My partner has had AIDS for about four years. Currently, he has had diarrhea for about six months. We had his medications changes because of this problem with no effect. Other medications to slow down or stop the diarrhea have had no effect. He is currently seeing a doctor for this problem. What we would like to know about is his eating habits and the effect on the diarrhea. He currently eats only one meal, in the evening, when I get home from work. He drinks a lot of caffinated sodas during the day. In short, lousy nutrional habits. I think this is contributing to the continued diarrhea. What are your thoughts.

I have brought this to the doctor's attention, but he seems to be ignoring my concerns.

Thanks for your response in advance.

You bring up an excellent point; diet should be at the very beginning of any anti-diarheal treatment program.

there are a number of dietary components that can affect the bowel pattern:

-- Fiber

--Caffeine

--Lactose (milk products)

--Fatty foods

--Frequency of meals

It sounds like your partner has several of these that could be worked on!

I'd start by visiting a dietician and doing a food record. It is hard to change dietary habits, but in this case, the reward should motivate an effort. There are a number of changes that any dietician will undoubtedly suggest. the main thing is to follow-up on your intuition and convince your partner to try this route. It is sometimes amazing how effective a few small changes can be.

Good luck.