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Treating Diarrhea Video Transcript

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Treating Diarrhea

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And you treat that just like you might treat a depression of the mind or central nervous system.

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: Right. There are new medications that are available and there are companies working on new drugs, as well as for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome. There's one that's going to be coming on the market soon called Zelmac or tegaserod.

MARK POCHAPIN, MD: It's not that the patient's crazy, it's not that they're reacting inappropriately or neurotic. I think that's a label that gets put on these patients, especially because many of them are women, and they get labeled in a very, I think, detrimental way. The patient has a real problem. It's a real disease. It's just that we don't understand it that well now, but with all these new studies and medications coming out, it's really a very exciting time to try and treat this disorder.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Is there a time when it's not appropriate to take medications, over-the-counter medications for diarrhea?

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: I believe so, yes. If a patient has a high fever, severe abdominal pain and is having bloody diarrhea, they really need to consult their physician.

MARK POCHAPIN, MD: Yeah, and if they're having abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, absolutely should not take any medication.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Back to the question about stress management. Does that ever help people with diarrhea?

LUCINDA HARRIS, MS, MD: I think that if you have an exacerbation of your symptoms by stress, then certainly yes. Exercise, maybe cognitive therapy, short-term therapy. Those things may be helpful in managing the stress, and therefore they're going to help the diarrhea that's related to stress.

MARK POCHAPIN, MD: They just help overall good health, and dealing with the situation that a patient finds themselves in with their symptoms.

DAVID MARKS, MD: Thank you both for a very non-stressful segment. And thank you for joining our webcast. I'm Dr. David Marks, and I'll see you next time.