Hi, Maxx.

What foods are you eating?  When I drink lots of water my system definitely works better. We do boil water and add a tiny bit of loose tea leaves and drink from that all day, replenishing with more boiled water. I also drink cold water with sliced lemons, a jug kept in the fridge. What are your foods?

Maxx, I can’t tell from your description how the antibiotics are involved. Do these episodes usually end by themselves, or do you generally start antibiotics to end them? How long a course of antibiotics do you take? Do you take just one antibiotic from that list? What does your doctor say is going on? Do you have urgency and/or increased frequency, or just watery stool? Are you gassier during these episodes? Have you ever been tested for C. diff?

I have a friend who gets diarrhea with antibiotic use. She eats Greek yogurt when on them. You could also try probiotics. She said that it helps her a lot.

Winterberry - Being from India, I eat all kinds of well cooked vegetables and meats in a spicy curry base but that doesn't bother my system I believe. One culprit I am thinking of is eating leftover foods and may be tap water. Scott - My doctor often says I have a bacterial infection which I believe it is because sometimes I get foul smell from my stools. I don't start antibiotics right away, I wait for at least 2 days and get a feel if I am going to need any antibiotic. I just take one antibiotic from the list for around 3 days, sometime 5 days in case of Xifaxan. Not tested for c-diff yet but planning to do so. Getting gassier is typical. Still Standing - No, I don't take any antibiotics other than times when diarrhea is uncontrollable as said above. So don't think it's antibiotic induced diarrhea. Yogurt and buttermilk (homemade) surely help. Guys thanks for your replies and concerns, still need to find answers. I'm already underweight and after every diarrhea episode I lose all the weight that I gained after last episode, within a day or two. Maxx

Maxx, 3 days of antibiotic use may be inadequate. If pouchitis is being treated (which may be what you’re describing), 10-14 days is a more common course. That might get rid of it and make recurrences less likely (or less frequent).

Hello, Maxx. Do you use turmeric in your Indian dishes?  Turmeric can help ease inflammation. I use a lot of turmeric and mustard in cooking. I haven't had pouchitis or needed cipro for more than a year. I don't know if it's the turmeric or the gallons of water and broth that I drink for hydration. Try to take your antibiotic for 10 - 14 consecutive days, as Scott said, to be really effective. You need to finish the entire twomweek course to kill the bad bacteria or they can linger and "regroup" and come back with a fury. That happened to me the first time. Also, the pharmacist advised me not to take the antibiotic at the same meal as dairy or yoghurt.  I replenished the good gut bacteria by taking a probiotic, and spaced this 6 hours after the antibiotic so it does not kill the probiotic. Your homemade buttermilk and yoghurt sound good. 

Thanks guys, right now, things seem to be settled down. Next time I'll try prolong use of may be Cipro (Flagyl makes me sick). Winterberry - We use turmeric daily, may be it has become ineffective on me. But - other than watery stool, I don't show any other pouchitis symptoms - no urgency/no incontinence/blood in stool/rectal cramps etc. But get stomach cramps some time. I will try to use antibiotics for atleast couple of weeks next time and will let you guys know the outcome. Thanks for all the tips. Maxx

Maxx, have you tried psyllium (or other soluble fiber)? You may be able to control your stool consistency more than you might expect. Just don’t thicken it so much that you have to strain on the toilet. Good luck.

Scott - I have tried Metamucil that worked okay to temporarily relieve symptoms. I am having issue in only those 4-5 days when I have too watery stool and a sick feeling, bloating etc. After that episode is over, the stool becomes consistent enough. Even get constipated sometimes.

Hi Maxx - My son is experiencing similar symptoms to the ones you described in this post.  Have you discovered a way to address them or has it resolved?

Hello SWG - I did a few things and it kind of solved the problem. I took antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin 550 twice a day) for about 10 days. (earlier I was doing shorter course). I stopped drinking tap water, I use a purifier at home & bottled water when outside. I try to eat freshly cooked food and stopped eating leftovers most of the time.

After doing all of this, my diarrhea episodes have been reduced greatly. My doc thinks it all happens due to bacterial infection and because of low immunity.

Hope this info helps.

Maxx