Immodium when?

[IainR]

Ok, I'm on antibiotics and as usual whenever I'm on them I get the trots. It's manageable for a plod, but I'll still be taking them on Peris race day so was going to take some immodium.

Now I don't want to be racing full up, so want to take the tablet/s as late as possible, how soon before the race should I take them?

Surely someone else has been though this?

As I start playing football the week after this will be my last race really so don't want to miss it, and want to have a decent run. I'm not ill so there's no reason not to race, they are for a puncture wound from a dog bite.

Cheers

[Graeme]

I have had this problem before, I usually take immodium about an hour before I'm due to run, that way if I'm still leaking shit I can take some more before the race. I would recommend the instants as very good they fizz on the tongue.

Are you on Penicillin by any chance?
Last time I had those I thought I was going to die from fluid loss. I was not a happy man while I was on them. I think I was supposed to take about 1500 mg a day, stopped taking them halfway through the course though, I felt the benefits were outstripped by the continued agony I was in.

[Wheeze]

Iain, How long will you have been on antiobiotics for by the time the race is due? You should discuss with your doc because you may be able to finish course a day or 2 early to allow your guts to recover.
As Graeme says, its not so much the loose bowels but the fluid balance problems that would be my primary concern. If you could finish your course 2 days before the race that should allow things to normalise.
Tell the doc you need to balance risks of potential incomplete killing of bugs (not so relevant after a week of treatment) versus severe fluid imbalance in a man-killing mountain race.

[IainR]

Thanks all. may try and speak to the docs again. I was wondering about fluid loss this morning while sat on the throne for an unusually long time.

I'm only taking them as a precaution due to a dog bite.

And yes it's penicillin, I've had this before. Not too bad as long as long as I don't laugh or cough.

[Mike R]

If you go to the Doc's again I think they'll tell you that once you start a course of antibiotics you must complete it. Stopping early is the worst thing to do with regards to bacterial resistance to antibiotics, you kill the susceptable bugs but leave those with some natural resistance.

I'd try and keep the fluid intake up and see if you can flush your sysem out(!) and settle down before Saturday.

The Doc would probably say if there's a risk you shouldn't run, as they'd recommend for virtually any gripe, niggle or knock!

[Wheeze]

Iain, how long will you have been on treatment for by next Thursday? If you are up to 10 days, you should be fine to stop, especially if the wound is not infected.

[IainR]

No started Saturday.

Managed an undulating 6.6 miles on trails today in just over 50 minutes at a steady pace, felt OK, but not able to stride out really and felt pretty dehydrated.

The wounds all look pretty clear now and are already sealing over. I'll see how I feel later in the week.