You’ll feel better and destroy your toilet.
Tis the season for the potential winter bug. We know all the poopers out there are shaking themselves out of the fuzz from the holidays.
It is safe to assume that we all indulged in some holiday festivities. Some poopers out there may have indulged slightly more than others with food and drink.
Inevitably, our immune systems are not going to be firing on all pistons with the mixture of sweet festive snacks and holiday cocktails. Coupled that with a change of season and it is no surprise that a slight cold may accompany your body during January or in this pooper’s case, something slightly worse.
Recently, the Poo Poo Presidente was subjected to a wild bacteria infection that had yet to be experienced. It started out mild, seemingly like it would just clear up all on its own. A sore throat is generally not something to cause alarm. However, after a few days and when it became a marathon of an event to swallow and even talk, a trip to the local urgent care was needed.
The diagnosis was tonsillitis. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils, two oval-shaped pads of tissue at the back of the throat — one tonsil on each side. Signs and symptoms of tonsillitis include swollen tonsils, sore throat, difficulty swallowing and tender lymph nodes on the sides of the neck.”
The physicians assistant instructions were to take a mild antibiotic accompanied by some over the counter painkillers. The direction came with the warning that if the symptoms worsened within 36-hours, an emergency room trip was needed.
36-hours later, this pooper was waiting in the ER…
The doctor broke the news. Thankfully, the diagnosis was still the same but accompanied the comment, “this is one of the worst cases of tonsillitis we’ve seen.”
The solve? A high dressage of amoxicillin, steroids and the max dose of ibuprofen. Luckily the symptoms began to lesson within the next twelve hours. What was not expected was the extreme diarrhea that ensued.
“About 1 in 5 people who take antibiotics develop antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Most often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mild and requires no treatment. The diarrhea typically clears up within a few days after you stop taking the antibiotic. More-serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea requires stopping or sometimes switching antibiotics.”
Time for an impromptu cleansing!
Being able to swallow and speak without excruciating pain is worth days of extra toilet time. Antibiotics are without any doubt superheroes, but they’re also a bit trigger-happy, disrupting your gut’s harmony.
Antibiotics blast away not only the bad guys in your body but also the good bacteria gets annihilated as collateral in the process. Without these friendly microbes, your gut goes, “time for an impromptu cleansing!”
There are a few ways to help alleviate some of this digestive devastation. Diarrhea, while doing a number on your toilet paper supply also dehydrates your body. Drinking lots of fluids as well as incorporating high-octane electrolyte drinks into your diet will help. The real difference maker is going to be probiotics.
Probiotics to the rescue!
Probiotics, often referred to as “good bacteria,” can play a beneficial role in combating diarrhea, particularly in cases triggered by antibiotic use or certain gastrointestinal issues.
Antibiotics, while effective against harmful bacteria, can also disturb the natural balance of bacteria in the gut by killing both good and bad bacteria. This imbalance will likely contribute to diarrhea. Probiotics, when consumed, replenish the gut with beneficial bacteria, helping restore the disrupted balance.
It’s important to note that while probiotics can aid in managing diarrhea, the effectiveness may vary based on the specific strain and dosage. Additionally, maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated, and adhering to prescribed medications or treatments recommended by a healthcare provider are essential steps in managing diarrhea or associated conditions.
Antibiotics are Poopable
Antibiotics and diarrhea are an unexpected duet, but armed with a sprinkle of humor and a dash of probiotics, you’ll outdo the side effects. So let the intestinal tango begin – twirl, swirl, and remember, laughter is the best medicine!
Does this story rumble your tummy? Have you experienced a similar experienced or dare we ask… a worse experience? Shoot us a note! We’d love to hear about it and continue recovery via light-hearted humor.