I called in sick to work today. They asked if there was anyway I could make it in. I don’t think so. I just had the past three days off work and have been suffering from the worst case of food poisoning I’ve ever gotten. I had plans to spend at least one of those days making my son’s first spring break ever (he’s in Kindergarten) fun for him, not doubled over with stomach cramps or afraid to be too far from a toilet. I am seething with rage and disappointment. I drank an entire bottle of liquid Immodium the first two days, at which this bug completely ignored. I couldn’t even finish my dinner last night without running for the bathroom! The only way I’ve been able to sleep is after every last thing in my stomach has been evacuated. I know I had to gotten this evil stomach bug from my work…it’s the only place I ate/bought food from the 3 days previous to getting sick. I am so tired of feeling like a human perculator. On the plus side, I gave up bland food, and had cookies and other things I shouldn’t eat simply because I know it’s going straight through me. Also, I only threw up once, something I hate doing. And, now I am off to try a sandwich. Anyone care to wager on whether or not I can hold onto a meal?
[sub]If I can’t, should I get a big bottle of whiskey and try to get the bug drunk?[/sub]
Depends on what kind of drunk the bug is. If it’s a party animal or a mean drunk, I’d say no… but if it’s the type that has one drink and passes out, then go for it, because not only will it leave you alone for awhile, but all you have to do in the morning will be to play loud music against your belly and swallow a small light, and the pain from its hangover will be too much to bear. Maybe it’ll die of headache… or maybe it’ll just move away. In either case, you still have to retreive the light bulb later, which will not be pleasant. Unless it’s small enough to flush, in which case, you’re set.
[sub]I think I need some sleep.[/sub]
Well I hope things improve soon mummies and daddies are not allowed to be sick it interferes with their children’s plans, as I am sure you have already found out.
I have in the past found alcohol an effective anti-bug remedy however I would place it in the same category as fevers (In order to be effective they tend to be dangerous). Oh and only drink on an empty stomach, the forced evacuations of consumables while completely sloshed is something you probably wont to avoid. 
PS Three days is starting to reach the extreme limits for food poisoning you may wish to consult your physician if symptoms persist.
Thanks Britt. I will drink only on an empty stomach, if need be. Shouldn’t be too hard to do either, just wait 20 minutes after I eat and I will again be empty. Actually this will be day four, but I refuse to go to the emergency room for diarrhea. I think I can hold out until tomorrow morning and the Urgent Care.
Oh, TM, much sympathy from here. Do whatever you can to try to keep hydrated, so the doc doesn’t stick TOO many IVs in you tomorrow morning. I do feel for you, and in Webster’s Collegiate under “Misery” it should say, “see: TequilaMockingbird”.
Take care, feel better.
~Bill
You may have a nasty bacterial infection that requires antibiotics. Talk to your doctor, see if you can get a script for Cipro.
TM!
Get well, O darlin! I know it feels so sucky to have that kinda sickness. You feel so weak and out of it, and of course if you’re female, there’s not much chance of the husband catering to you and pampering you, right? And you probably think it’s up to you to Get Things Done.
I’m with you, I’d probably either guzzle some meds or do without rather than go to an emergency room (they’re expensive, anyway). But please, please, O Friend of Friends, consider it if this thing doesn’t clear up in a few more days, 'kay?
{{{{{{{{{{{{TM}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
To follow up, do not do this if it turns out to be Salmonella, a condition I was unfortunate enough to have 2 years ago–I spent the first week afraid I was going to die and the second week afraid I wasn’t. When it was finally diagnosed, my doctor said that prescribing antibiotics had the potential to make me a carrier for life. He instead recommended lots of bed rest, PediaLyte popsicles, and NO immodium. He said the key thing was to just get everything out.
IANAD, and if you don’t have salmonella this may be exactly the wrong advice. But, boy, it’s a terrible feeling, isn’t it? Hope you feel better soon.
Diarrhea isn’t anything to fool around with. I wouldn’t be drinking anything but water and juice if I were you, TM.
Oh, Tequila dear! I’m sorry to hear this! From my one (albiet much briefer) bout with food poisoning, I’ll reiterate everyone else’s advice. Stay hydrated. Lots and lots of liquids. And if there’s anything this Florida Fish can do, you’ve got my address…
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Palandine *
**
I know some of the risks of overuse of antibiotics but this is a new one to me. By what mechanism would an antibiotic make one a salmonella carrier?
T.M., I feel for you. I had a bout a few years ago that was pretty severe. I was barely able to drink enough fluids to stay hydrated, drinking gallons of dilute gatorade in a few hours time. It may be better to flush everything out but it takes the pipes quite a while to get back to normal. Yogurt might be good to keep some good bacteria in your gut. Get better hon.
mucho sympathy from here, too.
My last bout with food poisoning several years ago, struck suddenly at 9:15 am on a Sunday. I know this 'cause I was already at work at the time, and couldn’t leave. Interesting. I couldn’t get out of going in the next day, either. 2 days, all I could do was sit at my desk and lay my head down on it. yeck. and, of course, since I was a single parent, still had to deal with my son, too. It wasn’t pretty.
The worst part of it is, my sister in law absolutely loves the restaurant from which I got food poisoning and insists on going there half the time they visit. I’ve told her my tale, and it doesn’t matter. So I go. Order water. Don’t touch it. yeck.
keep hydrated, stay away from the booze. (it tends to dry you out more). if stuff won’t stay down, at least swish some water around in your mouth.
Strong coffee seems to work. Last time I was in South East Asia (a place I often get tummy bugs), I stuck to the local strong and short black brew. I didn’t get sick.
If you can handle the taste, a spoonful of dry instant coffee straight from the jar often helps.
Hope you feel better soon.
Blert! Sorry to hear yer ill, TM. Food poisoning is tres icky; I’ve had two bouts of it thusfar in life and could do without it rearing its ugly head again.
Also, some belated sympathy for wring…I don’t know how you did it. Food poisoning pretty much makes me lay down under lots of blankets and wait for it to pass. I can’t imagine working…or chasing after kids!
wring, your sister is a wacko. Completely certifiable! If one of MY relatives got violently ill from a restaurant’s food, and I liked the place, I’d at least not make them go there when they visited! Sheesh! Someone needs sensitivity training! :rolleyes:
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Padeye *
**
I guess the idea is a resistance one–the antibiotics would kill most but not all of the salmonella cooties and those others might remain behind in you, not in serious enough concentrations to make YOU sick, but possibly enough for you to pass on to another person.
I just avoid antibiotics whenever possible anyway, both for the resistance issues and because (chick TMI coming up) they inevitably give me a yeast infection. So, if he had suggested them, I probably would have turned him down. By the time I was actually well enough to make the 30-mile drive to the doctor, I had already turned the corner and was slowly getting better anyway.
You have my sympathy Tequila. The worst pain I have ever been in was when I got a taste of salmonella. It felt at first like I had swallowed a bowling ball. Then the ball grew spikes. They strapped me down to a table and considered pumping my stomache but decided there wasn’t anything left in there anyway. Three days later I actually ate something again.
I hope you have recovered and are feeling much better.
Tequila Mockingbird,
I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling well, have you made it into Urgent Care yet? Did they have a diagnosis for you, or are you still waiting?
-Doug
Having had two (and possibly three) bouts of food poisoning in the last month, I’m feeling like something of an expert :rolleyes: :D.
The first time it whacked me on a Tuesday morning. Classic wake-up-at-3-am (why is it always 3 am?), run to toilet, etc. Called my doc, by the time I got to see him at 3pm I was already feeling better. This all seemed like other bouts I’d had in the past. He gave me a stool-sample kit if I didn’t get better, but since I seemed to be on the mend I ignored it.
For a couple of days I kept getting better, but I still felt a little bit off. Suddenly, the following Monday morning it all started again, only worse. And worse, with a significant, spiky fever. I called the doc again, this time he prescribed Cipro. In the meantime, I began the delightful task of dealing with the sampling kit.
By the end of Monday, I was feeling much better. Eventually I finished the sample kit, and once it was finally processed (this was several days after I’d finished the cipro) I came back positive for shigella, a bacterial infection. But by that time I’d been well for over a week.
Then, three weeks later I came down again. This time it was the more usual 24-hour bug. At first my doc and I were worried it might be a shigella relapse, so I went through another round of sampling, but we didn’t bother with the antibiotic since I was starting to feel better even by the time I saw him. Several days after I recovered, we got the results back, negative for everything. That meant it was probably viral, so it was good that I hadn’t taken another round of Cipro.
My doc is a big one for gatorade for rehydrating, or if you have it on hand, Pedialyte.
According to a NY Times article that came out during one of my bouts, food poisoning is on the rise everywhere. Partly it’s a result of the shear abundance and variety of food now available, and partly because of the rise in prepared foods. Even organics aren’t immune; the National Review (not the most unbiased of sources, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong) has referred to studies indicating significantly higher levels of e. coli in organic produce because of the use of animal waste as fertilizer. (Sorry, haven’t had time to try to source this one.)
Thanks for the concern and sympathy, fellow dopers.
I went to work today, seeing as I managed to hold in my food . Only had to run to the bathroom twice, but turned out it was just paint blistering gas both times. Seems I am on the mend. Anyone care to join me in a toast with this terribly cheap red wine? (Hey, I thought red wine is supposed to kill evil food bugs. If not, well, here’s to hoping they’re French.) Only problem is, someone, somewhere still owes me my three damned days off! Oh wait, I got that this weekend off too. Someone remind me to call and reserve a room for Spiffled in the morning.
Hey…I’m rambling again, I MUST be feeling better 