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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
To pick up these bugs on your hands and then get infected. How long does travellers' diarrhoea last? Most occurrences happen within the first week of travel. It usually only lasts 1-7 days during which time a small proportion of people can be stuck in bed. In a few people (5%) symptoms can last two weeks or longer. In rarer cases (about 1.5%) travellers' diarrhoea can lead to serious illness and even long-term bowel problems. How can I treat travellers' diarrhoea? Most travellers' diarrhoea will cause a relatively mild illness and it may not require any treatment beyond fluid replacement and a light diet - small amounts of foods such as rice or bananas which can be digested easily. Drink plenty of water - it is important to keep well hydrated as you will be losing a lot of fluid. Either use sachets of rehydration salts or take a rehydration spoon and make your own rehydration drink with salt, sugar, and clean (boiled/filtered) drinking water. Try and drink 3-4 litres (6 pints) of fluid per day. Avoid alcohol as this can cause further dehydration. If you have a long journey with limited toilet stops, or an important meeting then loperamide can usually reduce the frequency of diarrhoea. It reduces spasm in the bowel and also helps with cramps. It works best if started early in the diarrhoea. Loperamide should not be used if there is high fever or severe abdominal pains, or for longer than 2 days. It should not be taken by children under age 12. Taking an antibiotic can significantly reduce the severity and duration of travellers' diarrhoea, but only if the diarrhoea is caused by bacteria - see causes of diarrhoea. Dr Fox prescribes azithromycin to take with you as a 'stand-by' medication. Ciprofloxacin is no longer recommended as an antibiotic for travellers' diarrhoea due to increased antibiotic resistance and rare severe side effects. If there is significant associated vomiting (uncommon) then Avomine, which is prescribed for travel sickness, could also be taken to help to reduce fluid loss. Avomine cannot be used if also taking azithromycin antibiotic. Take treatment with you A short course of the antibiotic azithromycin alone or together with the anti-diarrhoeal loperamide is an effective treatment for travellers' diarrhoea. Dr Fox supplies both medications as a stand-by treatment to take with you to be prepared if you do contract travellers' diarrhoea. Azithromycin Travellers
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