go or no go?

[greysangel]

Ok here's the skinny:

Last week I had this stomach bug that I wasn't sure if it was viral or food poisining. It lasted about 30 hours and was gone without a trace.

Well the symptoms and problems (severe stomach pain, diarhea, nausea) have come back as of the night before last. It wasn't too bad at work yesterday and then last night was dreadful. Today I haven't had any bathroom encounters (but I haven't eaten anything either), but my stomach is still quite sore and painful.

Do I go to the doctor when I feel he will probably just tell me to not eat anything for 24 hours?

Or do I just take it easy and hope it passes?

:(

[swquilts]

Poor girl! I'd go just to make sure. I'm betting on a bug of some sort.

Have you eaten anything out of the ordinary last week and last night? The same block of cheese, milk, fish, anything that gets funky after a bit?

I know you eat a very "good for you" plan. Did you perhaps eat a bit more fat than usual? The only reason I ask is because if I overdo the fat sometimes I get the same reaction.

Have you been anywhere different? The forest, mountains? Drank water from a slightly questionable source? Giardia (sp?) has the same symptoms that you mentioned.

Hope you feel better soon!! :( :)

[greysangel]

I eat pretty similarly most days and my fat is around 20%...I did indulge in a bbq burger and slice of CL cheesecake on sunday, but felt fine on Monday. Last week I blamed canned salmon, but both days that triggered something ..the only thing I ate that was the same was roman/cranberry beans on my salad. I had made them in my crockpot and had them in individual baggies in my fridge. I would think it's viral except DH has had no problems at all.

I think I'm just being a big wuss.
:(

JeAnne

[linsleyd]

I didn't vote, but Dh has had this bug for about two weeks. The first week was diarhea, vomiting, etc. The second week he has felt mildly better but he still had the stomach pains and off and on diarhea. He went to the doctor and the doctor just gave him stuff for nausea and said if the fever continued then to come back.

I really just think its a bad bug. Just try to take care of yourself and take it easy. Unless it's really eating at you then I would go to the doctor for peace of mind, but I really think you'll be fine soon!

[lorilei]

I realize there are flu bugs going around. And I'm not a person who runs to the doctor at the drop of a hat. So, I'm not throwing in a dissenting opinion to cause unnecessary worry. But I do think you should monitor your symptoms.

My father had a similar bout of "food poisoning" type symptoms about three months back. The symptoms disappeared for a few days and then returned, worse than before. Turns out it was diverticulitis. The doctor simply ran him through a round of antibiotics, and all was solved. But if he hadn't gone in, he would've been in pain for far longer than necessary.

So - my vote is, it wouldn't hurt to go into the doctor...

[wallycat]

I am a big wuss, not to mention a HUGE worrier...
if it were me, I'd wait no more than another week...if you can stand it and are not getting dehydrated.
After that, I'd go see what it was if it's still there.
Flu and virus can last a bit....and there's the chance to reinfect yourself, though rare.

I recall one summer years and years ago that i had cramping like that that lasted upwards of 2 weeks...I did go to the doc after the 2nd week and for me, at that time, there was nothing they did. They told me irritable bowel...turns out there was a virus going around that year and I happened to luck out getting it :rolleyes:

editing to say, 8 or so years ago, DH would get horrible tummy issues in july and I never caught it...so it's possible one gets it and another is immune to what is going around.

[greysangel]

I made an appointment for today :) I dont know about dehydrated, but I'm exhausted from being up two nights in a row and my stomach is really hurting. Of course it doesn't stop me from craving every bad comfort food on the planet in an attempt to "medicate" :rolleyes:

Thank everyone. I'm sure the doctor will just tell me to eat plain chicken and rice, but I guess that's what insurance is for. I was just having anxiety this morning that I would never be able to work out again and that I had stomach cancer or something :o

j

[sharon]

You might want to ask your doctor if it could be your gallbladder. The symptoms vary from person to person. Speaking as the voice of experience, my brother and I had completely different symptoms and both of us would up having gallstones. His symptoms sound like yours. He kept telling me he had the "flue." I had two doctors (including a GI doc) diagnose me as having something completely unrelated to my gallbladde.:rolleyes: My brother and I both had ours out in April and neither of us has ever had another symptoms. Just a thought

[greysangel]

heee hee had my gallbladder out so that's not it :D

Doc thinks it's guiardia so 2 points to Susan! Results should be back soon and I already have perscription for antibiotics so I can get it filled and not have to go back to the doc.

If it was a one time deal, I wouldn't have gone. What troubled me was having it last week and it coming back again :(

J

[slknight]

Originally posted by greysangel


Doc thinks it's guiardia so 2 points to Susan!

Giardia! Holy crap (no pun intended).:rolleyes: :p When did you drink untreated water?

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[linsleyd]

My interest is piqued, how the heck do you get giardia without drinking untreated water?

Or have you?

Let us know what the results are, that's just strange! But hopefully you'll feel better!

[greysangel]

I have no idea. The doc said that's what the symptoms sound like but he wanted to wait til the lab results came back. He said that it could have been passed through food or through water ...even city water :( He also said I could have been carrying it for awhile and now it's been aggravated by something else or the symptoms have gotten worse. Because the symptoms can be mild, most people go untreated. I have definitely had toilet troubles from being heavy, then having gallbladder removed so it's hard to tell because I've never really been a "regular" sort of gal. However I haven't experienced what I've gone through this past week either :o I do drink a lot of water...I would say 100+ oz a day at least comes from a water cooler which is cooled building water, not Poland Springs.

Now I guess I have to think twice? :confused:

J

ps I did drink well water when I was in RI in June for four days, but isnt well water treated?

[LaraW]

Just curious - was any of your city water affected by the blackout a couple of weeks ago?

Glad you went to see the dr. and are feeling better!

[greysangel]

huh ...very interesting Lara! Not that I heard anyway :confused: The only thing I heard about was people having food poisoning from restaurants and grocery stores selling questionable food which is why DH and waited to shop.

J

[Luiza]

You can get giardia from unwashed or improperly washed raw fruits and vegetables. That's how I got it when I was little. The doctors almost took my appendix out, but fortunately they figured out what it was and gave me antibiotics instead.

Actually, it was quite a funny story. Some friends were insisting that the tiny black "fruits" of a hedge bush were poisonous, and I ate a couple to prove to them they weren't. It's true, the fruits weren't poisonous, but they were unwashed :rolleyes:

[jmarie]

We used to have well water, when we rented. Well water is not treated. That very well may have been the source of your problem.
But regardless...glad you went to the doctor. you pain was persisting longer than it should have.

I got sick with a 'stomach bug' once and tried to ride it out....When I started bleeding from the bowels, went and found out I had severe food poisoning. Antibiotics cleared it up, but wouldn't want to revisit that again!

Glad you're going to be ok!
Joyce

[wallycat]

Post back and let us know the results.
Did they give you antibiotics or anything??

Hope you're feeling better soon.

((((((((Jeanne)))))))))

[rmg_CA]

I got food poisoning (salmonella as it turns out!) about a month ago and ended up calling the Board of Health for our county to tell them about the restaurant where I had eaten. The inspector that I talked to was very helpful and told me a few things I didn’t even realize:

When your drink comes with a straw already in it, your server could have handled it and passed on bacteria on the straw that can make you sick.

When they scoop ice into a glass for a soda or iced tea, the scoop (which is usually stored outside the ice machine and handled by many) and the person scooping can pass bacteria on that can make you sick.

If your server handles your plates, they also touch and handle money and sometimes shake customer’s hands without washing their hands every time before delivering your food to you. If they’re touching your plate, they can pass on bacteria to you.

Vinegar based dressings are best when you eat out, less likely to grow bacteria.

Wash your hands before you eat and use a paper towel to open the door to the bathroom. Though you may have washed up at home, if you handled the doorknob to the restaurant or put your hands down on the bench where you’re waiting and then eat finger foods, you could be passing on bacteria to yourself.

They said there’s no such thing as a “stomach bug” or “24-hour stomach flu”; those things are usually food allergies or food-borne illnesses!

It makes me surprised that we aren’t upchucking on a regular basis from food poisoning. Just some things to think about. Though I try not to be germ-phobic, I do now look for straws in wrappers!
:D

[eas11]

My son had guiardia when he was about 6- it was miserable...for both of us!
It is a reportable illness, so we got a call from the health dept, who wanted to know where he had eaten for several days before he became ill. It is passed often through food handlers, they said. They also asked if he was in camp, because it is commonly passed around through food/drink and I THINK I remember them asking about anywhere he had been swimming.

I hope you're feeling better soon, Jeanne.

Ellyn

[Beth]

I think that's what my mom had after one of those duck races where they float rubber duckies down the stream for charity. She was helping collect ducks at the end of the race and got a splatter of water on her face. It was either that splatter or someone with unwashed hands handling cake later, but we don't know of anyone else who got sick, so the guess was the splash. Whatever she had, it was a very resistant form. Hope whetever you got clears up quickly.

[KimKelly]

My dad had giardia last summer. They believe that he got it from being in the lake near where they live. It's a small lake, not much circulation and has ducks sometimes. He, my niece, my sister and her husband all had it. They didn't head to the doctor very quickly so they felt the symptoms for a few weeks. Once they got medicated they felt better withing 24 hours. Hope the same works for you.

Kim

[greysangel]

hey everyone :)

You all are so sweet and thanks so much for the info and well wishes! I did get antibiotics which I started last night and thankfully I got a full night's sleep..WOO HOO :D I'm still a little queasy/headachey but not as much throbbing belly pain or bathroom troubles. I was told to avoid dairy and eat light. The antibiotic has this nasty metallic aftertaste though so I'll be glad when the week is up. Because of the long incubation time, it could have been a lot of things I guess but I am glad I got it checked out and hopefully will be back in the gym tomorrow!

JeAnne

[swquilts]

Yayyy!! I'm glad you went to the doc and got something. The daughter of a friend of mine got giardia from the local water park, so you can get it anywhere.

Take care! :)

[sherileeaz]

Glad you posted this. I'm new to hiking and they warn about that, but I had no idea there are other ways to get it.

Glad things are better.

[SusanL]

Glad you finally got a good night's sleep. You have really been through the mill, here's to cooler weather and good health!
I voted GO!!!!!