Can’t keep water down!! Any hints

[Bellyblueboy]

i have been struck down with a horrible vomiting bug. I have a very sore head and a very sore ear (just one) and my stomach really hurts. I am really really thirsty but I vomit up any water I drink. I have been sucking icecubes but even that comes back up with bile (sorry 🤢)

my head is throbbing but I can’t keep painkillers down and I’m not sure if any are being absorbed at all so I don’t want to keep taking more.

any mumsnetters know any hacks? I know I am being a drama queen but I do feel really miserable but it’s the thirst that is the worst. My lips are already cracking.

Little sips of water every half an hour. You will want to glug down a full glass, but don't. Rinse your mouth with water. I always find full sugar, very cold lemonade helpful with a bug.

I had a tummy bug not long ago and was desperate to gulp down pints of water, but it just made me puke even more. Sips.

Little sips of luke warm water, not hot or cold.

Anyone able to get you any Dioralyte? Very tiny sips.

How long have you been like this?

Calpol syringe and 5ml every 10 minutes was how my DC was rehydrated in hospital.

Hope you feel better soon.

Suck on an ice cube if you can't face drinking water. Hope you feel better soon.

It’s only been since this morning! The ear ache was bad yesterday - the vomiting started today - so not long at all. I know - I am a wimp.

live alone so no one to run to the shops.

thank you all. I am taking small sips - might just have to put up with the heaving. It’s at the stage that it really hurts and I can feel every muscle!

You need it to have some substance to it, so send someone out for some jelly pots and ice poles and slowly eat as many of those as you can stomach. Eat cucumber or melon if you have it in the house.

Try adding a little salt to the water u sip, literally just a small sip at the time, that would help with stomach acid (HCl), I do that sometimes after stomach issues.

Ice chips sucked slowly while lying flat, from my experience.

If it gets too bad you may have to get to hospital for rehydration

Doctor told me it needs to be a sugary drink because your body needs it, it can't tolerate water right now.

Could you get something delivered?

I have melon in the house - I mighty see if I can get some of that. And dilutable. Even the thought makes me quesy

Phone 111. Sounds as if you need antibiotics and rehydration.

I always have dioralyte, Imodium, pain killers, indigestion relief and lemonade in.

You're always ill in the middle of the night.

Don't drink water - have squash or add some sugar and a little bit of salt to it and try lukewarm rather than cold.
Cold water is too difficult for a completely empty stomach to handle - it needs to have some nutrients in it and be body temperature.

Oh bless you, you poor thing. Tiny sip, maybe ice lollies so you get some sugar in you.

Another vote for dioralyte. It's heaven's nectar when you're ill. I have it slightly warm.

(It's also the ultimate hangover cure, top tip).

The next step in a day or two is a Chinese dish called congee, basically rice cooked in far too much water so it has the consistency of porridge. Season well with salt and a bit of white pepper. Calms any poorly tummy.

You can try full sugar coke if you have any - room temperature not cold, and stir it until it is flat, then take it in tiny sips

I am trying to build up the cottage to get out of bed and go to the kitchen to try some of these suggestions. Thank you all.

I will confess I am feeling very sorry for myself - trying not to cry as that will dehydrate me more!

I was like this in the summer. Turns out it was covid. For me I know I need a long sleep and then I will tolerate water in the morning but I’ve learnt that through trial and error.

Also, once you can keep down some liquid and feel up to eating, start with the BRAT diet, it is less likely to set things off again - Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, sometimes people add plain yoghurt to that list: https://www.piedmont.org/living-real-change/the-brat-diet#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20BRAT%20diet%20acronym%20stands,nausea%2C%20vomiting%20or%20diarrhea.%E2%80%9D

I swear by water which has been boiled in the kettle and is lukewarm- boiled means you know its sterile and lukewarm is less shocking to a sensitive stomach. Tiny tiny sips. You will get better!

You just need to let your digestive system rest and recover. Only a teaspoon of cooled boiled water every 10 minutes will stay down. Please don't try food or anything else as you're just prolonging the effect of the bug.

Once you've gone for 6 hours without vomiting, try sips and keep your fingers crossed.

https://www.quebec.ca/en/health/health-issues/flu-cold-and-gastroenteritis/gastroenteritis/hydrating-and-rehydrating-when-you-have-gastroenteritis
It’s hard to find health department approved recipes for homemade rehydration drinks because commercially prepared ones are basically better. But here’s one you can probably do right now from the Canadian government. 360mL orange juice, 600mL boiled then cooled water and 1/2 a teaspoon of table salt. I’d say you could sub squash or cordial for the juice if you haven’t got any.
Or you can get a supermarket or Amazon Prime delivery or ask a neighbor to get you some proper rehydration solution I’d do that too. If you still can’t keep any liquids down then it’s not unreasonable to call 111 for advice. Worst case scenario they have to put you on a drip for a bit until your digestive system can absorb some liquid again.
Any liquid you can get to stay down for any length of time is good though. Jelly, ice lollies, broth, any kind of juice or soft drink.

I hadn’t thought of Covid! I had my last confirmed Covid in may. Hopefully not again.

I haven’t made it out of bed yet to try anything. My ear ache is getting sharper😖.