Getting sick

Hi.

I am trying to do a poll of sorts that will let me eastablish the likelyhood of getting sick in India. To be honest it's the one thing thats been bothering me about going to India. So I am wondering if all you IMers could choose one of the following:

1. I have been to India and never became sick
2. I have been to India and became sick but nothing too serious
3. I have been to India and became sick and it was serious

I would think most people would fall within the second category.

Shouldn't there be some kind of relationship made between time spent and sickness, or number of visits and sickness?

Keep it simple Nick!

Much of "getting sick" in India has to do with basic hygiene and not eating too spontaneously. Think about what you are doing.

I cannot think of a restaurant in India that does not have a place where you can wash your hands both before and after eating. Carry a bandana if you don't want to dry your hands on the communal towel.

Eat at busy restaurants, where the food turns over fast. This does not often include "Westernized restaurants." Remember that India is in a place where the electricity isn't always stable, so do not ask for refrigeration miracles.

Bathe often... and carry enough clothing that you can wash it regularly. There's nothing like meeting a filthy traveller who looks like the homeless streetpeople back home -- yech.

I'll let you know in 3 weeks time when I get to India for the first time!

i was completely fine for the first 3 months - a little bit of trouble at the start (nerves, adjusting to the food, climate etc), but we were careful and completely ok until we let our guard down for a couple of minutes in varanasi, and ate the salad that came with a thali. it wasn't exactly serious, but it went on for about 3 weeks, until i started taking pills

Hey Knight22! I had exactly the same concerns as you as it really seemed that getting ill was inevitable in India. I'm happy to say though that in my 3 weeks there I didn't get sick at all - not even a tiny, minor stomach upset - nothing! Best thing you can do is be careful about what you eat. I also carried antibacterial wet-wipes with me so that I could always clean my hands properly before eating. Take some meds with you so you have the comfort of knowing that if you do get ill you can take something for it. Immodium is useful to carry, and you may also want to get a prescription of anti-biotics (Ciprofloxacin).

Enjoy and don't stress too much about it!

i is better if you get into some ( minor ) problems early on as it can help improve your immune system.

question is: where does one stop on hygiene? how do you ensure that the glass you are drinking tea from isnt infected? how do you ensure that the plate you are eating from isnt infected? how do you ensure you dont get infected by the water you use for brushing your teeth? you have to stop somewhere.

consider it as part of your introduction to the indian germs.. you cant have a 100% risk free trip. you can only wish you dont get seriously sick. that will spoil your trip.

well, isnt that typical indian philosophy?

Another thing you might want to try in the weeks before you leave is drinking Yakult or Actimel or any of those other yoghurty drinks containing 'friendly' bacteria! These are supposed to be good for your digestive system and for improving the condition of your gut. I drank them daily for about 3 weeks before I went to India. Whether or not this had anything to do with me not getting ill I obviously don't know - but I figure it can't do any harm and it might just do some good!

Instead of drinking those things, you might as well eat plenty of fruit and raw vegetables. At least one of those drink brands is loaded up with aspartame and acesulfame-k, and is not good for you.

I took some capsules (with powder stuff inside), which was supposed to be the same as yakult-type things. boots (in the uk) sell an own-brand, which are inexpensive

Lots of trips and lots of time spent in India. To date the worst thing I've had was a chest infection which flattened me for 6 days!!
Other than that I've had stomach upsets a few times and the runs a few times.
The chances of geting seriously ill are slim if you break it down to cases versus the amount of people who have travelled India.
Much of the Delhi belly syndrome that you read about is more a case of your system getting used to heat, new bacteria and a completely new diet!!
All the advice above on how to avoid getting sick is valid and if practised will reduce the chances of getting sick tenfold!!

A course of probiotics probably contains more and may be mroe effective.

My homeopath recommends eating local yoghurt every day while there.

I also took some pro-biotic acidophilus tablets (2 a day through the course of my last trip) and didn't get sick at all. In the US they are readily available in health food stores (the brand I bought is called "PB8"). A friend who's been to India every year for the past 10 years swears by them as well. Good prevention goes a long way...

I've been researching this "getting sick" business very carefully for my next trip, in November, as I was very sick last time. (See the message thread "defensive antibiotic use.") I just found on the U.S. CDC website the following:

"Studies show a decrease in the incidence of travelers diarrhea with use of bismuth subsalicylate and with use of antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis. Several studies show that bismuth subsalicylate taken as either 2 tablets 4 times daily or 2 fluid ounces 4 times daily reduces the incidence of travelers' diarrhea." Any thoughts on this? That bisbmuth stuff is, I believe, Pepto-Bismal. I don't know what is meant by "antimicrobial chemoprophylaxis." Sounds nasty.