Dysentery

[mikeycanuk]

We always taken Dukoral the last few years and knock on wood have not gotten sick.




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[ggunn]

One Coz trip as we were prepping for our around the island excursion we needed ice. The hotel where we were staying had an ice machine that had broken down, but floating around in the green water in the bottom of it were 5 or 6 mostly melted bags of ice that gave us enough to cool our beers, so we used it. Through the course of the day we just put our empties back in the cooler.

That evening my sister went to get a round of beers for the six of us. When she was opening them she did not notice that one of them was already opened. When she handed me one, I cocked it back and drank deeply, only realizing after a couple of big gulps that it wasn't beer.

I have never been so sick, stomach-wise, before or since.

 

[uncfnp]

Gastroenteritis is the broad medical term. Hydration is key. If there is anything like Gatorade there cut it half and half with "safe" water. Avoid concentrated sugars, fats and spicy foods. Be cautious with the Imodium. 1+ on the PeptoBismol, as preventive and treatment. A probiotic may not help a lot but certainly could not hurt. Get checked by medical if symptoms severe, prolonged or uh, bloody. :-(

 

[Asteve]

When we have had problems in Mexico main land, we went to the drug store and asked and were given Treda. Works like a charm for us.
I am not a Doc, so not giving advice.

 

[uncfnp]

FYI. A quick check in Google and Treda is a form of Neomycin. Personally, I would not do it except under very extenuating circumstances...

This is actually a pretty good reference on Travelers Diarrhea, a type of gastoroenteritis.

Disease Listing, Travelers' Diarrhea, General Information | CDC Bacterial, Mycotic Diseases

 

[KathyV]

FYI. A quick check in Google and Treda is a form of Neomycin. Personally, I would not do it except under very extenuating circumstances...This is actually a pretty good reference on Travelers Diarrhea, a type of gastoroenteritis. Disease Listing, Travelers' Diarrhea, General Information | CDC Bacterial, Mycotic Diseases

I am not a physician but I am a clinical microbiologist by background so I believe in germs! When we travel we do our best to follow the CDC guidelines and have also consulted travel medicine doctors for immunizations and anti-malarial medication before heading to places like Honduras and Belize.

My poor husband has no choice but put up with me on this matter. You should have seen my face the time he ordered "eggs over easy" for breakfast in Mexico. I kicked him under the table and whispered "get them scrambled, are you trying to get Salmonella?!"

I know that there are no guarantees and you can sometimes get sick from food and water right here at home; but it just makes sense to be careful when traveling to new places with higher infection risks. Traveler's Diarrhea is unpleasant and can ruin a vacation but you can also get much more seriously or chronically ill.

Years ago I was talking to a cab driver in Cozumel and blithely said "We have been traveling to the Caribbean during the Fall for years and we've never had any problems with hurricanes!" He just looked at me and said "you wait, you will!" and he was correct!

So when I read comments about traveling to Mexico and not taking any precautions to protect yourself from food/water-borne diseases and "never having any problems" all I can think is "you wait, you will!"

 

[Brules]

Take care of your stomach and it will take care of you. Probiotics is one of the best things you can take pre/during/post trip that wont cause other issues (2 pepto a day is probably not a good idea lol).

Most stomach issues in Coz are due to bacteria, and you not being used to local bugs or having a weak stomach and then the odd case of solmonela etc. While probiotics is not a sure thing, we have been using/taking them since our first trip in 1996 (got the revenge on our honeymoon lol) and have not had an issue since.

 

[darook]

I take probiotics every day and have for years. They don't always offer full protection evidently. Regardless, I am on the mend. I'm still sick over my Packers not playing tonight though!

 

[mediumone]

(2 pepto a day is probably not a good idea lol).

Wki:

Bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol) is used as an antidiarrheal and to treat some other gastro-intestinal diseases by way of an oligodynamic effect, which relates to killing microbes with small doses of heavy metal.
The means by which this works is still not well understood. It is thought to be some combination of:

• Retarding the expulsion of fluids into the digestive system through irritated tissues, by "coating" them.
• Reducing inflammation/irritation of stomach and intestinal lining.
• Killing some bacteria that cause diarrhea. There is evidence that salicylic acid from hydrolysis of the drug is antimicrobial for E. coli.^[3]
• lol
• Advised to take by a physician lol

 

[uncfnp]

2 pepto a day is probably not a good idea

Not sure what you mean but you are correct that the recommended preventive dose per the CDC is 4 times a day and as treatment its 2 pills every 30 minutes for up to 8 pills in 24 hours.

The studies on probiotics are inconclusive but as I said, couldn't hurt.

If you have a good relationship with your healthcare provider, ask for a 3 to 5 day course of Cipro to take with you on your travels in high risk areas. May save a vacation. I am generally not a fan of antibiotics but I keep Cipro in my first aid travel kit.

Neither Cipro nor PeptoBismol should be given to children.


edit: darook. Glad to hear you are better!