Acute gastroenteritis - dare I eat anything ? *title amended as per OP's request*

[Kedgeree]

DH and I are pinned down with norovirus. It's almost 12 hours since I last vomited, do you think I could dare eat something or am I risking starting it up again? I was thinking just a bit of kefir yogurt.

Diagnosed norovirus? What did Dr say?

I'm using that as shorthand so you all know I mean horrendous D&V. Acute gastroenteritis if you prefer. I'm not taking up GP time with that, all the advice is to self treat. A dx would take lab tests.

If you are feeling like you could eat then give it a go! All that will happen is you'll be sick again but having an appetite is a good sign!

Try to BRAT diet - bananas, rice, apple sauce (American - basically apple puree I think!) And toast. I had noro recently and my first meal was toast and half a banana. Then I had McDonald's chips!!!!

Yeah definitely don't need doctor advice

It’s not shorthand for that though.
Rice cakes or similar dried stuff is good.

I've reported my post @Wolfiefan to get the title changed.

Have you been able to keep down liquids ok? Hope you feel better soon OP. It’s awful to have proper D and V.

@wolfiefan

FFS why does it even matter? Norovirus is a brutal winter bug. If you've had nasty D&V in winter then you can assume it's Noro. Doesn't really matter a single bit if it is or isn't though. There's no different treatment for either.

I would avoid dairy for a good while yet. It’s always bad news after a gastro bug.

The BRAT diet has not been recommended for over 20 years. The advice now is to eat if you are hungry and eat what you want within reason. I would avoid dairy for a bit.

I would, because vomiting on an empty stomach can be really painful. Stick to toast, tea or whatever you find easy to eat under the circumstances.

Toast. Half a slice, With a tiny bit of marmite and then cut into tiny bits. And a cup of tea. Probably nothing else til tomorrow when you could have the other half.
Slightly joking but really don’t overdo it,

@Wolfiefan I've kept water down since the last vomit - during the night, no, even a few sips made me sick. I've got a lot of muscle aches and a headache. I'm going to try a rice cake.

I always find dry most likely to stay down. Couldn’t manage soup etc.

Once you have started to recover, you might benefit from some bacteria based yoghurts like Yakult or Activia.

I have Salmonella a few years back. Thought I was dying from the inside out. My GP sent off a sample, dx me and advised to eat little and often and suggested once feeling better I get some of the above to help rebalance my tum.

Also clear broth when you are feeling upto it - chicken noodle soup, bovril etc

Thanks everyone, it's just horrible. Can't remember the last time I was sick.

Poor you! I had it at the end of last year. The first thing I managed to keep down (other than water...eventually) was Quakers crisps. Not my idea, DP bought me a six-pack and I thought I'd try, on the basis nothing else had worked.

It’s awful OP. Had it a few weeks ago. My first attempt to eat was scrambled egg. I thought just something homely and non-spicy. Good god, I was wrong. I paid for it about 6 hours later and it was not pleasant!

The following day I managed to keep down mashed potatoes and baked beans.

I echo the ‘no dairy’ suggestions.

Hope you feel better soon.

I'm in agony with muscle spasms and a thumping headache now. When will it ever end.

I always have flat full sugar coke and toast as the first thing after a sick bug.

Try sipping some diarolyte or really dilute lucozade. You’re probably dehydrated. Feel better soon

Are you actually hungry?

I've always just starved a stomach bug.

Can you do another night on sips of water (and maybe lucozade) and then some very plain carbs in the morning? Like toast with the tiniest scraping of butter or plain digestives or a banana?

If you feel hungry you must be recovering. If you don't there's no need to eat.

Christ, I hope people don't go to GP's surgeries, demanding stool samples (which would be the only way to be 'diagnosed') Spreading the bugs around. (unless elderly or very young, of course)

If you feel like eating, eat something like a tiny amount of dry toast, bagel etc. If it stays down, try a little more. If your stomach hurts from the emptiness, suck on a Rennie - that helped me at 4am last time!

If you can hold down liquids just water, or sips of flat coke or lemonade (with sugar) or even dioralyte will help you feel a little brighter. Tea if you fancy it, it's always the first thing I fancy after a gastric illness for some reason, nice and hot, not too milky.

Poor you, my friend had it last week and it was grim. I hope you start feeling better soon.