Its a big concern for the victims of the tsunami, resulting in death.
I have this condition more often than I care to admit. I never treat it, and I don’t die. How come?
You’ve got ready access to clean water. Diarrhea causes dehydration, and lack of clean food and water just exacerbates the problem.
You might if you had it badly enough, and weren’t put on an IV in time.
One of the most notable symptoms of cholera is diarrhea. Very, very severe diarrhea. From this page
That’s diarrhea on a scale that I certainly hope the OP has never experienced.
Oh, and try Giardiasis for shits and giggles (so to speak). I’ve dodged that bullet myself, but know several (all backpackers) who weren’t so lucky; and a couple of those did indeed wind up hospitalized and on IV drip for fear they would eventually go into shock. The runs can be life-threatining even here in the Wealthy West if you’ve got the wrong kind of bug.
I had been experiencing these exact symptoms from Christmas eve until this past monday. I lost 10 pounds in 2 days, including 2 in one hour. I was curious as to what was coming out (up there and down there) since the condition left me with no appetite. I did feel dehydrated but it seemed everything fluid or solid would come right back out minutes later. How did I get better?
Rest, hot tea, and slowly eating again.
But surely I never felt like dying.
10 pounds in water is roughly one and a quarter gallons. A lot, but nothing like 10 liters a day. You were replenishing water by drinking, even if you still had diarrhea.
That said, you were either
A. retaining water, so your body had enough and enough electrolytes to keep you safe and keep your heart beating (yes, you can be retaining water and dehydrated simultaneously. The body’s weird like that) or
B. replenishing water faster than you were expelling it, or
C. not as sick as you felt you were, even though I believe you that you felt really, really crummy - it could have been worse! or
D. very lucky.
Or some combination of the above.
When the electrolytes get really out of whack, your potassium (I think?) levels drop sharply and your heart doesn’t beat right. If you’re lucky, you get palpitations and arrhythmia. If you’re unlucky, it stops beating altogether.
Serious dehydration from severe diarrhea is deadly, mild to moderate stomach and intestinal ailment evidence aside.