Drank water from a waterfall - guess who’s now sick

[Mynewparasitefriend]

Me. It’s me obviously

Was hiking with enough water - got around half way through and realised my backpack was dripping.

Stopped and opened it and most of my water had leaked out. I was miles from anywhere and in stupid heat. Decided to finish my hike and then take a detour on the way back to a village. By the time I got 3/4 of the way round I was so thirsty and hot and still miles out from the village.

Came across the waterfall and I know (I know) not to drink from outside water but in my defence it was really fast flowing and completely clear.

Probably drank 400-500 mls

5 hrs later and my stomach is like a washing machine. Exactly how sick am I going to be?

@Prisonbreak lucky you in scotland - maybe the water quality is better. Maybe too if you're high up on a Munro there's less chance of pollution. Sounds like OP was down at sea level so at the end of the pollution line so to speak.

I can’t quite believe what I’m reading here.

OP would not have fallen down and died of dehydration. It was 25 degrees max in the south west yesterday. She would’ve had a headache and could’ve grabbed a bottle of water in the local village.

I've drunk from many a waterfall in Scotland and never been sick

In answer to the question you asked, I capsized paddling a kayak on a rapid once, just down stream of a dead cow. I chucked up 2 or 3 times over night. Knackered the next day but fine after that.

I'm pretty sure I've ingested a lot of water from a lot of rivers accidentally (I'm not a v good kayaker) with no issues. Partly luck, I know because I've friends who train on the same water who got weils disease.

You'll know the answer to your circumstances by now though. How are you this morning?

I thought you were being very un-Mumsnetty then and recommending the "marching powder" 🤣

Sorry you had this, OP, where needs must etc. Hope you soon feel better. I often hike in Dorset and your thread has reminded me to get a water filter!

Just checking in
How are you now @Mynewparasitefriend ?

I love the poster name....
Please update, @Mynewparasitefriend.

Hope you feel better now or very soon. xx

Presuming OP drank the water yesterday 5pm, at 10pm when she posted was Way too soon for almost any microbe to have caused any symptoms, btw. Giardia has a median incubation period of 7 days, for instance. I get to claim expertise in gastro bug infections, btw.

That doesn't rule out sediment or chemical pollution, of course, they can cause symptoms sooner.

And treatment will just be the usual self-care for noro type symptoms unless you get severely dehydrated or poo blood (eek) which problems are caused by germs with incubation periods >>> 5 hours.

But it sucks to be ill so I hope you are feeling better already. x

OP, I hope you’re currently in A&E? Please update! If there was something in the water, it’s better to be seen ASAP.

Honestly I would’ve done the same for you in this heat. I would second carrying a life straw just incase going forward. Also, if going for long walks, I bring everyone coming a capri sun/ juice carton from the lunchbox supplies just incase…. Usually don’t use them, but I like to bring an extra drink with sugar in just incase we’ve run out of water for any reason and feeling off in heat. It might be worth also bringing a spare extra drink going forward, that you’re not accounting for in bringing enough water.

ps: Weil's Disease: 10 days incubation period, median

Noro is often 36-60 hours incubating typically, so then OP could look at her travelling companions or campsite loos or swimming in a river 2 days earlier to blame for her exposure moment. Noro comes on quickly, you go from fine to puking within 45 minutes, one of its nicely diagnostic features. Leaves about as suddenly.

Eek hope you’re feeling better OP

Well that was disappointing! I'm here for the drama! 🤣

I hope it's not ominous that OP is not responding... get well soon if you have come down with something!

@Mynewparasitefriend How are you doing?

I was hospitalised as a child after being forced to sit in the sun watching a school sports day. I wasnt even doing anything active but the heat was enough to make me quite ill. This was a normal 90s July day in the UK.

Dont underestimate heat/dehydration.

If you can, drink a coke. It kills most things and the sugar and caffeine will probs be needed r.n. If your symptoms don’t get better in 24 hours go to A and E. O.P, I know you know this, but what a dumb thing to do!

OP - it could be sunstroke as people are saying (very like my symptoms when I had it many moons ago) and in any event drinking that water was probably the least worst option in the moment. Given the number of us on this thread who will be buying filtering bottles/straws etc and benefiting from your experience, it really feels like you’ve taken one for the team. Hope you feel better soon.

Yes but OP had been drinking and could have got more water in the village.

Saying she needs to be in A&E is absolutely insane!

This is peak ludicrous MN. Telling someone to go to A&E because they drank outdoor water that gave them a slightly dodgy tummy.

I fell asleep reading this thread last night and saw it on my phone again when I woke up. Hope you’re ok OP.

My adult son was kayaking in Wales last weekend. Started puking on monday , pooping til his bum is on fire now . He had a brilliant time though. Two weeks ago he was kayaking and cut his face badly enough to need it taping. The doctor at minor injuries banned him from going back in the water that day because the water is so filthy. Sorry you are poorly Op.

I'm mostly encouraged to drink from waterfalls and streams, not that I have but reading this I will definitely not 😱 But my friends & family have had it and have been fine. I was once tempted to fill my water bottle from a waterfall but my husband stopped me saying dead sheep go through that lol

I'd read that as she decided to end her hike there (and go to village she knew was on her way back), rather than continue to finish the originally planned route. I hope that's what she meant otherwise that's two really bad decisions.

The problem even with running water is you don't know what's upstream.

Saying that, if you were very dehydrated the combination of cold water and then the full pint of coke drunk quickly could also cause your stomach to spasm.

Did you stir the coke to remove bubbles? I can't tolerate too much fuzzy drink at once.

Agree with sawyer water filters. We go for multi day hikes and wouldn't be without a water filter of some description. We also carry water purification tablets as back up.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Hope OP is ok

You probably know this but starve it out if you can to help clear the bug rather than taking things to mask it. ORS will help but please dont use the waterbottle unless you've thoroughly cleaned it out first (I know 101 but when we're ill, we forget!).