Ever Got Food Poisoning?

Discussion in Food & Drink started by ExpertAdvice • Sep 17, 2014.

  1. ExpertAdvice

    ExpertAdviceActive Member

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    Have you ever suffered from food poisoning? Or do you know of someone who suffered from food poisoning?

    It actually affects millions of US citizens annually, and occurs when food contains a toxin, harmful chemical or infectious agent. It usually leads to a variety of symptoms, including: vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

    This condition usually passes on its own, but cases have been reported whereby persons have died because of it.


    Do you know anyone who has ever suffered badly because of food poisoning? What did they do to recover?

    Let me know please!
     
  2. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I had gastroenteritis while trekking in Nepal. It's common for people to get food poisoning and bugs so you have to be careful not to use the water to brush your teeth or swallow any in the shower, or any ice in drinks. Most places say they use distilled water for ice cubes, but it's not worth the risk. Also be careful of salads or fruit that have been rinsed as that is often how people get food poisoning.

    The only way is rehydration salts, plenty of rest and to stay close to a toilet. Mine was severe and I had a temperature and couldn't eat for weeks. Prevention is better than cure, so always check the cutlery or how the food was prepared.
     
  3. Nickchick

    NickchickWell-Known Member

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    I don't think I ever have. I've gotten sick from bad shrimp and soup before. Also I will never eat at Taco Bell again because I got sick but it was probably not food poisoning because my mom ate from there at the same time and was fine.
     
  4. JessiFox

    JessiFoxActive Member

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    I have a few times throughout my life, usually it's nothing major but one in particular (which linking it back was probably seafood related) lasted for 4-5 days...very intense, I had a lot of trouble staying hydrated because of it and honestly if it were any worse I would have probably gone to a hospital for help with that in particular. I just tried to drink a lot of water and gatorade when I could keep anything down, to at least have some hydration and electrolytes coming in. I rested a fair amount, too. As you said, the majority of the time it passes on it's own, it's just supportive measures while you're having symptoms.
     
  5. JoshPosh

    JoshPoshBanned

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    I've gotten it several times. I'm a pro at it. First, I start getting what my friends call the bubble guts. It feels like you're bloated, like bubbles in your stomach. Then comes the diarrhea and vomiting. I usually take pain relievers and stool hardener, to make it bearable. Lots of water and more meds until it clears up. That's the way I take care of it.
     
  6. Frogurt

    FrogurtMember

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    Only once and I hope to never again. I had booked a tour and had to miss it as I was so sick. It was terrible and nearly ruined the whole holiday which was suppose to be nice and relaxing. Never been that sick before and hope I am never that sick ever again.
     
  7. Amanda K

    Amanda KActive Member

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    I've had it twice. Once from a chain steakhouse that is now out of business, and another time from a local Chinese restaurant. It's certainly memorable. Before I had actual food poisoning, I was suspicious I had it before. That was just too much grease or sugar or something mild. You KNOW when you have food poisoning.
     
  8. ohiotom76

    ohiotom76Well-Known Member

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    Yes, my family ordered pizza from a local pizza joint and apparently it was contaminated with something bad, because they all got intensely sick from it. It got so bad that they literally spent several hours straight fighting for the bathrooms and all had buckets near their beds because they couldn't stop throwing up.

    I was working really late at the time, so I didn't get home until 2am. You would think they would have the common sense to throw out the remaining pizza knowing damn well they all just got seriously sick off of it, but they didn't. They left the rest of it in the fridge. My being oblivious to what had happened earlier since I was at work, and by this time they were all asleep - I ate a few slices. Not much long afterwards I got up out of bed not feeling well at all, and that's when it began for me as well. I was literally filling up waste baskets with vomit because I couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. I pretty much had to stay in the bathroom for a few hours because as soon as it would stop it would start all up again.

    Never in my life have I thrown up (and otherwise) so much at once. It was literally like Linda Blair in the Excorcist, lol. At one point I was thinking to myself, there can't possibly be anything left in my system to throw up.

    We were going to call and complain, but the pizza place was owned by a old friend of mine's family and we figured if our pizza was bad then they probably got many other nasty calls from other customers as well already, so we let it be.
     
  9. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    Fortunately, I have very rarely experienced food poisoning in my life. It's probably because I prepare most of my food at home, and only ever eat at restaurants that I know have an excellent reputation. Also, the fact that I am a vegetarian reduces the risk of getting poisoning from meat or eggs. Usually, if I detect the slightest strange taste in food, I will put it aside. It's better to be safe than sorry.
     
  10. Denis Hard

    Denis HardWell-Known Member

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    I got food poisoning once. At that time I was youngish and impulsive. I was visiting my grandparents and they had some berries growing in a garden in their backyard. They weren't home when we got there and I decided to help myself to some of the berries. I didn't know they'd been sprayed with pesticide earlier in the day. A little while after I'd eaten them berries, I got a severe headache. It took two days to recover fully from that poisoning. The myth that pesticides can't cause food poisoning, I know from experience, is false.
     
  11. beccagreen

    beccagreenActive Member

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    I don't think it's food poising that happened to me but more of an upset stomach caused by the food (which I think is the same). I ate this piece of pie my aunt brought home when I was a kid and after a few hours I started to vomit and got sick for a few days.
     
  12. pennylane

    pennylaneActive Member

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    I've gotten mild cases a few times but nothing serious since I was a teenager. Food poisoning makes you absolutely miserable. I was on my couch out for a few days. I got it from eating a bad burger. It's important to keep drinking fluids and staying hydrated when you're sick from it. Dehydration will only magnify your other issues.
     
  13. Thejamal

    ThejamalActive Member

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    Yes a few times in my life. And unfortunately, there's nothing you can really do other than trying to stay hydrated and let your system reboot itself. If it does get too bad, then you should see a doctor or go to the hospital obviously. But I don't think there's anything you can really do other than the common, get sleep, drink a ton of fluids, and try not to get sick again!
     
  14. insertkittyface

    insertkittyfaceActive Member

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    I had it really bad a few years ago, and it was one of the worst experiences of my life.. My entire family had gotten it and I think we all just waited it off, slept and tried to relax the best we could. I also had it not to long ago when me and my boyfriend went and got food from somewhere, we both ended up getting it but thankfully, it wasn't overly terrible.
     
  15. ExpertAdvice

    ExpertAdviceActive Member

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    Wow, so sorry that you had to experience gastro, but thanks for the tips you were able to garner from that experience!
    I'll be sure to check the water, and really investigate the food preparation practices of these new cultures that I tend to venture into.
    I basically imagined the definite need for a toilet, so thanks for confirming that for me, but I never really heard of the rehydration salts, that sounds really helpful and relevant! How did you bulk back up on food? Because although you "couldn't eat", how did your system handle it?
     
  16. ExpertAdvice

    ExpertAdviceActive Member

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    Wow, you really do sound like you're a "pro" at it! These solutions sound great and practical. Didn't really know about the "stool hardener" one, but will apply it in case it happens again to me. I agree that water is a definite "yes", along with pain relievers and other non-harmful meds.
    Nice breakdown of the symptoms as well: I never got "officially diagnosed", but I remember symptoms like these, and I felt really faint, and my entire family had these symptoms at the same time, and this, after we had eaten Chinese at a particular restaurant the night before.
     
  17. ExpertAdvice

    ExpertAdviceActive Member

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    Really sorry to hear that you were that sick man, and I join you in hoping that it never happens to you or anyone you know, again.
    The recurring and proven steps that "work", seem to be getting a lot of rest, drinking a lot of water, and taking trusted and non-harmful pain-relievers. I personally tend to stock up on Panadol Multisymptom, and just a single dose of that does the trick when I'm in extreme pain, or have a severe headache-related illness.
    Stay away from the harmful or "questionable" water, as well as stay aware of the food prep practices of the different food chains you visit, and cook your own food thoroughly.
    Stay healthy man!
     
  18. ExpertAdvice

    ExpertAdviceActive Member

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    Wow! This surely is intense! Man! What a whirlwind of ups and downs with this one!
    Sorry your family had to experience that, and then that you yourself, had to come and fall victim to the same thing. I wish one of them would have given you an "emergency call" so that you could have possibly sought help, or at least have known what you were to avoid. It was just like a "tragedy of errors" man, the fact that they fell asleep by the time you can, wow.
    But, I'm glad that you were strong enough to live through it, and that you didn't let it make you bitter; I mean, at the end of the day, love 'em or hate 'em, family is family, mistakes and all. In fact, that's what makes them so darn lovable.
    It sounds like you've managed to forgive them, so more power to you! And investigate everything when it comes to food and its preparation, from now on!