Your doctor will prescribe medication such as iodoquinol, metronidazole, diloxanide furoate, dehydroemetine, emetine, or paromomycin. Take all of the medication your doctor prescribes. If you stop taking the medication when your symptoms are gone but before the parasite is eliminated from your body, your infection may return. Your doctor may also prescribe antidiarrheal medication. The symptoms of diarrhea usually last 3 to 14 days but can last up to 4 weeks.
Recurrences are possible.
If you have diarrhea, let your bowel rest by drinking only clear liquids such as water, juice, tea, bouillon, and oral rehydrating or electrolyte solutions for 1 to 2 days. It is important to drink often so that you do not become dehydrated. Drink small amounts at frequent intervals if you feel too nauseated to drink fluids. Do not eat solid foods because they can cause cramps. When your symptoms improve in 1 to 2 days, eat small frequent meals or snacks.