Advice needed: 6.5 weeks pregnant and already 5 days diarrhoea

[Gueritarubia]

Hello everyone,

Apologies for the gross post topic! Would really appreciate your advice/experience here.

I'm luck enough to be be 6.5 weeks pregnant but have now had diarrhoea (very watery, approx. 6 times/day) for about five days now.

As I'm on holiday, I called my GP a couple of days ago for advice. The receptionist said not to worry, drink loads and take electrolytes. Also she said I could take Imodium. Dr Google shows me it's not advised to take Imodium in early pregnancy, so I'm reluctant.

This seems to persist and as you can imagine I'm getting worried, mostly for my little bean. But then going to a doctor in a country where you don't speak the language and they have other standards of care isn't great either! I'll be home Saturday eve.

I still urinate fairly normally, so I hope that means I'm not dehydrated?

I'm at a loss for what the cause might be, have eaten according to the book and only drunk bottled water. It could of course be food poisoning or a virus, but would they take so long? Can it be the hormones affecting me this badly? Should I be worried about a salmonella or listeria infection? I really only have the diarrhoea, no other symptoms.

Any advice what to do?

Thanks lovelies!

X

[Reubo]

I had 2 days of this too, I was very worried, but it cleared up of its own accord. Perhaps you could ring your clinic and see if they advise anything. x

[Coracle]

Which country are you in?

I should declare at this point I am a GP... if not unwell in yourself (eg high temps, feeling generally unwell, no abdo pain) and no blood in your diarrhoea, I would be optimistic nil serious. Try going COMPLETELY dairy free as with some bugs, a temporary milk intolerance can start which keeps it all going. Go completely dairy free (not even milk in tea/coffee) for at least 3days.

Obviously, me chatting here is no substitute for a proper chat by phone with a doctor or being seen. I think irresponsible of receptionist to attempt to give medical advice like this! I would phone your UK surgery again tomorrow and ask to speak to the duty doctor as you have an urgent problem/concern. They should phone you back, hopefully will do so if you give your mobile number not a foreign number.. but they might refuse if you are abroad. Or may be better to ring your ivf clinic as Reubo suggests.

Regular urination sounds good too. Aim for the colour of champagne, this will help you know you are well hydrated.

Hope this is helpful, I am nervous giving advice like this via the forum.. and this is no substitute for speaking to a doc either in the country you are in, or at GP surgery/your ivf clnic.

Hope it soon improves, do try dairy free! xx

[Gueritarubia in reply to Coracle]

Hi Coracle,

Thanks a million for your expert opinion! Really appreciate your advice. Totally understand it doesn't quite replace seeing a doctor, which I've resolved to do if problems persist.

I don't have any other symptoms at all, though today I was very tired and a little dizzy at times as we were on a hike. But I guess that can easily be explained either by the pregnancy (have had those problems before the diarrhoea started too) or just the lack of energy. Urine a perfect champagne or even lighter than that so I guess I'm fine on that front...

Today I went all rigorous and only had bananas, porridge (made with water), rice cakes and the mushy apple baby food. And water and electrolytes.

As that all seemed to stay in, I just had dinner of steamed sea bass and veggies. So far so good. Fingers crossed this is all over now!

I'm currently holidaying in Croatia and arrived in Zagreb today. So at least in the capital there should be easy access to a doctor should tonight/tomorrow be no better.

Thanks again and I shall stay well clear of dairy as you said.

Hope you're doing ok?

Xx

[Coracle in reply to Gueritarubia]

Well done on all the healthy eating! And sounds like you are improving, phew. And like the other girls said may be all the hormones..

I've heard Croatia is so beautiful! Hope you really enjoy it.

I am doing a bit better than this morning, in a big way thanks to all the support I have had here today. Like free counselling! xxx

[Gueritarubia in reply to Coracle]

So glad to hear you're doing a bit better than earlier today. Your e-pals and furry counsellors all to the rescue! This forum is amazing, isn't it? It's helped me so much! My real-life friends are amazing but no one has gone through this (though some know of others who have). It's just such a relief to chat with people in similar situations and share advice, thoughts, feelings etc!

Croatia is beautiful, can highly recommend it! And so easy to navigate, almost everyone speaks passable English, the good is great, the people genuinely friendly and the landscapes mind blowing! Can highly recommend a trip here if you need a break, the flight isn't even that long.

Xx

[Tugsgirl]

I had diarrhoea during early pregnancy too. I was told to drink lots of water and sports drinks (nothing like Red Bull though, think Locozade Sports) x

[Gueritarubia in reply to Tugsgirl]

Thanks for sharing Tugsgirl! Did it last for very long? Did you manage to eat normally or did you make loads of diet adjustments? Hope you're doing ok? X

[Tugsgirl in reply to Gueritarubia]

No it didn't last long, about a week or two. I maybe should have eaten more bland food like rice and stuff but I didn't. I read up on it; some women get constipated and some women get the opposite! I was so sore haha. Normally I would have taken Imodium or something but I didn't dare risk it while I was pregnant. *Tip* get some cream for your behind! X

[Del92]

Hi I've had a few times, tonight especially and I can't think of anything bad I've eat, had this bad pain in my belly and knew I had to go toliet. I have ohss so could be that. Xx