Symptoms of diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is when you need to poo more often than you normally do in one day. It usually means having 3 or more loose, watery or runny poos (stools) in a 24 hour period. 

It can be a mild side effect of treatment for cancer but for some people it can be severe. Tell your doctor, or nurse, or contact your hospital advice line if you have diarrhoea. 

Look out for:

• an increase in the number of times you have a poo (bowel movements) each day

• an increase in the amount (volume) of poo you have in a day

• a change in the way your poo looks - if it goes from solid to soft or watery

Other symptoms you might notice are:

• needing to get to the toilet urgently

• a bloated feeling in the tummy

• cramping pains in your tummy (abdomen)

• feeling sick

• loss of appetite

• feeling weak and tired

If you have a colostomy or ileostomy and you are emptying your stoma bag more often than normal, it might be a sign that you have diarrhoea.

Symptoms of severe diarrhoea

Severe diarrhoea can cause you to lose a lot of fluid and become dehydrated. This can make you very ill if you don't have treatment. 

It is important to see your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:

• a high temperature (fever) or chills

• signs of dehydration such as feeling very thirsty, a rapid heartbeat, feeling or being sick, headaches, and dark urine

• blood or mucus in your poo

• severe cramping and tummy pain

When to contact your doctor or nurse

Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as you have the first signs of diarrhoea. They can advise you on how to manage your diarrhoea and might recommend some medicines.

Sometimes it can be hard to know when to call your doctor or nurse because you don’t want to bother them. You might feel embarrassed about talking about your diarrhoea. But they are used to this and will want to help you.