How to Quickly Beat Travellers Diarrhoea

Travellers’ diarrhoea is the most common illness to strike travellers. It can ruin days of travel plans and leave you in some very stressful and embarrassing situations. Don’t let it ruin your trip; here are some simple and effective ways that you can help you stay in control and beat travellers’ diarrhoea.

Prep your gut before travel

There has been some research suggesting that taking prebiotics or probiotics before and during travel may help balance and increase the friendly bacteria in your gut which can help to prevent bad bacteria such as E coli to multiply and cause diarrhoea.  If you want to help prep your gut before travel; there are various probitoic products on the market. These live cultures are said to support the good bacteria in the gut, keeping a healthy balance of good bacteria whilst keeping the bad ones away.

Keep to a simple diet

If you have diarrhoea, it’s important not to starve. Maintain hydration by drinking plenty of clean water and keep to a plain starchy ‘white food’ diet such as bread or toast, plain rice, pasta or potatoes, plain crackers and bananas. Avoid fatty foods and milk.

Stay Hydrated

Maintain a good fluid intake. Drink bottled or purified water. An Aquapure bottle filters out bacteria, virus and parasites and can be filled straight from the tap so will take the stress out of finding bottled or purified water. Take plenty of oral rehydration sachets with you. When you have diarrhoea you lose lots of fluid and can become dehydrated very quickly. Oral rehydration solution helps to prevent and treat dehydration whilst replacing fluids and electrolytes, the salts and sugars that are lost through diarrhoea. You can take a sachet after each loose motion so take plenty with you.

Take A Supply of Loperamide

Loperamide provides symptomatic treatment of travellers’ diarrhoea. It is great for managing diarrhoea when it’s distressing and interferes with your planned activities. It also helps to prevent the loss of essential fluids and salts that leave you feeling weak and dehydrated. Loperamide will slow the movement of your gut so that you are not constantly rushing to find a toilet. It should not be used long term and if symptoms continue or worsen and don’t improve within 48 hours you should stop and seek medical attention. Do not use if you have a temperature and or blood or mucus in the stool.

Self Treatment Antibiotics

Taking Azithromycin in your medical kit or a specially designed Worldwide Diarrhoea Kit is recommended if you are travelling to remote areas where there is very little or no medical help. It is also recommended if you are travelling to countries with less developed healthcare resources, which may put you at risk of unsafe counterfeit medication if you try and buy it in-country.

Antibiotic treatment with the Azithromycin in your Worldwide Diarrhoea Kit  is the last self-treatment option for travellers’ diarrhoea and can be taken if you have severe diarrhoea that is incapacitating and completely prevents you undertaking planned activities. For fast, effective relief take it along side rehydration sachets and Loperamide.

Before you travel, book an appointment at your local Nomad travel clinic for advice on whether antibiotics are suitable for you and recommended for your trip.