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Original poster

To call the hotel and let them know we are sick?

171 replies

Blondie1092 · 17/02/2020 10:14

Myself and my husband, along with another couple who we are good friends with went to a hotel on Saturday night for their "valentines deal". We had a 5 course meal shortly after we arrived and hung about the hotel for drinks that evening, nothing too mad, all very civilised. We got up yesterday morning, had breakfast and went home.
One of us became very ill on the way home. I thought it was a hangover and we all laughed because none of us were actually drunk.
Last night I started to fall very ill and didn't sleep much. Then this morning all hell broke loose (I'm talking about my stomach an bowels TMI but hey can't beat around the bush). I'm lying in bed shivering yet sweating 😓
My husband rang me to ask if I'll collect him from work as he is also the same.
He rang the other couple to check on them and they're both off work today because they're sick.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm thinking we have ate something that has caused this.
Should I ring the hotel to inform them about this? Or just power through and forget the whole thing every happened? What would you do?

OP posts:
AtLeastThreeDrinks · 17/02/2020 11:34

Wouldn't take an imodium, your body's (rightly) trying to get rid of whatever's upset you!

Loverofoldfilms · 17/02/2020 11:37

My husband had food poisoning recently. Same symptoms and it can affect people slightly differently. Call GP and then collect stool samples. If it is one of a certain list specific bugs it's notifiable …

Get better soon, drink lots (diralyte, spelling)

Wandastartup · 17/02/2020 11:37

this is almost certainly a type of food poisoning. Different types have different incubation periods & can depend on how much you ate how quickly you are affected. Would definitely let environmental health know too. I had campylobacter once which takes 48-72 hours to come on. Rice food poisoning is usually less than 12 hours. Depends if it is a toxin, virus or bacteria. ( I am a dr but not a microbiologist)

DontCallMeShitley · 17/02/2020 11:46

Not many types of food poisoning would have the fast onset you describe and the symptoms sound like Norovirus.

While it might be Norovirus, it is very likely that it is food poisoning.

We had a fish takeaway which was clearly rotten and I left mine. Partner ate it and was ill within a very short time, I was fine and ended up being the nurse for a few days, medical treatment was needed. It could well be fish/crab related.

Original poster
Blondie1092 · 17/02/2020 11:55

Our mains were all different but sides the same too.
I agree with letting everything "out" too, one of the reasons I was hesitant taking Imodium. Haven't took one 🙌🏻 just picking up my husband now, sending him into the shop to get some Power Aid or us, apparently the electrolytes will help. The fresh air has helped me massively. Either that or the fact that there is nothing left inside me 😂 aww girls if you didn't laugh you'd cry!
One of us isn't as bad as the rest of us, he just feels "icky" whereas the other 3 of us have been extremely unwell.
The hotel had chocolates in the room on arrival etc also, I'm literally analysing the whole weekend now trying to figure it all out 😂
Still no call back from manager 🧐

OP posts:
namechanger0989 · 17/02/2020 11:55

You should probably contact environmental health to inform them. At least they can do an investigation if they feel necessary. Plus there may have been other people that have contacted them so the more people who do then the more likely they will investigate the cause

OhYouBadBadKitten · 17/02/2020 12:01

I would absolutely call environmental health. They might not do anything, but if other cases come forwards then it strengthens any case.

Lweji · 17/02/2020 12:03

As others have advised, I'd contact the GP and Environmental Health too.

Other guests may have had problems too.

And for some bugs you may need antibiotics.

Damntheman · 17/02/2020 12:07

The only point at which it's best to avoid imodium and let it run its course is in severe cases of bacterial diarrhea. For regular squits there's no point at all to suffering in discomfort when an imodium will bring you immense relief. It's not going to prolong the illness to take imodium.

Iamthewombat · 17/02/2020 12:08

Food does not have to be ‘clearly rotten’ to give you food poisoning. Most food poisoning bugs are undetectable from the look, taste and smell of the food.

Original poster
Blondie1092 · 17/02/2020 12:16

@Iamthewombat everything we had was delicious, lovely presentation and lovely taste (apart from the cold crab meat 😬) so you're 100% right!
I never thought of calling my GP 🤔

OP posts:
HariboLectar · 17/02/2020 12:19

As above don't take Immodium. If you have the ingredients try making some of this to sip

20g/six level 5ml spoonfuls glucose.
3.5g/one level 5ml spoonful salt.
2.5g/one heaped 2.5ml spoonful sodium bicarbonate.
Dissolve in 1,000ml water.
Keep chilled in the fridge.
Flavour with a small amount of squash or cordial.

If not have diluted cordial. Plain water won't help replace electrolytes that have been lost.

Hope you feel better soon.

MrsAgassi · 17/02/2020 12:24

My child got food poisoning (sausage sandwich in cafe). Thought it might be so took her to GP, they took a stool sample and we were called at 8pm one night to say that it was and that they would be informing environmental health who would be in touch with us.

Fantasiaa · 17/02/2020 12:26

omg.
definitely contact environmental health.
sounds like norovirus to me.

DontCallMeShitley · 17/02/2020 12:29

Food does not have to be ‘clearly rotten’ to give you food poisoning. Most food poisoning bugs are undetectable from the look, taste and smell of the food.

My point was about the speed of it starting, not whether it was clearly rotten. And that some bugs are very fast workers, like the fish one. However some of these things can be quite serious, depending on whether it is food poisoning or a virus, GP advised not to take Immodium and drink lots of water. Flat cola, water... and a good thing to eat is Congee (rice) once is eases off.

SuperFurryDoggy · 17/02/2020 12:34

This is useful re the differences between bacterial food poisoning and viral infections like norovirus.

Either way, virus or bacteria, the close onset of symptoms in all 4 of you suggests a common source (I.e. not just a case of 1 of you already being infected and passing it to the other 3) and the most likely cause would be poor food hygiene.

I wouldn’t usually advocate reporting businesses to environmental health, but if they don’t seem to be taking your report seriously I would consider it in order to prevent others going through the same in future.

LizB62A · 17/02/2020 12:40

If you can't keep water down, please try lukewarm water/lukewarm anything with actual sugar in.
I was really ill after having my son, and couldn't keep a think down. It was a nurse on the night shift who suggested trying a lukewarm drink - I was sceptical but it worked and I was able to drink lukewarm Ribena (back when it had sugar not sweeteners) and keep it down.
Hope you feel better soon....

coconuttelegraph · 17/02/2020 12:42

I think I'd ring the EHO, if the hotel knows they have a problem they may now destroying all of the evidence but not tackling the root cause.

I had the worst sickness I've had from what I'm sure was food poisoning but I was persuaded not to report it by someone whose family member worked in the kitchen and didn't want any trouble. I wish I had done it as it ruined an event I'd been looking forward to that was a couple of days later

starfishmummy · 17/02/2020 12:44

Shoyld ring the council environmental health department. They will arrange samples from the ill people and inspect the hotel who will now have had time to destroy any potential evidence

Original poster
Blondie1092 · 17/02/2020 12:53

Interesting @HariboLectar hubby picked up some Lucozade sport raspberry and it's going down well in small sips. Better than the water. DH is now in bed shivering and I'm zonked out on the sofa 😓 nearly 2 and a half hours later and still no call back!

OP posts:
itstheyearzero · 17/02/2020 12:54

Call Environmental Health. When this happened to us they came round for a poo sample. We found out it was caused by someone in the kitchen not washing their hands properly. Yuck.

MerryDeath · 17/02/2020 13:06

that's a long time for food poisoning to hit imo.. i'd day its a bug

womaninblue · 17/02/2020 13:09

Call Environmental Health and give them contact details for you and the others in your party who are sick. You will all be asked to provide a stool sample so they can work out what you are suffering from. If all of you have the same bug and it can be traced back to the restaurant you will have very good grounds for suing them.

If you don't have samples taken and analysed then the restaurant may well conclude you're just hoping to get some money out of them. Claiming food poisoning has unfortunately become a well-known scam. You need to be able to prove it.

Eddielzzard · 17/02/2020 13:11

It's vital that you all get a stool sample otherwise you have no proof of anything. As revolting as it is, if they have a hygiene problem they must fix it.

coconuttelegraph · 17/02/2020 13:12

that's a long time for food poisoning to hit imo.. i'd day its a bug

Afaik there's no set time, food poisoning can take a day, not a doctor but remembering my own research from when I had it

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