 A short presentation is intended to inform you and your loved ones about strategies for managing side effects of diarrhea. I want to talk to you about a subject that you probably don't talk about at parties or over the dinner table. In fact, it probably is a subject that you may not feel comfortable talking about at all. Yet, it is something that can have a big impact on how you feel and how your body functions. It is also a subject that your health care team will be interested in talking to you about. This webinar is about diarrhea. If you are being treated for kidney cancer, you may experience diarrhea, and this webinar will give you some important information to help you deal with this common problem. Diarrhea is a term that describes loose, watery stools that occur more frequently than usual. Diarrhea is a common problem and something everyone experiences. If you have experienced it, you will know that you often need to make more frequent trips to the toilet and have a greater volume of loose stool. In most cases, diarrhea symptoms usually last only a couple of days, but sometimes diarrhea can last much longer. In these situations, diarrhea can be a sign of a more serious problem. Diarrhea occurs when the food and fluids that you eat and drink pass too quickly or in too large an amount, or both, through your colon. Normally, your colon absorbs liquid from the food you eat, leaving a semi-solid stool, but if the liquids from the food you eat aren't absorbed, the result is a watery bowel movement. The digestive system has a number of important functions. It helps transport food through the intestines. It helps digest and absorb foods we eat. It also helps balance fluids and nutritional building blocks, such as vitamins and minerals, in our body. Severe diarrhea can interfere with these functions and cause the body to get out of balance, leading to other medical problems that can be serious. Many cases of diarrhea go away without treatment, but if you experience diarrhea, you need to let your doctor know. What are some of the causes of diarrhea? Well, there are a number of diseases and conditions that can cause this problem. Common viruses can cause diarrhea. Most often, people refer to the symptoms these viruses cause as the stomach flu. Usually, symptoms caused by this type of virus will get better in just a few days. Contaminated food or water can contain bacteria and parasites that can cause diarrhea. Jardia is an example of a common parasite that causes diarrhea. This can be found in contaminated groundwater. There are also many bacterial causes of diarrhea. Diarrhea caused by bacteria and parasites can be common when traveling and developing countries and is often called Traveller's Disease, or Traveller's Diarrhea. If you are being treated for kidney cancer, there are medications you may receive that can cause diarrhea. Cancer treatment medications as well as antibiotics can have diarrhea as a primary side effect. Many foods can lead to diarrhea. Lactose is a sugar that is found in milk and other dairy products. Many people have difficulty digesting lactose and experience diarrhea after eating dairy products. Fructose, a sugar found naturally in fruits and honey and added as a sweetener to some beverages, can cause diarrhea in people who have trouble digesting it. Sorbitol and menital are artificial sweeteners found in chewing gum and other sugar-free products and can cause diarrhea in some otherwise healthy people if you eat too much. Physical and system changes resulting from abdominal surgery or gallbladder removal can affect how the bowel functions and lead to diarrhea as a symptom. Chronic diarrhea can also have other causes such as Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Celiac Disease, and other autoimmune conditions. So what do you do if you develop diarrhea? Well first, you need to let your doctor or nurse know that you are having the problem. If it is not too severe, they may just have you monitor the symptom. If your diarrhea lasts longer than three days or if you become dehydrated or have an increased abdominal pain or blood in your stool or a temperature greater than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, then call your doctor. Your doctor may want to see you to determine the cause of the diarrhea. Your doctor may examine your abdomen to determine the location of abdominal pain and may also listen to your abdomen with a stethoscope. You may be asked about any medications you are taking including over-the-counter drugs or natural supplements that you take. Blood and stool samples may also be taken to help determine what is causing your diarrhea. Most cases of diarrhea clear up on their own within a couple of days without treatment but if this does not happen, even if you've tried lifestyle changes and home remedies for diarrhea without success, your doctor may recommend medications or other treatments. The treatments that may be recommended will depend on what is causing the diarrhea. For bacterial infections, you may be treated with antibiotics. If your diarrhea is a side effect of your cancer treatment, the dose of your medication may be adjusted to see if that will help reduce the severity of the symptom. If your diarrhea is severe and you have become dehydrated, you may be asked to try to replace the fluids by increasing the amount of water, juice and other liquids that you drink. If you are unable to drink enough fluid to prevent dehydration, your doctor may recommend getting fluids through a vein in your arm. Water is a good way to replace fluids but it doesn't contain the salts and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium which you need in order for your body to function properly. Your health care team will be able to recommend other things that you can eat and drink to help replace these minerals. Diarrhea should be treated initially with diet changes such as foods found in the barat diet, bananas, rice, applesauce and others. In some patients, reducing dairy from the diet may help with general gastrointestinal symptoms. You may be directed to use anti-diarrheal medications per package direction by your doctor if diet alone is unsuccessful. Drink plenty of clear liquids every day but avoid apple and pear juices until you feel better because they can make your diarrhea worse. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Add semi-solid and low-fiber foods gradually as your bowel movements return to normal. Try soda crackers, bananas, toast, eggs, rice or chicken. Avoid certain foods such as dairy products, fatty foods, high-fiber foods or highly seasoned foods for a few days. Some research suggests that probiotics, foods and supplements containing beneficial bacteria may help treat diarrhea. Helpful bacteria live in your digestive tract where they help digest your food and protect you from harmful bacteria. Probiotics contain strains of living bacteria that are similar to the ones normally found in your digestive system. Probiotic foods such as yogurt, cheese, miso and tempeh are generally safe to eat and may help. Side effects of probiotics might include gas and bloating. Check with your doctor to be sure that this is right for you. Ask about anti-diarrheal medications over-the-counter, anti-diarrheal medications such as Imodium and Pepto-Bismol may help reduce the number of watery bowel movements that you experience. It is important to know that certain infections, bacterial and parasitic, may be made worse by these over-the-counter medications because they prevent your body from getting rid of what's causing the diarrhea. Check with your doctor before taking these medications or giving these medications to a child. Diarrhea is a common side effect of many medications and infections and most people have experienced it. It is normally not a serious problem and usually will resolve in a few days in most cases. It can become a serious problem if it does not resolve because of its effect on fluid and electrolyte balance in the body which can interfere with normal body processes. If you begin to have a problem with diarrhea, you need to talk with your doctor or nurse to let them know so that they can help you to correct the problem. Follow your doctor's advice. Be proactive to help resolve the problem. Keep well hydrated, watch your diet, and avoid situations that make the condition worse. With help, this symptom can be controlled.