What are the long-term effects of Salmonella?

Hi there,
So, back in mid-August, I ended up being hospitalized with a pretty severe case of Salmonella. It was rough—I was stuck in a hospital bed for 20 days straight because I was running a fever for over six days, so they had me on a heavy course of antibiotics. Everything seemed totally fine for about a week after I got discharged, but then the diarrhea hit me again out of nowhere. I had to rush back to the ER, and it turns out I’d developed *Clostridium difficile*—that nasty bacteria that can pop up when you take those strong antibiotics. They put me on even more antibiotics to fight that off. Once again, things felt great for a bit, until seven days later the cramps and diarrhea returned. Back to the emergency room yet again! This time they kept me for another six days, only to tell me it was Salmonella all over again. Apparently, that original infection never actually cleared my system. They finally sent me home with instructions to stick to a strict diet and drink massive amounts of fluids. It’s been about ten days now, and I’m still dealing with loose stools several times a day. Honestly, I’m at a loss—what should I be doing? Does anyone have any suggestions or advice? I've lost a ridiculous amount of weight, and I can constantly "feel" my stomach and intestines acting up. I’m eating nothing but light, plain, steamed meals and I've cut out all dairy entirely. Any help would be much appreciated!

So, what medications are you currently on?

Well, I’m not taking any medications right now... because you don't actually treat salmonella with antibiotics... it's all about sticking to a strict diet and that's really it. I've been following the dietary guidelines religiously since the very beginning, but she just keeps coming at me and attacking me over it.🙄

Are you dealing with anything else right now? Fever, aches, nausea, vomiting...?

Salmonella is typically treated with antibiotics, but I guess they decided you didn't need any more... it's hard for me to say for sure from out here. If that's the case, and if you aren't seeing other symptoms, then the issues with your stool are likely just a result of your gut flora being totally out of whack—which is pretty standard after a round of antibiotics.
To get things back on track, head to a pharmacy (or check with your doctor for a prescription) and grab some unknown, which should help stop the diarrhea. You take two right away, and then follow up with one capsule after every watery movement until it stops.
At the same time, it’s really important to take a probiotic. You can find those at any drugstore; they come in capsules and aren't particularly expensive. No prescription needed for that.
If things don't settle down within 3 or 4 days at most, despite doing all this, you really ought to go back for a follow-up with an infectious disease specialist.

I don't have a fever, and I'm not dealing with any cramps or actual pain, though my stomach does ache occasionally whenever I have to run to the restroom. It isn't exactly diarrhea, but more like those soft, loose stools I mentioned before. What’s really bothering me, though, is how often I have to go; it feels like the second I eat anything, I'm heading straight back to the bathroom. I picked up some probiotics this morning, so we'll see if that helps get things back on track... I just can't wrap my head around why there's so much activity going on in my system when I've barely eaten anything at all.😕

Yeah, that’s exactly my point, guaranteed. Give those suspensions a shot. They're the perfect pairing with an unknown probiotic... and you'll be all set.

Thanks so much, I'm really hoping things take a turn for the better🎉

Fingers crossed👍