[Guest]

Hi all! My two kids had the stomach flu on Friday, mainly vomiting, with a couple of episodes of D. Well, lucky me, woke up at 5:15 this morning with D like I can't remember having followed by the vomiting. This went on for hours, alternating between the two, with a few extra D episodes for good measure. I can't remember when I have been so sick! I tried for as long as I could to not take something for the D, because I figured I should just let my body rid of it on it's own. Finally, I was just worn out, only passing yellow water about 3 or 4 times, I gave in and took 3 immodium caplets.Since then, about 5 hours ago, I do feel better, haven't gone to the bathroom, but had a slight low grade fever.I'm relatively sure that this is just the flu because my kids had it, but I'm still afraid I have something worse than IBS! I did read that when IBSers get the flu, it is usually pretty horrendous. My back and side are very crampy, from all that wretching I guess. My husband tried to reassure me that it has to be a bug because it was in the house, but the kids were mainly vomiting with only a little D. I had so much of it! I let my imagination run wild and I get scared!I do have a question though - my stomach has been whining and rumbling since I took the immodium. Should I just ignore it or take another caplet?Thanks for listening!

 

[TERIO]

My opinion is just try and ride it out, I am sure it is the flu, we with IBS get all that alot worse than people without IBS. Just like when someone with IBS takes laxatives, I am down for 3 days (can't take those) and when I get the stomach flu (I am lucky and don't get it very often) I end up dehydrated and in the hospital with IV. So make sure you drink water and let the bug pass out. Call your doctor if your not sure, but he probably tell you just to make sure you drink watar. Good Luck Hey look at it this way (not the negative way) that you'll lose a few pounds from this!!! And don't let your mind run wild and think Oh my god my IBS is worse and I will be like this forever NO NO it is a bug! That's all! Take Care Terio

 

[tezbear]

I don't want to be a downer, but you should not have taken Immodium so soon. It sounded like a 24 hr bug and by taking the Immodium you could have just prolonged the bug from ridding itself from your body. I may be wrong, but next time it is best to ride it out. I've done that in the past and had "D" gone w/in 24 hrs...usually even less. I find that w/ the stomach flu I get RUNS worse than most people. It hits everyone differently...and some just throw up w/ no "D". It just depends as w/ any illness. If you get a low fever w/ vomiting/diarrhea, it is usually from dehydration. At least that is what the doc told me once.

 

[tezbear]

Do you take probiotics? If not, they are supposed to also be good in preventing bacteria in the colon, therefore helping you not be so prone to intestinal flus. They are also good for you right now since you colon probably is depleted of everything right now...good and bad bacteria. I hope you feel better....also, drink gatorade or kool-aid because you need the sugar now too for energy.

 

[tezbear]

terrific two...I also wanted to mention...I'm sure you do this but when you're taking care of your little ones while they're sick...keep washing your hands.. This has saved me many times from getting what they have. I have 3 kids (older now) but when they were toddlers, etc. washed my hands all the time when taking care of them. I totally understand what it's like when they're little and sick.. It's hard not to get run down yourself. Why do kids always wake up the mother...the husbands just sleep through it!!

 

[Guest]

Tezbear...excellent advice. The old saying about an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is surely true here. Hand washing and also keeping common surfaces clean and sprayed with disinfectant will often prevent the spread of all manner of ills that can go through a household or a workplace....That liquid disinfectant soap is great stuff. BTW, if you do feel something coming on, my wife and I keep some promethazine HCL (phenergan) in the medicine cabinet....it will often prevent or reduce any nausea and vomiting that might occur....the D part is best to leave alone unless it really gets severe or lasts too long....(dehydration).

 

[tezbear]

4williec....isn't the phenargen (sp?) prescription only?

 

[Guest]

Thank you all for answering my questions!I know, Tezbear, I thought about not taking it for that reason, but I just couldn't take it! Now I'm afraid I will have it longer! I do feel better, both physcially and mentally. You are all so helpful and I truely appreciate your input!Yes, I do take acidopholus. I took only one capsule today because I really didn't eat anything. I will try to take two or three tomorrow.My husband can sleep through a bomb! However, he was great today with the kids - breakfast, lunch & dinner, the park and a soccer party. I spent about 95% of the day in bed and wouldn't let the kids come near me. Now I just hope he doesn't get it!Thank you all again for your help. When you're sick, sometimes you need a little handholding (and with this flu, it is probably safest to do that via a BB!).

 

[tezbear]

terrifictwo...take 2-3 probiotics especially now while you're trying to gain more intestinal flora. It's okay to take w/out food as the bottle states it's better that way. I hope you're feeling better by now...

 

[Guest]

Tezbear...yes, Phenergan (Promethazine HCL) is an Rx drug....I have had it scripted for a long time for nausea connected with an ulcer and IBS....my Gastro doc says it is a great drug for my set of symptoms. It is also a mild antihistamine. I only take very small doses of it (1/4-1/2 of a tablet, works great, also provides hypnotic sleep)...my wife also has an Rx for it too...different reasons.

 

[Guest]

Hi Tezbear!Yes, thank you, I am feeling better. Took 2 acidopholus capsules today and will take another later.Flu symptoms are gone, but I have a lot of rumbling going on. I guess it is from the immodium (please see my post today "Immodium and Pain").Thanks again for your help! I really appreciate it!

 

[jane93]

I'm glad you are feeling better. I was wondering if its possible to tell the difference between food poisoning and flu like this? I'm pretty sure I had these severe symptoms once from food poisoning.

 

[tezbear]

terrifictwo....the rumbling is probably from all the "D' you had w/ your illness. I've had that and after I'm done having "D" my stomach/colon is VERY noisy! I think things are just getting back to normal and there's not much in there. Having diarrhea/runs does cause gas.RE: food poisoning vs. flu..It is hard to tell the difference. That is why it's hard to ever prove food poisoning unless everyone gets sick at the same time or close to it. Sometimes food poisoning can be more severe. Once I had something (the runs and nausea) and the color was whitish. The ER nurse told me it sounded like I had Salmonella poisoning. I wondered about that since the night before I had eaten chicken out at a restaurant. I had the runs all night..like water and it left me feeling drained, weak and dizzy. She said that sounded like food poisoning. Hope this helps you tell the difference... Sometimes we never know....