for the expats in india: Early Health Problems?

Stephen Jones

Funnily enough the only country I have never had traveler's diarrhea in is India. I even got it going back to the UK.

Aishah

Rarely did I have and still do have stomach problems in India. Which makes me laugh because a few days back I was up in the middle of the night nauseated and vomiting with a 24 hour 'thing' here in New Zealand! Where it came from is a mystery.. Got over it spontaneously without medication.
However, malaria has struck me 4 times (including falciparum type), also rheumatic fever. Still, I consider myself more healthy in India than back in Oz or NZ where I tend to start developing skin rashes from non-organic or processed foods.
Haven't had malaria for 4 years now... will keep fingers crossed and keep eating the marmite which I reckon keeps the mozzies at bay ( probably only an old wive's tale!)

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"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Nick-H

Marmite! Hah! Might try that one, although I have tried garlic, vitemin B, etc etc, all to no avail

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

AprilFlower

After about a year and a half of living here I got dysentery although it took me several weeks to actually figure out what was wrong. Happily during the big flood when the whole 1st floor of the house was under water I was the only healthy one in the house:-) Also got sick when I went to visit some family in a rather small city and I thought they had given me bottled/boiled water and it was actually 2 week old well water (they don't get water in that region often). I've also had one viral fever that lasted a few days. That covers the past 3 years. Occasionally, I get a little "loose motion" or queasy stomach but generally I know exactly what causes it ie too much oil or spice in some food I ate.

waving monkey

Why do I hear americans speaking of long stays in India wearing
down their health?

edwardseco

My experience was more like Nick's. For long stays my health was excellent despite a mild flu, sinus infection, and a blessed bacillary (for obscure reasons). It was a shorter visit that I ran amiss with a serious illness..

MonkeyQueen

i've been here in noida 8 days & im constantly having some mild problems... but they're mostly the same wherever i travel & before it was only europe, now i got a cold from the air cooler

so far no scary illness unless you count a bad reaction to the spicy breakfast we had yesterday i usually cook with indian spices & enjoy them but my bf brought some street food & it was STRONG

bianca_mihaela

Nick is right here. I think an easy way to keep a lil safer is cleaning water tank once every few months and also drinking purified water- home filter.
my experience regarding health in india is bad only recently. first when i came only a lil bit of stomach troubles- but im sure it was the spicy food (i remember my hubby ordered dosa in delhi haat and my first bite was- wow i thought i would choke and drop dead). anyway, second time i came here i had a nasty nasty urinal infection- cause of water- that happened 2 weeks after i arrived. it lasted quite a long time and it was damn painful painful. then about 2 months later i got very bad cramps and ended up seing the doc since the pain would not go with normal home remedy. doc said could be water or indian food. Now again im here for 3 and half months- i got my urinal infection right 10-14 days after arrival, and about a week ago the same cramps have started. i dont know what it is but it sucks. I hope it is not the water though because i cant figure what else to do with it- it is already purified and all.
hope others have better experience ...