Version July 2025
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What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED for diarrhea. Diarrhea is when you have bowel movements that are runny or watery, and happen 3 or more times in a day.
Taking antibiotics can sometimes cause diarrhea. This kind of diarrhea can be caused by infection with a bacteria called "Clostridiodes difficile" ("C. difficile" or "C. diff"). C. difficile normally lives in the intestines. But when a person takes antibiotics, the C. difficile in their intestines can overgrow and cause symptoms.
If you were not taking antibiotics, you might have gotten C. difficile infection if you touched infected people or surfaces and then didn't wash your hands.
Your doctor might suspect you have C. difficile but is waiting for test results to confirm this. They might have started you on medicine to treat the infection in the meantime.
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also do the following:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment.
●If you are waiting on test results, find out how you will be notified.
●Drink a lot of liquids that have water, salt, and sugar. Good choices are water mixed with juice, sports drinks, and soup broth. If you are drinking enough, your urine will be light yellow or almost clear.
●Try to eat a little food. Good choices are potatoes, noodles, rice, oatmeal, crackers, bananas, soup, and boiled vegetables.
●Wash your hands often with soap and water. This helps prevent spreading the infection to others.
●Stay home from school or work until you no longer have diarrhea. Do not cook food for others while you have diarrhea.
●Take all your medicines as instructed. Ask your regular doctor if you should take "probiotics." These are bacteria that are good for the intestines.
When should I get emergency help?
●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if:
•You have sudden, severe worsening of your belly pain, or your belly gets hard.
•You feel very lightheaded, dizzy, or confused, or your arms and legs are cool and clammy.
●Return to the ED if:
•You have signs of severe fluid loss, such as:
-Not urinating for longer than 8 hours
-Feeling weak like you are going to fall
-Feeling like your heart is beating very fast
•Your bowel movements have a large amount (more than 1 teaspoon, or 5 mL) of blood in them.
•Your belly pain is worsening, your belly is getting more swollen, or you are not passing gas.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if you:
●Still have more than 6 episodes of diarrhea a day after 3 to 5 days of treatment
●Have a fever of 101.3°F (38.5°C) or higher or chills that does not go away after a day
●Have mild belly pain that does not go away after 3 to 5 days or gets worse
●Have pus or a small amount of blood (less than 1 teaspoon, or 5 mL) in your bowel movements
●Vomit
●Develop early signs of fluid loss, such as:
•Dark urine
•Dry mouth
•Muscle cramps
•Lack of energy
•Feeling lightheaded when you get up
●Have new or worsening symptoms
Patient education: C. difficile infection (The Basics)
Patient education: Diarrhea in teens and adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Diarrhea in children (The Basics)
Patient education: What you should know about antibiotics (The Basics)
Patient education: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea caused by Clostridioides difficile (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acute diarrhea in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Acute diarrhea in children (Beyond the Basics)
