Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• Age older than 60
• Developed diarrhea:
  • After drinking untreated water or unpasteurized dairy products
  • During or after traveling, especially to underdeveloped areas of the world
  • During or after a ship cruise
  • After swimming in contaminated water
• Exposure to farm animals
• Group living situations, such as nursing homes, dormitories, military boot camps, child care centers, or older-adult assisted-living centers
• Previous gallbladder surgery
• Previous abdominal surgery
• Previous bariatric surgery for obesity
• Previous radiation therapy

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Engaging in oral or anal sex
• Handling food or working in a day care center or hospital

Medicines

• Laxatives, such as Correctol, Dulcolax, Ex-Lax, or Feen-a-Mint
• Antibiotics, such as ampicillin, amoxicillin, clindamycin, tetracycline, and cephalosporins. Diarrhea is of particular concern if you have recently been hospitalized and received intravenous (IV) antibiotics.
• Antacids containing magnesium
• Colchicine
• Metformin
• Propranolol, such as Inderal
• Quinidine, such as Cardioquin or Quin-Release
• Theophylline, such as Theo-Dur, Theo-24, or Slo-Bid
• Diuretics, such as furosemide or thiazides
• Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, such as captopril (Capoten) or enalapril (Vasotec)
• Antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Zoloft)

Diseases

• Cancer
• Coronary artery disease or heart failure
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Digestive problems, such as lactose intolerance or irritable bowel syndrome
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
• Endocrine disorders, such as Addison's disease or thyroid disease
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
• Kidney disease
• Malabsorption syndromes, such as celiac disease