My wife and Pepto-Bismol

hfot2 · Jun 16th, 2005, 04:10

My wife lies: I never eat food picked up out of the gutter – at least not without dusting it off first. Otherwise her note, quoted below from another thread, warrants its own thread. After years of coping ex post facto with disrupted bowels, using Immodium (and the anitbiotic Levaquin when things got really bad), we have followed our pharmacist's advice and tried Pepto-Bismol chewable tablets pre post facto (as it were) at the first inkling of upset. It works.

Quote:

Beat Bad Belly
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Though I am a good girl and never eat bad food and (almost) never get sick, my husband tends to eat anything not actually moving, and he always gets sick. EXCEPT ON OUR RECENT TRIP TO INDIA. How come? Our local (USA) pharmacist recommended we take Pepto-Bismol at the very first hint of a nervous belly. Pepto-Bismol is available in tablet form, very convenient for travelers. We in fact used the generic substitute ("pink bismuth tablets" – bismuth subsalicylate 262 mg) available at our local supermarket. Apart from its giving us blackened tongues (as the package warns – something to do with the bismuth), it prevented our getting bad belly or bowel anywhere during our six weeks in India. This is a first for us in many years of travel. (Of course this time I actually managed to prevent my husband from eating food he'd picked up out of the gutter.)

LindaK · Jun 16th, 2005, 04:20

On a 17-day trip to Nepal a few years back, my husband and I chewed 2 Pepto-Bismals twice a day. Neither of us got sick, and I always get sick on a trip to Asia or Africa!
We'll be in India for a much longer trip (7 weeks) starting in January, so I will not use them daily. I'll only use them at the first sign of 'bad belly'.

crvlvr · Jun 16th, 2005, 04:48

Pepto-Bismol contains Bismuth that kills the bacteria. But, given that the human digestive process depends on bacteria, I wonder what harm pepto-bismol causes to the body.

dbasss · Jun 16th, 2005, 08:20

Can you get Pepto-Bismol in India?

xairoise · Jun 16th, 2005, 08:25

talking about good/bad bacteria... would drinking lactobaccilus (cultured milk) fend off at least some signs of delhi belly? ...I'm kinda worried that bismuth would kill the good bacteria that helps digest milk.. (my stomach gets upset if i drink too much milk. my max intake of fresh milk if 250ml ...)... my worry is if i take pepto bismol, maybe I might get in to trouble once i start eating diary products.

SitaParityaga · Jun 16th, 2005, 08:27

I also subscribe to the pepto bismol method. I chew one or two a day while in India. 5 trips and no problems... yet....I have been disciplined in the past...now, every trip I find myself edging closer to the street food.

jjacquemain · Jun 16th, 2005, 11:06

I had bismuth with on my trip....I wasn't there long, however, I never got sick and I took it whenever I felt "strange" Don't know if it works but I surely don't know it doesn't...........Wish I could tell you if it was a sure thing.

edwardseco · Jun 16th, 2005, 14:05

There is research that indicates that liquid Pepto coats the stomach lining and thus prevents common GIV in travellers. I doubt it kills anything at all. However, it does supplement your calcium intake..

wonderwomanusa · Jun 17th, 2005, 10:14

As I cannot take aspirin, I was told not to take Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate -- some relative of aspirin). Otherwise, it's a good thing to have along.

dbasss · Jun 18th, 2005, 05:57

I'm on my way to Mumbai from New Zealand and wanted to know if you can get Pepto-Bismol or Bismuth in India as they dont have it here. Didnt know about the Pepto-Bismol technique before I left the states.

crvlvr · Jun 18th, 2005, 06:07

More on Pepto-Bismol:

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/h...100002038.html
http://my.webmd.com/drugs/mono-9025-...ICYLATE+-+ORAL

edwardseco · Jun 18th, 2005, 06:36

I must correct myself. It does kill bacteria according to the first report. Interesting, I should try this regimine when I am churning acid. But bad for tetracycline. Is Doxy in that group.?

edwardseco · Jun 18th, 2005, 06:37

Google is so good. My question is answered affirmatively on the first hit..

indiamike · Sep 10th, 2005, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by hfot2

we have followed our pharmacist's advice and tried Pepto-Bismol chewable tablets pre post facto (as it were) at the first inkling of upset. It works.

I agree and swear by this method. The little Pink Tablets should always be in your pack. Of course if you like the minty taste like I do it makes it a bonus snack in the daytime.

Mike

shanthi · Sep 10th, 2005, 22:23

New hairdo Mike?

Jun 16th, 2005, 08:20	#4
dbasss Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: California Posts: 23	Pepto-Bismol Can you get Pepto-Bismol in India?

Jun 16th, 2005, 08:25	#5
xairoise artisan Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: manila, philippines Posts: 49	talking about good/bad bacteria... would drinking lactobaccilus (cultured milk) fend off at least some signs of delhi belly? ...I'm kinda worried that bismuth would kill the good bacteria that helps digest milk.. (my stomach gets upset if i drink too much milk. my max intake of fresh milk if 250ml ...)... my worry is if i take pepto bismol, maybe I might get in to trouble once i start eating diary products. __________________ nothing... just looking ...

Jun 16th, 2005, 11:06	#7
jjacquemain Nothing is illegal until you get caught~ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio USA Posts: 533	I had bismuth with on my trip....I wasn't there long, however, I never got sick and I took it whenever I felt "strange" Don't know if it works but I surely don't know it doesn't...........Wish I could tell you if it was a sure thing. __________________ There is no defense against chaos~

Jun 18th, 2005, 05:57	#10
dbasss Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: California Posts: 23	pepto-bismol I'm on my way to Mumbai from New Zealand and wanted to know if you can get Pepto-Bismol or Bismuth in India as they dont have it here. Didnt know about the Pepto-Bismol technique before I left the states.

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Jun 16th, 2005, 04:20	#2
LindaK Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 132	On a 17-day trip to Nepal a few years back, my husband and I chewed 2 Pepto-Bismals twice a day. Neither of us got sick, and I always get sick on a trip to Asia or Africa! We'll be in India for a much longer trip (7 weeks) starting in January, so I will not use them daily. I'll only use them at the first sign of 'bad belly'.

Jun 16th, 2005, 04:48	#3
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,498	Pepto-Bismol contains Bismuth that kills the bacteria. But, given that the human digestive process depends on bacteria, I wonder what harm pepto-bismol causes to the body.

Jun 16th, 2005, 08:27	#6
SitaParityaga member in the forest Join Date: May 2003 Location: California Posts: 908	I also subscribe to the pepto bismol method. I chew one or two a day while in India. 5 trips and no problems... yet....I have been disciplined in the past...now, every trip I find myself edging closer to the street food.

Jun 16th, 2005, 14:05	#8
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,142	There is research that indicates that liquid Pepto coats the stomach lining and thus prevents common GIV in travellers. I doubt it kills anything at all. However, it does supplement your calcium intake..

Jun 17th, 2005, 10:14	#9
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Dhaka Posts: 3,567	As I cannot take aspirin, I was told not to take Pepto-Bismol (bismuth subsalicylate -- some relative of aspirin). Otherwise, it's a good thing to have along.

Jun 18th, 2005, 06:07	#11
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,498	More on Pepto-Bismol: http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/h...100002038.html http://my.webmd.com/drugs/mono-9025-...ICYLATE+-+ORAL

Jun 18th, 2005, 06:36	#12
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,142	I must correct myself. It does kill bacteria according to the first report. Interesting, I should try this regimine when I am churning acid. But bad for tetracycline. Is Doxy in that group.?

Jun 18th, 2005, 06:37	#13
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 4,142	Google is so good. My question is answered affirmatively on the first hit..

Sep 10th, 2005, 22:23	#15
shanthi Account closed on user's request Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: South India Posts: 785	New hairdo Mike?

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