Find Senior Care (City or Zip)
Join Now Log In
T
tshoug Asked October 2022

Any ideas on how to deal with loose bowels besides BRAT diet?

Jhalldenton Oct 2022
Go to the GI and ask for some Bently. It calms stomach cramping down, makes you drowsy and slows down your digestion. I take it for IBS and it's worked miracles.

AllPervadingMIL Oct 2022
Probiotics! Ask the provider to start. May also need something for nervousness if this is an issue and ask for a calming med or antidepressant. See the provider pronto.

ADVERTISEMENT


Taarna Oct 2022
Please call the primary care doctor. She/He may ask for a stool sample to make sure there isn't an infection. Otherwise, try immodium (antidiarrhea medication) to help slow down movement through the bowels. Make sure to give plenty of fluids, especially something similar to Gatorade or Pedialyte.
Clairesmum Oct 2022
I agree. My first thought was C. difficile diarrhea, which can be caught in the community. This is contagious, so need to find out quickly if this is the problem. It is treatable.
And a PCP can often have an idea of what might have kicked off the loose stools......but he/she has much more information about your family member than we do, here. Check out treatable causes and see what works...if nothing does, then diet changes, herbal additions, etc. may work.
Sklilja Oct 2022
Cholestyramine has been working for me for several years. I was off it for a period of time and then it was needed again. The doctor prescribed this after ruling out serious bowel problems.
TakeFoxAway Oct 2022
The gastro doctor prescribed Cholestyramine to my mom as well. She's been taking it for a few years now. She used to have bad accidents often now she doesn't.
Llamalover47 Oct 2022
tshoug: Firstly, the patient should visit their gastroenterologist. They can take a probiotic daily and Imodium when required.

Spatzi Oct 2022
We finally resolved it with Colestyramine after all others failed

AngieGuido74 Oct 2022
immodium is over the counter but if that doesn't work, I think a doctor can help you with that!

XenaJada Oct 2022
My go to is 1/2 sweet potato and white rice and maybe 1/4 of an immodium. U want things to slow down but not come to a grinding halt

gladimhere Oct 2022
Mom had chronic D for as long as I can remember. Super probiotic, from Walgreens fixed her, maybe too well. Because the problem had been nearly life-long for her she had, I think, forgotten the push part for a normal movement. Had to take her to the ER to get flushed out, on occasion.

jaypy22 Oct 2022
My husband had loose bowels, and I took him off of fresh fruit ( which he loved) entirely and it helped considerably.

ConnieCaretaker Oct 2022
Gastroenterologist............been there, done that.

MicheleDL Oct 2022
Look up side effects of every medication taken.
Could be what once was tolerated, and did not cause diarrhea, does now.

RedVanAnnie Oct 2022
Imodium when needed but try to identify and eliminate foods that might be contributing to diarrhea. White rice may help stabilize bowels. BRAT not necessarily helpful as many people have sensitivities to wheat and fructose and dairy that will aggravate diarrhea.

southiebella Oct 2022
That's a tricky situation. My mother developed loose bowels that went on for over a week. I switched her to Lactaid milk from regular milk. I gave her 1/2 of an Imodium to slow things down but was careful not to swing the other way into constipation which got her - and me - in the hospital in 2020 from a fecal impaction. Ugh.

Anyway, the Imodium stopped the loose bowels, and then I started her on Milk of Magnesia at bedtime only on the days when she does not have a bowel movement- no MiraLax ever.

I also started giving her "Florastor" for her gut - it's over the counter.

Every now and again she will have a loose bowel movement but it always corrects.

It's quite the balancing act to keep the bowels of an elderly person on point.
CokeCanlala Oct 2022
Why no miralax?
babsjvd Oct 2022
my mom had chronic diahrea, the GI doc added fiber to try to combat it, it didn’t work, but it was what he wanted her to do , oh and better hydration…

Jeancarolmo Oct 2022
Banatrol mixed with applesauce helps me. Immodium and Kaopectate also help.

Isthisrealyreal Oct 2022
Fiber and probiotics are the best place to start while waiting for a doctors appointment to rule out any treatable medical conditions.

Geaton777 Oct 2022
Need more info about what is causing the loose stools.

IBS?
A diagnosed disease?
Incontinence?
Food sensitivity?
How often?

If it's loose stools in general with no real known cause, you can consider giving the person Imodium (OTC medication), and if they are on other medications you will need to check first with their doctor. It's a tiny pill so easy to swallow.

My 93-yr old Mom has IBS and that's what her internist says to do.

cwillie Oct 2022
If the problem is more incontinence than loose stools then that's a whole different level of difficulty. Adding psyllium fiber can sometimes help firm things up, probiotics may also be helpful.

The hour glass icon beside your avatar at the top of the page allows you to search the site, maybe you'll find some good suggestions there.
Geaton777 Oct 2022
cwillie, I think you mean spyglass or magnifying glass, not hour glass...

ADVERTISEMENT

Ask a Question

Subscribe to
Our Newsletter