Diarrhea

Treatment for diarrhea

Managing diarrhea includes treating the cause as well as the symptoms you might be having.

Medicines

• Diarrhea from an infection might need antibiotics or other medicine. Many doctors also suggest avoiding antidiarrheal medicines if your diarrhea is caused by an infection because it might make the infection last longer.
• Antidiarrheals such as Imodium might be used if the cause of the diarrhea isn’t an infection such as C. diff.
• Steroids are used for diarrhea caused by immunotherapy.
• If you’re very dehydrated from diarrhea, you might also get fluids and electrolytes.

Food and fluids

Avoid these:

• Caffeine and alcohol
• Foods that upset your stomach
• Spicy foods and foods high in fat or sugar
• Acidic drinks, such as tomato juice, citrus juices, prune juice, and fizzy drinks.

Try these:

• A clear liquid diet (water, weak tea, apple juice, peach or apricot nectar, clear broth, popsicles, or Jello) when diarrhea starts or when you feel that it’s going to start.
• The BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) when you’re ready to eat solid foods.
• Other good foods to try are potatoes, noodles, pasta, cereal, boiled vegetables, and low-salt soup.
• Drink at least 1 cup of liquid (such as water, sports drinks, or bouillon) after each loose bowel movement to replace lost fluids.  
• Take medicine for diarrhea only if and as prescribed.

See Dehydration and Lack of Fluids for more information.

Tips for managing diarrhea

Here are some other tips might be helpful if you have diarrhea:

• Avoid tobacco
• Avoid supplements including aloe, milk thistle, saw palmetto, ginseng, coenzyme Q10, green tea, and large amounts of vitamin C.
• Track the amount and frequency of bowel movements.
• Use dampened toilet paper or baby wipes to clean yourself to help soothe sore areas.
• Sitting in a tub of warm water or a sitz bath may help reduce pain or discomfort.
• Applying petroleum ointment to the anal area can help soreness.

Talk to your doctor or cancer care team

If you have diarrhea, make sure your cancer care team knows about it. Diarrhea can lead to serious problems if it isn’t managed.

Tell them if you:

• Have diarrhea for more than 24 hours
• Can’t keep liquids down for more than 24 hours
• Notice any blood in your stool
• Have a fever (ask what temperature counts as a fever)

Ask your doctor or cancer care team what symptoms you should about call right away versus what can wait until office hours. Make sure you know who to contact when the office is closed.