerve in my lower back when I sat down so fast (I have a moderate herniated disc) .
This hasty diarrhea squat left me paralyzed from the waist down. I couldn’t relieve the pressure on my nerve that caused the paralysis because that requires standing up, and I couldn’t stand up because I was paralyzed. The paramedics came to lift my bare ass off the toilet and I regained feeling in my body.”
Diarrhea is bad for older people:
Two weeks ago I poured myself an avocado smoothie that has been in my ref for three days. It was already a bit stale but, being an avocado addict, I drank it just the same.
As soon as I finished everything, I felt my stomach growl in protest and immediately knew that I would be visiting the bathroom more often than I wanted to.
For wanting to stretch my food to the limit of its shelf life, I paid a heavy price: diarrhea, something I, or anyone my age, can hardly afford to have.
Why? Because diarrhea can cause dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, vitamin and mineral deficiencies that, if left untreated, can lead to weakness or even death, according to Anil Minocha, MD in his book, “The Encyclopedia of the Digestive System and Digestive Disorders “.
And older people are particularly susceptible due to the deterioration of their digestive and immune systems due to aging. They can easily get it from a viral infection, lactose intolerance, contaminated water, too much beer, anxiety, and side effects of some medications they take for other medical problems.
In case your loose bowel movement episode is similar to Alrenroy’s, you can easily treat it at home by following these steps to help you avoid serious complications:
1. Stay at home, don’t go out:
Diarrhea can drain your energy and it can be embarrassing if you have to run to the bathroom every time you need to flush.
So stay home and close to your bathroom. With wobbly legs, poor balance, and poor eyesight, you may experience a fall while having to walk some distance to relieve yourself, especially at night.
2. Hydrate:
Drink plenty of water after each flush to make up for fluid loss.
Drink electrolyte drinks, such as Gatorade, to replenish your body’s loss of electrolytes through frequent discharges.
Dehydration is one of the main causes of older people ending up in hospital emergencies.
3. Eat the right kinds of food:
Eat lots of fruits like bananas or white rice, applesauce, and white bread.
In between, have baked potatoes, crackers, pretzels, baked chicken (no skin or fat).
Avoid fatty foods such as milk, butter, ice cream, cheese, alcohol, caffeinated beverages, artificial sweeteners, and foods that can cause excess gas such as cabbage, beans, broccoli, and cauliflower .
Follow a bland diet, avoiding fatty foods.
4. Take some medications:
Most doctors would suggest that you just put up with the diarrhea. Instead of taking medication, they suggest taking electrolyte drinks, like Gatorade.
But for faster relief, take Diatabs or Lomotil. They work all the time. But they also cause constipation.
When we were kids, my grandmother’s favorite was the horrible-tasting Kaopectate. He makes you wish you didn’t have diarrhea at all.
5. Get enough rest:
Acute diarrhea can make you weak. Lose your appetite. It makes you want to lie down and do nothing. And you must conserve energy.
Last year I had an episode of acute diarrhea. It woke me up early in the morning and lasted until the afternoon. During that span of time, every hour on the hour, I had to go to the bathroom to flush nothing but fetid water.
It was so bad and so frequent that my anus started to hurt from kissing all those toilet papers so much.
Twelve hours later, my daughter, who is a doctor, decided to feed me saline intravenously to prevent dehydration.
That stopped my ordeal.
And you? When was the last time you had a case of acute diarrhea? I hope you didn’t have to run to a 7-11, not to shop but to use their bathroom.