feeling ill upon return from India

aesood

I just got home to Canada from India today. The last few days in Delhi my stomach has been not great - Delhi Belly. My travelling companion who ate all the same things as me is fine. I took immodium and got on the plane and was fine for about 12-15 hours. Since then (rougly 24 hours ago) my diarrhea has been getting worse and worse (though it's not all the time, just every few hours, but it's getting waterier) and I have vomited several times. I do not believe that I have a fever. I am trying to rest and drink clear fluids and gatorade but I'm not feeling any better so far. Should I go to the hospital or wait it out? Again, my travelling companion and I ate all the same food and she's fine. I have had all my travel vaccinations, have been on Malaria pills (Malarone) for the last three weeks, and have felt relatively fine while I was travelling. Need advice.

PeakXV

If you have no fever?(get someone to get a digital thermomter at the drugstore pronto - now), and there is no blood in your stool, and the very fact that you are well enough to be at your computer typing, would indicate to me that it may be just a gastro-intesinal bug aggravated by the flight and not too serious. Check your temp now and go from there.

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

phobal

For christs sake, don't go to the Rockyview or Foothills or Lougheed first!!!!!! Do you wonder why wait-times are so long in Alberta hospitals?

Go to a clinic first, the ER is for EMERGENCIES.

I wouldn't worry, you likely got food poisoning. I hope you feel better, keep up the fluids (especially gatoraide) and have some eggs. Good luck!

Question: did you get your flu shot? That's what it could be, a bit of a bug is starting up in Calgary.

aesood

That's what I was hoping you'd say....I have zero desire to go to the hospital OR clinic (and the wait times are worse at 8th and 8th plus it's full of thugs). Okay. I'll drink my fluids and eat some eggs. Oh and yes I got my flu shot, I don't think that is it. Thanks for the help!

phobal

Always go to the clinic first, there are way too many people with a runny nose that are clogging up the ER, causing waiting times to increase for people that have broken bones and allergy attacks.

Yeah, the 8th+8th, um, shows you all types of humanity. I go to the Brentwood clinic, the wait times suck, but you don't have to wait in there, as there's the Kilkenny pub right next door .

aesood

I don't think I could get to Brentwood without needing to use the toilet in the meantime. I think I'm just going to stay in my jammies and stick close to my own house. Thanks for the advice.

Darmabum

I find that the only times I get any kind of stomach trouble are within the first few days of arriving in India, and, the first few days of returning home. In my mind it's just the change. While in Inida I can feel India/Indian food displacing Western food, and the same in reverse. The fact that your diarrhea is getting waterier is probably a good sign; there is the probability that less of whatever was giving you trouble is going away. I once trekked with someone in Nepal for six weeks. We drank the same water, ate the same food, when we got to Kathmandu he was already turning yellow; he got hepatitis and I didn't.
Glad you're back (relatively) safely. Remember George Harrison: All things must pass. Namaste. Scott

lotus blossom

eggs? why on earth eggs? they are a difficult protein to digest, esp. when there is gastrointestinal problems. and personally, just the thought of eating eggs with a gut problem is enough to make me want to hurl.

plain curd (yogurt) is the best thing. and ginger/lemon honey tea. copious amounts. if you need more substance, plain bread works, or rice.

get well soon

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Lakshmi Bhabi

Lotus, ditto. My thoughts exactly!

PeakXV

Well the good news is if that you can indeed get an egg/gatorade cocktail to stay down or for that matter even contemplate the thought of ingesting said combination - you ain't that sick!

goangoangone

You're obviously worried. Go to a real doctor.

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Sama

YES! HELLO!

if I felt that crappy I wouldn't be posting a medical question here!

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BE THE REVOLUTION

Aussie 5

aesood - I'd go the doctor/clinic ASAP. I came back from India with a hacking cough and waited a few weeks, with no improvement. Now after two courses of antibiotics and 6 weeks later I've just stopped coughing.

Your health is so important - I suggest you get professional advice rather than try to self medicate. But of course keep the liquids up until you can see someone.

Nick-H

Why eggs? because eggs are great for binding the contents of the digestive system and they provide easy to digest food source.

Food's like religion, isn't it: above is what I learnt as a kid, and what I still practice (and I'd say that it works for me) but I guess Lotus Blossom and many others would have an entirely different view. Holy war, Lotus Blossom?

As to the OP.... sounds just like several of my returns from India. Last time (Thanks, Air Lanka, for those prawns I didn't want in the first place ) I left it a week before seeing the doc and he still said, nothing to worry about, go buy Kaolin & morphine mix and come back if not ok in another week.

We are not doctors and cannot advise you. Even those that are docs would probably do no more than tell you to visit one.

However, as social advice goes.... Right On, Phobal!

Hey... get rehydration salts from your local pharmacy and drink at least as much fluid as is coming out the other end!

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TracyB

Actually, when i just returned home from India a few months ago, i was very ill for 4 or 5 days and EGGS were the only thing i could eat and i tried everything...