So I appear to have contracted either food poisoning or the stomach flu. I’ve been in the bathroom since 1 am (it’s now 10:00 am here) first with my head in the toilet then sitting on it with my head in bucket. Nothing like simultaneous projectile vomiting and exploding poops to make a girl feel pretty. I have no 7up/Sprite/ginger ale (childhood remedies) in the house and am far too weak (and leaky) to go out to get any. But I was wondering, why do those stay down and plain old water doesn’t? Anyone know? I’m trying to make due with Diet Coke which seems to stay down a little better than water (so far). I also have orange juice but that would seem to me to be too acidic for retention.
I don’t have the scientific reasons why they stay down, but basically when you have diarrhea your intestines are moving things by too fast to take out all the electrolytes they would normally take up in their journey. So there’s a lot of water being lost, with a lot of electrolytes as well. So for some reason, water with electrolytes (eg Gatorade or something similar) is easier on the digestive tract - it’s already screaming that it has enough water, and not enough other stuff.
If you have sugar and ginger in the house, put some sugar and salt in the water and get some ginger in there as well; the ginger might help to steady your stomach, and the sugar and salt are what cells need to function.
It’s very important to stay hydrated, because you’re losing so much water in your stool; call a friend to bring you stuff if you can.
Thanks, I have both here so I think I’ll try that. Feeling a bit steadier now but still not enough to leave the house. Unfortunately, everyone I know in the city either lives too far away to be of help or is out of town. The nerve of them deserting me in my hour of need!
That said, the dogs (mine and one I’m watching for my friends that are out of town) are very concerned and have been curling up next to me on the bed - which is nice as I periodically get the chills. Truly (wo)man’s best freind. Of course, they also try to stick their heads in the toilet with mine which is not quite so comforting.
When do you leave for your trip, Merry? You’ve inspired me to get my butt in gear and go back for a visit. I lived there for two years and really miss it. I figure hotels will be pretty empty after the current brouhaha and I can get a good deal on Priceline. For which I feel slightly guilty but not prohibitably so…
Diet Coke is just as acidic as orange juice. They both have a pH of 2. Try the orange juice if your body says it feels like it. You are losing potassium and chloride every time you throw up and it is important to replace them.
Those are significant fluid and electrolyte losses you’re suffering out of both ends. If this doesn’t stop, you may need a good friend to take you to the emergency room. If you don’t have a good friend, you may need to call the ambulance. Keeping your potassium and chloride up (Diet Coke is very rich in potassium, and chloride is in ordinary salt) can prevent a trip to the ER.
Do take care of yourself, and keep us posted. I’m worrying about you.
Thanks, Gabriela - my stomach at least feels a bit more settled so I’ll think I’ll try some oj. Helpful hint - try not to get food poisoning from shrimp madras - it’s just as spicy coming back up and out as it is going down. :eek:
Just be thankful that you hadn’t eaten a big meal of slightly-overcooked mango sausages the night before.
Puking spicy, meaty, grease. That was nice.
I really liked those, too.
Eventuallly, I was able to nibble down a strawberry juice bar. It didn’t stay down, but at least it buffered the next round of heaving. It was like vomiting a soft, rosy cloud!
Er…anyway, can you try Club Soda, or (the old family favorite) ginger ale? (There’s also the stronger ginger beer, but I’m not brave enough to try that stuff when healthy…)
Yep, I realy like shrimp madras too. But it’s going to be many, many months before I’m able to stomach it again. It’s weird with me, if I have flu and hork up something, I can usually eat it again in a week or so, but if it’s food poisoning, the very thought of it makes me nauseous. I still can’t eat BBQ ribs (which I adore) and it’s been almost two years since that little episode…
Of course-- it probably seems wasteful to them that you’re flushing all of that puke away. My dogs seem to operate on the notion that it might digest better the second time around.
Yeah, but her patients all leave in pine boxes when she’s finished with them, don’t they?
Thanks everyone. I’m feeling a bit better but still “gurgly.” (the dogs keep cocking their heads and looking at my stomach when it emits the odd gurgling noises. They’re very confused.) I’ve managed to drink/eat (and retain!) a diet coke, a class of OJ and some club crackers. Yay me! I’ve got a bit of a fever (100 and change) and my stomach and back muscles ache like hell but, knock wood, I think I’m on the mend. Maybe some rice tomorrow. Urg, on second thought - that was part of the shrimp madras that made its ill timed reappearance so perhaps I’ll go with some noodles instead…
I really wanted to stay up and see the Perseid meteor showers tonight as it’s actually clear here for a change but, alas, it’s not to be.
God, I had this once badly, from a salad (knew I should have followed my heart and had the blue cheese burger!). For the first couple of hours I was afraid that I was going to die, and then for the next 5 hours I was afraid that I wasn’t going to die. I was fortunate enough to have a small bathroom, so I could sit on the toilet with my head in the sink-- that rocked. I mean, it could have been worse. God, the stomach pain. My boyfriend slept through the whole thing which was good, because. . . what embarassing abject horribleness to have witnessed! Such nastiness coming out of one’s body! How is it possible? I would think briefly that it would be comforting to have someone there, and then realize how I wanted noone in the universe to have any knowledge of this.
I have this horror that someday my husband and I will have something horrible like that at the same time with only one bathroom. Bonding!
What memories. . .
Remember, crackers and rice, etc. Take it easy for a couple of days.
Various doctors have recommended the BRAT diet to me when I’m having digestive problems…Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, and Toast. Don’t butter the toast unless you think you can keep it down. Same with the rice, don’t do anything except boil it with a pinch of salt. Since I have a touchy digestive system, I keep the little plastic cups of applesauce around for times when my belly is acting up.
Hope you feel better soon. Food poisoning is SOOOOO not fun.
Thanks, but bananas and applesause are certain to make me hork. Bananas are the fruit of the devil and, while I love apples, I have textural issues with them once they’re mushed. Toast I can do but the rice, which was an integral part of the dish that caused this nightmare, is a definite no-no. I haven’t thrown-up in 12 hours (go me!) but am still having intestinal issues and am pretty shaky. I had a yummy breakfast of OJ and tasty club crackers and was even able to take a much-needed shower. One positive thing is that laying in bed for two days has allowed me to catch up on my Dope reading - the silver lining in a vomitous cloud.