Symptoms
Symptoms of diarrhoea and dehydration
Watery stools and cramps are typical of a short viral illness. Blood, black stools, and signs you cannot replace fluids are the features that matter most for safety.
Treatments
Diarrhoea Treatment Online
Request diarrhoea treatment online for short-term symptoms. A clinician checks red-flag signs first, with discreet UK delivery if a medicine is appropriate.
Introduction
Treatment overview
Diarrhoea is passing loose or watery stools more often than usual. Most cases are short-lived viral gastroenteritis. The priorities are hydration and spotting people who need urgent care or stool testing.
We will review anti-diarrhoeal options only where they are safe — they are not for everyone, especially if there is fever, blood, or suspected infection that must leave the gut.
The condition
What is diarrhoea?
Diarrhoea means passing loose or watery stools more often than is usual for you. Most short-lived cases in adults are viral gastroenteritis (“a stomach bug”) and settle in a few days if you can keep fluids down. The priority is hydration and spotting people who need tests or hospital care.
Blood in the stool, black tarry stools, a high fever, severe pain, recent tropical travel, or diarrhoea after antibiotics (possible Clostridioides difficile) change the plan. Anti-diarrhoeal tablets are not safe for everyone because they can trap some infections in the gut.
Private Pharmacy Care may review oral rehydration and, where appropriate, loperamide when this service is open. A clinician decides. Completing a consultation does not guarantee a prescription. Always read the patient information leaflet. Children, frail older people, and anyone who cannot keep fluids down need NHS advice rather than waiting.
Causes
Causes of diarrhoea
Viruses, bacteria, toxins in food, medicines and long-term bowel conditions can all loosen stools. The cause decides whether you slow the gut or let the infection leave.
Products
Available products
Benefits
Benefits and uses
Oral rehydration is the mainstay. Loperamide can help some adults with short, non-bloody diarrhoea after a clinician checks it is appropriate.
Hydration first
Advice on fluids and rehydration solutions, especially if you cannot eat much.
Symptom control when safe
Anti-motility medicine may be considered for some adults without red flags.
Infection control
Handwashing and staying off work if you handle food, until 48 hours after the last loose stool.
Red-flag screening
Blood, black stools, severe pain, or dehydration need a different pathway.
Eligibility
Eligibility
Remote advice suits otherwise healthy adults with brief watery diarrhoea. Children, the frail, and bloody diarrhoea need extra caution.
May be suitable if
- Short-lived watery diarrhoea without blood
- You can drink fluids and pass urine
- You do not have a high fever or severe abdominal pain
- You can stay away from food-handling work as advised
May not be suitable if
- Blood in stool, black tarry stools, or severe abdominal pain
- Signs of dehydration you cannot correct — dizziness, very little urine, confusion
- Recent foreign travel with fever — you may need tests
- You are taking antibiotics and have severe or prolonged diarrhoea — possible C. difficile; seek medical advice
A clinician decides whether treatment is appropriate. Completing a consultation does not guarantee a prescription.
Start a consultation
Ready to check if Diarrhoea treatment is right for you?
Start a confidential consultation. Seek urgent care if you cannot keep fluids down, pass blood, or feel severely unwell.
- UK-registered clinician review
- Confidential online consultation
- Discreet UK delivery
How it works
How it works
Most infectious diarrhoea settles in a few days. Loperamide slows gut movement and should not be used if you have dysentery-like illness unless a clinician says so. Antibiotics are not routine.
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Complete a consultation
Answer a short, confidential questionnaire about your symptoms, medical history and current medicines.
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Clinician review
A UK-registered clinician reviews your answers to check the treatment is safe and appropriate for you.
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Dispensing and delivery
If a prescription is issued, our pharmacy dispenses the medicine and sends it in discreet UK packaging.
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Support if you need it
Questions after you start treatment? Contact the team and we will help you with next steps.
Safety
Safety information
Do not use loperamide if there is blood, high fever, or suspected inflammatory diarrhoea unless advised.
Severe dehydration, especially in older people, needs urgent care.
- 48 hours off food work after symptoms stop is standard.
- Wash hands with soap after the toilet.
- Seek help if symptoms last more than a week or you cannot keep fluids down.
- Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with a medicine. This page is general information and is not a substitute for personalised clinical advice.
Side effects
Side effects
Anti-diarrhoeals can cause constipation if overused. Dizziness can occur.
- Constipation Stop once stools thicken. Do not exceed the dose.
- Abdominal cramps Contact us if pain is severe.
- Dizziness or drowsiness Do not drive if affected.
- Dry mouth Keep sipping fluids.
Always read the patient information leaflet supplied with a medicine. This page is general information and is not a substitute for personalised clinical advice.
Using treatment
How to take or use the treatment
Always read the patient information leaflet. Rehydration comes before anti-diarrhoeal tablets. The steps below are general.
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Replace fluids from the first loose stool
Take small, frequent sips. Oral rehydration sachets are mixed with the exact amount of water on the pack — not more concentrated “to be stronger”.
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Use loperamide only if you have been advised it is suitable
Take the starting dose in the leaflet, then after each loose stool up to the maximum. Stop when stools thicken. Do not give it to children unless the product and a clinician say so.
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Wash hands and stay off food work
Soap and water after the toilet and before eating. The usual return-to-food-handling rule is 48 hours after symptoms stop.
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Do not add antibiotics from the cupboard
Leftover antibiotics can make some gut infections worse. Seek advice if symptoms last more than a week or you cannot drink.
Safety netting
When to seek medical advice
Most healthy adults improve in a few days. Dehydration, bleeding and C. difficile are the situations that should change your plan the same day.
Seek urgent help (A&E) if
- You cannot keep any fluids down, you are drowsy or confused, or you are passing almost no urine — go to A&E if you are collapsing.
- Heavy rectal bleeding, black tarry stools, or vomiting blood — emergency care.
- Severe abdominal pain with a rigid belly, or pain and vomiting with a possible surgical cause — go to A&E.
- Fever after tropical travel — mention malaria; seek emergency or urgent assessment, not an anti-diarrhoeal alone.
Contact a clinician or NHS 111 if
- Diarrhoea lasting more than 7 days, or you have recently taken antibiotics and now have severe or bloody diarrhoea.
- You are pregnant, frail, or have inflammatory bowel disease and this flare is out of pattern — contact your usual team or NHS 111.
- You handle food at work and need clearance advice.
- Repeated episodes with weight loss — see a GP; do not live on loperamide long term without a diagnosis.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Tap a question to see the answer. If you still need help, our team is ready to assist.
Is this service available now?
Yes. Start an online consultation. Focus on fluids now, and seek NHS advice if you are dehydrated or pass blood.
Should I eat?
Small amounts of bland food are fine if you want them. Fluids matter more than forcing meals.
Do I need antibiotics?
Usually no. They can sometimes make things worse. Testing guides treatment after travel or in outbreaks.
When can I go back to work?
Often 48 hours after the last loose stool, and longer if you handle food — follow your workplace and UKHSA advice.
Why choose us
Why choose Private Pharmacy Care?
A regulated UK pharmacy service with clinician review, discreet delivery and support if you have questions after treatment is supplied.
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UK-registered clinicians
Every request is reviewed by a UK-registered clinician before a medicine can be prescribed.
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Confidential consultations
Complete a private questionnaire from home. Your information is used to check that treatment is safe and appropriate.
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Discreet UK dispensing
If a prescription is issued, our pharmacy dispenses it and sends it in plain packaging.
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Clear safety checks
We ask about your symptoms, medical history and other medicines. Completing a form does not guarantee a prescription.
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Support after you order
Questions about side effects or how to take a medicine? Contact the team and we will help you with next steps.
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Regulated pharmacy care
Private Pharmacy Care is a UK pharmacy service. Named clinicians and public register details are listed on our clinical team page.
Sources
References and medical sources
This page is general information for UK patients. It is not a substitute for the patient information leaflet or personalised clinical advice.
- NHS: Diarrhoea Patient-facing NHS guidance.
- NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries UK clinical reference used by healthcare professionals.
- Electronic Medicines Compendium (emc) UK Summaries of Product Characteristics and patient information leaflets.
- MHRA UK medicines regulator.
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