Chinese diet/slim tea

I've been drinking this diet tea called "Chinese Slim Tea" three times a day, everyday, for about a year now. The tea is a laxative that encourages more bowel movement, inducing diarrhea. The directions on the box says to drink once a day and for no more than 7 days. I know I should've followed the usage directions, but I regretfully didn't and am now very concerned about my current condition.

Two weeks ago, I had these excruciatingly painful cramps in my abdominal muscles. The muscles would literally cramp up, like your calf muscle would when having a muscle cramp. I didn't know at the time that it was due to essential minerals/electrolytes lost from having daily chronic diarrhea. I realized, after the fact, what was causing these abdominal muscle cramps from searching online. I have since then stopped drinking the tea, however, I am quite worried that I've created severe, irreversible damage to something internal because my stomach isn't quite right.

My stomach is constantly bloated. I mean, BLOATED. Sometimes, it makes this gargling sound. I still get the muscle cramps in my abdominals from time to time, but very much less so. The bloating is so severe that my stomach is in a constant state of uncomfort. (Menstrual bloating I can deal with. But this? This is majorly worse.) I have a feeling that my digestion system is permanently corrupted because of my over-consumption of this tea, and this is all MY doing. I did this to myself.

Is my condition so severe as to having to go to the Emergency Room (because I don't have any medical insurance)? What should I do? The bloating really concerns me. Is there anything to help with the bloating? I don't know if this is an urgent matter to be looked at by a doctor, or if I can just resolve it with nutrition and vitamins.

[kensie44]

Did you ever end up seeing a doctor about this? Has your stomach gotten any better!?