Delhi belly

bambo

Wow thanks everyone! I feel much better prepared now
x bambo

dleeone1

http://www.travelan.com/content/howitworks.htm

I am ordering this for my trip. IT IS AN AUSTRALIAN PRODUCT. You can order from travelan or this site is slightly cheaper. http://www.chemistdirect.com.au/

Specific antibodies, against the major strains of E.coli (ETEC), are the active ingredient of Travelan, and are the result of many years of scientific research and clinical trials on natural protection mechanisms.

Travelan also contains high levels of antibodies and other anti-microbials, which assist in providing protection against a wide range of disease causing pathogens. Including high levels of lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase which provide further non-specific anti-microbial activity.


Travelan works to decrease the risk and the effect of Travellers' Diarrhoea (TD) in several ways:
Travelan contains very high levels of specific antibodies against the common strains of Enterotoxigenic E.coli (ETEC), the common bacterial cause of TD.

E.coli may be found in drinks, on the outside of fruit, salads and vegetables, on the surface of eating utensils - even in ice blocks - anywhere where poor quality water or poor sanitary techniques are practised

These antibodies in Travelan bind to the ETEC bacteria in the gastro intestinal tract and significantly inhibits their attachment to the intestinal wall.

Travelan also contains anti microbials and other factors that aid in the relief of symptoms of minor (non-life threatening) gastrointestinal complaints.

Suew

I too have a dodgy stomach, been sick everywhere I went in South East Asia and China, never very seriously but enough to put me off going to India which seemed guaranteed to make me sick.

There is a buzz on the internet about pro biotics so when I finally plucked up the courage to book a flight to India I decided to give them a try. I bought the most expensive ones they had at my local health food store as they didn't need to be refrigerated.

I can't tell you how liberating it feels to have made it through 5 weeks in India without being sick. I feel my stomach and I can take on the world. So it's pro biotics for me from now on.

Sue

vistet

Preventive antibiotics ..doctors prescribing this deserves a bad case of the runs on an Indian night train with locked toilets.

And , responsible approach to developing antibiotic resistant strains aside, they can give you as much problems as the one you try to avoid.

In the ICU where I work we actually use one specific antibiotic after everything else has failed to cure constipation - it often ends with a short violent diarrhea.

Yoghurt is a good way to normalise your stomach , esp. when on antibiotics - we give give yoghurt culture to all our patients . Here in Sweden this is also available in a dry capsule form , I´ve used this in Ladakh when trekking.

You could also have a a talk with your travel doc about Dukoral , a oral vaccine against cholera which gives some protection against E. coli.

Immodium I consider as a bus drug - something to be taken to be able to preserve my dignity on the road before praying to the porcelain god. Keep in mind that diarrhea is a defence mechanism , and let your body do it´s work.

rakeshs_ca

We were in Delhi for 3 weeks and in Goa for 1 week, myself, wife and kids 6 an 10.

This time we were able to avoid the Delhi Belly compared to 3 years ago when the kids had stomach problems for 2 out of the 3 weeks we were there for.

What we did this time:
- No milk for the kids, used Milk Powder from Nestle - Nido for the kids and yogurt for us was made from this
- Obviously had bottled water.
- No Paneer especially cold, no salad/fruit unless it was washed in filtered/bottled water and peeled.
- When we went to restuarants (and we went to many) didn't have any cold items, stuff that might have been sitting around for a while.
- Limited amount of Ice Cream and that too only in Goa.
- Didn't pig out on any one dish when at restaurants, I think if there is something wrong with one item and you have too much of it the body has more trouble fighting it off.
- brushed with bottled water
- When we visited relatives/friends we had to be very firm in what we could and could not have, some people understood this and some didn't, too bad.
- Finally, used a ton of hand sanitizer

Just before we were leaving though my wife got Larengitis (excuse my spelling) from an infected relative. She didn't use the hand sanitizer as religously as I did.

Finally, don't eat/drink too much if you are going out shortly after, finding clean washrooms can be very hard.

Chinadolly

I agree probiotics but lassi a definate no no. It was lassie which made me ill this year, apparently its topped up with water from the tap.

Nick-H

It may be, but it should not be.

However, if they put ice in it, and the ice came from tap water, it might just as well have been.

Mostly, lassi with no ice is fine.

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

galahad

Yeah..
Also avoid the Chutney with Idli/Dosa.Use the Sambar instead.

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PeakXV

Lassi is a must with ice (preferably from mineral water).... at least it gives the "appearance" that the ingredients have been kept in some type of hygienic and/or refridgerated envinonment. A luke warm lassi, like a luke warm milkshake or room temperature yoghurt smoothie, raises all kinds of potential stomach issues for us virgin-stomached westerners!

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We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started ...and know the place for the first time.
T.S. Eliot

Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?