CKA1

Hi,

I have a fairly common problem. If I'm somewhere where the food is so alien that I can't eat it, I occasionally have digestive issues. I don't have any food related medical issues such as being a celiac or allergic to wheat or sugar, but I have sensitivity to certain foods, such as oysters and unpasteurized cheese.

Are there any options other than Immodium, ginger ale and maybe mint tea for dealing with digestive issues. Liquor is not an option and I'm not interested in prescription medications. I find with Immodium, to relieve symptoms I often take 2-3x the recommended dose, which is not safe medically.

Call it Bali belly, Montazuma's Revenge, whatever, how do you deal with such a problem? Are there options which I'm not thinking of. I typically buy a box of 24 or 36 Immodium tablets before I go anywhere, but I don't think chemically stopping my body from passing toxins through my systems is a good idea. It just doesn't make sense that to rid the body of toxins, you shut down the natural processes where they are removed from the body.

I have a family member who's a nurse. She says that if you take Immodium, you need to drink lots of water. Literally liters. If you can't do that, you will get even sicker and you will not quickly recover.

What do you use to prevent food and drink related discomfort? I'm not talking about drinking too much, I'm talking about eating local food and getting sick. I hate being in class or at a social event and having to leave for the toilet every few minutes.

Chuck

MSPeconomist

Prevention: PeptoBismal and be very careful, including brushing teeth with bottled water.

Treatment: In addition to Immodium, there's Lomital. I've been told to drink Coke which seems to calm my stomach and help nausea.

pingvuiini

I got diarrhea right away upon arrival in Lima. I was able to get ciprofloxacin pills for cheap at a pharmacy right across the street from my hotel and it eliminated the condition for the rest the trip. You mentioned you are not interested in prescription medications, so be advised that cipro doesn't require a prescription in Peru but is required in the USA. Prescription requirements may vary from country to country.

chollie

OP, you might want to try dried coconut for diarrhea. It isn't harsh on your system, don't have to drink a ton of water, and in one instance, it worked for someone who had been taking immodium for 4 days with no luck.

It isn't quite as convenient to carry, but coconut macaroons (also called 'haystacks' in some places) will also work - the key is the dried coconut.

Note: I have no idea if coconut water works. Aside from the fact I can't stand the stuff, it wouldn't be practical to travel with.

Google for more information.

STBCypriot

Yogurt is always good for maintaining the "good" bacteria in your digestive system.

LAXlocal

I buy generic Immodium at Walmart , and try and be careful what I eat ,

drink bottled water and eat simple things like bread and cookies until you are feeling better ,
I am not a "Foodie" so eatin simple things does not bother me,

When I was in the Czech Republic I would get sick all the time when eating at peoples homes , I think it was the butter or oil they used in cooking but can never be sure ,

Then there is canned soup etc from the store , probably safe to eat most places

CDTraveler

For those lucky enough to be unfamiliar with cipro, it is a very strong antibiotic with a large number of serious side effects and drug and food interactions. The interactions include caffeine and many OTC stomach remedies. It also makes you much more sensitive to the sun and prone to sunburn.

My experience with it is that is caused serious balance problems so bad that I had a number of falls, including one that resulted in a broken bone, and the balance problems lasted more than 6 months. I couldn't even drive while I was taking the stuff. While I had a severe reaction to it, such reactions are not rare according to the doctors and pharmacists I consulted. YMMV.

FlyMeToTheLooneyBin

I suppose you could try yogurt or any OTC probiotics to add to your good bacteria before assaulting your gut with foreign food.

pingvuiini

Wow! I wasn't aware of this. I got some pills at the Rx just based off of the recommendation of my friend who already had some through a prescription before the trip. Looking back, the only side effect that I seemed to have from the ones you mentioned was sunburn, but then again I was in Peru which is much closer to the equator and the sun be beating straight down on me. It's a good thing I didn't suffer any balance problems because I went on the famously treacherous hike up Huanya Picchu mountain next to Machu Picchu and that side effect could have been very problematic. But I did make it up the mountain and the texture of my fæces returned to normal, so all is good.

Beven12S

Gawd, the amount of misinformation in this single thread is incredible!

Fredrik74

It would be helpful if you could specify what's wrong.

CDTraveler

And your credentials for saying that are????

rpbrax

My favorite are pepto bismol pills. Very easy to travel with, though you do have to drink water with them. It saved my butt (literally) when I was too adventurous in Turkey.

I've also found that I can find a pretty basic version of bread or plain rice everywhere I go. If I'm starting to feel icky, then I'll stick to that. Tortillas, pita, naan, etc.

CosmosHuman

Imodium works for me. I'm also lactose intolerant and carry the Costco branded pills. On top of that I have Type II diabetes. The trifecta. I just watch what I eat and I stay hydrated.

DrSavant

I would second a part of this statement - specifically Immodium.

Years ago, I got very sick in East Africa, and had to get medical assistance. When a local physician entered my room and saw Immodium on my nightstand, he jumped as if he saw a venomous snake, and pretty much yelled "DID YOU TAKE IT?!".

I was in a pretty bad shape, but I jumped too I said I actually didn't (I really didn't).

He told me, that Immodium is a very dangerous medication for many cases, such as bacterial gastroenteritis and its varieties. Since Immodium actually stops diarrhea, it leaves all this nasty stuff inside you, brewing further.

When you have diarrhea, you obviously have no way of knowing what is actually happening with you, so therein lies the danger.

He prescribed me an unfamiliar antibiotic, which I was a bit freaked out about taking, so I called my uncle, who is an epidemiologist.

My uncle told me, that if a physician in a foreign country prescribes you with antibiotics, in a situation such as mine, you better take them, as they mostly know better.

Ever since, I've developed a very particular set of rules - no seafood (except safe places), meat only well done, no vegetables (as apparently it was vegetables that did it to me in the first place).

I broke my rule only once, and ate smoked swordfish, at the Kempinski in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Lo and behold - had the runs for 4 days afterwards.