How long is too long for a tummy bug?

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

I'm on day 5 of a terrible bug. D&V, cramps, nausea, headaches and muscle aches. Can't keep anything in. I've been to the pharmacy for advice but Imodium and Pepto something (forgot the full name) are not helping. I'm taking rehydration sachets.

When do I seek further medical advice? I thought this would be over by now. I'm struggling looking after two small children...

Thanks

[WreckTangled]

I would call 111 for advice that does sound like an awfully long time and you might need fluids. I work in a Drs surgery and we have people phone up to see a GP after just one day

[BlueUggs]

If you ring 111 they'll send you to A&E. Then A&E will be cross in case you're contagious. So, questions to consider....

1. Has anyone else in the family had this? Answers the contagious question.
2. Are you passing large amounts of blood either in vomit or poo or is the poo dark and very smelly or is the vomit like coffee grounds? If yes, go to A&E.
3. How long after drinking water are you vomiting? If it's 10+ minutes, your body will be absorbing some fluids.
4. Are you being fastidious with hand hygiene? Obvious question.
5. Are you passing urine? Is it very dark?
6. Does your skin stay pinched up when you pinch the skin on your forearm? Signs of dehydration.
7. Do you have a compromised immune system? If you do, you'll know this is important.

[WreckTangled]

I've never been sent to a&e via 111. Always get a call from a dr or nurse and ooh appt if needed

[SpaceDinosaur]

blue you are my spirit animal

"Fastidious with hand hygiene"

The other thing OP is are you properly cleaning your toilet, taps, flush after every episode?
Are you reusing hand towels? If you are perhaps boil the towels you have been using and use kitchen roll for a while.

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

Thanks all.

None of the rest of the family have caught this.

Very focused on hand washing / hygiene etc so I don't think that's the issue.

It's just a very horrible bug with the head aches and muscle aches in addition to the D&V. Fever for the first 2-3 days but that's gone now.

I think I'll see how I feel on Monday. Thankfully DH is being a star and has offered to look after the DC for most of today.

I do think I'm retaining some fluids do that's ok.

Maybe it's just taking longer to recover because it's been a full on week with little rest.

[BlueUggs]

Wrecktangled - you're very lucky!! As a health care professional, 111 made up more than half of calls I attended.......
Hope you feel better ASAP OP

[WreckTangled]

Blue do you think a lot of it depends on area?

[PollyPerky]

Please don't use Imodium for tummy bugs unless you have to travel or go out. The best thing to do is let it all come out and that means it's likely to be over faster. Imodium will just bung you up and your body can't get rid of the bugs.

One old remedy which may work is grated apple. Grate the apple, leave to stand till the juices run, then eat all of it. You may feel it will make you worse, but a dr told my mum this about 60 years ago or more, I've tried it and it did work.

As long as you are drinking something and keeping it down, you ought to be okay, then start on simple food like plain rice, toast, crackers etc.

[Cel982]

Diarrhoea can last 7-10 days, although vomiting usually settles sooner than that. It's good that your fever has settled. Drink and rest.

[mumofthemonsters808]

If it's gastroenteritus it really can last a while, Ds was six weeks with the damn thing and God was he poorly, he eventually ended up in hospital on a drip. Keep the fluids flowing and get well soon.

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

Yes, I'm pretty sure now that the Imodium was a mistake and made me worse - that's when the vomiting started.

Pretty rough day but I think there's light at the end of the tunnel. I skipped breakfast and lunch, but dinner of plain pasta seems to have gone ok. The rehydration sachets have helped too.

As a silver lining I'm a couple of kg closer to my target weight

[BlueUggs]

WreckTangled - yes, I'm sure it does.

[Dontfencemein]

Could you have food poisoning? IMHO you should go to the GP as soon as you can now.

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

Tummy bug still going strong . No more V but plenty of cramps and D after every attempt at a meal (sorry if TMI). None of the rest of the family is affected.

It's definitely at least in part stress-induced. Without going into detail one part of our life is quite stressful right now, and whenever DH and I start talking through that I'm running for the loo! But it has to be more than that I think. Food poisoning is possible.

Not sure what GP will do though. The only thing that slightly worried me is the D is dark red water (massively TMI), but that could be because I've been drinking ribena in an attempt to stay hydrated??

[Dontfencemein]

Please go to GP. They may want something grim like a stool sample but at least they can start the process of working out what's wrong with you and giving medication if necessary.

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

I've contacted the GP and the duty doctor will call me this afternoon (standard practice in our area).

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

It may indeed be salmonella food poisoning, or some other bacteria whose blame I have now forgotten.

So we are going down the 'provide a sample' route... Thank you everyone for your advice!

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

Blame?? Name!

[TooTweeOrNotTooTwee]

Still waiting for the GP results but still ill

I went a few days without D&V and just headache / nausea, but now I'm back to V and my body aches all over

I'm panicking about being pregnant but I'm on the pill so unlikely. It's just that 12 days feel a really long time.

Would 111 have access to my test results? I didn't get a chance to call the practice yesterday to check. But presumably they would phone me if it came back with something like salmonella??

Thanks all