Travellers Diarrhoea: Fast Relief with NHS Medicines

Traveling to other countries should be fun and memorable, but getting travellers diarrhoea is one of the quickest ways for a trip to go wrong. It can ruin a dream vacation, especially if you’re far from home and don’t know how to stay safe with food and water. The good news is that you can get better quickly and keep having fun on your trip if you know what to do and have quick access to medicines like oral rehydration salts, loperamide 2mg tablets, and ciprofloxacin.

This guide will tell you what causes traveler’s diarrhea, how to avoid it, and which medicines you can trust. You can find all of these at VitalMeds.

What is travellers diarrhoea?

People who travel to places where food or water hygiene may not be up to UK standards often get traveller’s diarrhea. It usually happens when you eat or drink contaminated food or water, and it makes you have watery bowel movements often.

This illness is very common among people who travel to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. It can happen in the first few days of travel. Most of the time, it’s not dangerous, but it can be very uncomfortable, disruptive, and even serious if not treated right away.

Causes & Risk Factors

Bacteria are the main cause of traveler’s diarrhea. E. coli is the most common, followed by Shigella, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. In some cases, viruses or parasites may also be to blame.

You are more likely to get sick if you eat raw or undercooked meat, seafood, or unwashed vegetables.

• Drink tap water that hasn’t been filtered or add ice to drinks.
• Have a weak immune system
• Go to countries with a lot of risk
• Don’t wash your hands or do other good hygiene things.

Symptoms to Watch Out For

Symptoms usually start out of nowhere and can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Some common signs are:

• Stools that are watery a lot (3 or more times a day)
• Cramps and bloating in the stomach
• Feeling sick or throwing up
• A slight fever
• Signs of dehydration include a dry mouth, dark urine, or feeling dizzy.

If symptoms last longer than three days, get worse, or include blood in the stool, you need to see a doctor.

How to Prevent travellers diarrhoea

The best way to deal with traveler’s diarrhea is to not get it in the first place. To stop it from happening,

Only drinking bottled, boiled, or treated water

• Not eating ice, drinking tap water, or dairy that hasn’t been pasteurized
• Avoiding raw food and food from the street
• Washing your hands often or using hand sanitizer
• Putting important medicines in your travel kit

Even with precautions, it’s possible to fall ill — so carrying reliable medicines is crucial.

Best Medicines to Treat travellers diarrhoea

VitalMeds gives you access to NHS-approved treatments that you can trust to help you manage and ease your symptoms. Here are the three best medicines for traveler’s diarrhea:

1. Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS)

What it is: A mix of glucose and electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) that is meant to quickly and safely rehydrate the body.

How it works:

When you have diarrhea, your body loses a lot of fluids and important salts. This causes dehydration, which can make the situation worse, especially in hot places or for kids and older people. ORS helps your body absorb fluids better, which brings the levels of electrolytes back to normal.

Benefits:

• Stops and fixes dehydration
• Safe for people of all ages
• Sachets are easy to carry.
• An important part of every travel first aid kit

How to take it:

Mix one sachet with clean drinking water (usually 200ml). Drink slowly all day, but especially after every loose bowel movement.

You can get it at: VitalMeds – Salt for Oral Rehydration Free NHS delivery in the UK the next day

2. Loperamide 2mg Tablets

What it is: An antidiarrhoeal medicine that slows down gut movement, allowing more water to be absorbed from the stool.

How it works:

Imodium, which is the brand name for loperamide, is the best medicine for getting rid of diarrhea quickly. It makes your stools less frequent and more solid, which makes it easier to travel or go to important events without having to go to the bathroom all the time.

Good things:

Quick relief (usually works in 1–2 hours)

• Lessens the need and frequency
• Lets you travel in comfort
• No prescription needed

How to take it: 

After the first loose stool, take 2mg (1 tablet). After that, take 1 tablet after each episode. You shouldn’t take more than four tablets in a day.

Warning: 

Children under 12 should not use this without talking to a doctor first. Don’t use it for more than two days without talking to a doctor first.

You can get Loperamide 2mg Tablets from VitalMeds. Free delivery of NHS prescriptions all over the UK

3. Ciprofloxacin (Prescription Antibiotic)

What it is: A broad-spectrum antibiotic that can treat bacterial infections, such as moderate to severe traveler’s diarrhea.

How it works:

Ciprofloxacin goes after and kills the bacteria that are making you sick. It’s highly effective against E. coli, Salmonella, and Shigella, which are common causes of travellers diarrhoea.

Pros:

• Works against a lot of different kinds of bacteria
• Reduces duration of symptoms
• Usually works in 24 to 48 hours
• Good for adults who travel to places with a lot of risk

How to take it: 

Only take ciprofloxacin if your doctor tells you to. Depending on how bad it is, the usual dose is 500 mg twice a day for 1 to 3 days.

Side Effects of Ciprofloxacin:

• Nausea, stomach pain
• Headache or dizziness
• More sensitive to sunlight
• Tendon pain is rare, but if you do, stop right away.

Always finish the whole course and never give yourself a prescription. Begin a consultation for Ciprofloxacin: VitalMeds Online Consultation 

You can get your prescription delivered the next day.

NHS & Pharmacy First: Do You Need a GP?

With the Pharmacy First program in the UK, a pharmacist can treat many mild illnesses, like traveler’s diarrhea, without the need for a doctor’s appointment. You can talk to a licensed pharmacist online at VitalMeds.

• If you need one, get a prescription.
• Get your delivery the next day

This saves time, avoids travel to the GP, and ensures you get treatment when you need it most.

Recommended Travel Medicines (Quick Summary)

Medicine	Use	Ideal For	Delivery
Oral Rehydration Salt	Rehydration after diarrhoea	All travellers	Free NHS Delivery
Loperamide 2mg Tablets	Quick symptom relief	Adults with mild-moderate symptoms	Next Day UK
Ciprofloxacin (Rx)	Bacterial infection treatment	Severe/prolonged cases	Prescription Only

Protect Your Health While Abroad

travellers diarrhoea is one of the most common and disruptive travel illnesses — but with smart preparation, you can avoid its worst effects. Carrying essential medicines like oral rehydration salts, loperamide 2mg, and a prescribed antibiotic gives you the best chance of a quick recovery.

VitalMeds makes it easy for you to talk to a doctor, order your medicine, and get it so you can travel without worry.

Order your traveler’s diarrhea medicine today and get free next-day delivery anywhere in the UK. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)