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Original poster

Ds has Gastro Enteritis................useless advice form g.p though

32 replies

nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:05

Took ds to g.p (locum)this morning as he is still poorly. He has been being sick since last Friday, and has diarrohea too.
The g.p said he has Gastro. I asked how long it would last for, and he said he didn't know, probably a week.
He said to give him Calpol for the pain and give him whatever he likes to eat and drink, but in small quantities.
I asked if he needed rehydration powders, and he said if you like, but he's not dehydrated.
He has only had 1 wet nappy in the last 24 hours, and it was only damp. Also he isn't producing tears when he cries.
TBH the doc didn't seem to care less.

OP posts:
twiglett · 09/03/2004 11:09

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bundle · 09/03/2004 11:12

nutty, this is unacceptable. dd2 had suspected gastro bug from nursery and our surgery saw her straight away and we were told to come back or phone if things changed and I was worried. our surgery has under-5's open appointments every morning at 08.30 for just this purpose. suggest it to yours, sounds like they need a kick up the a**e. one of our babies in the nursery had to be on a drip in hospital for 24 hrs recently, they do get dehydrated v quickly - and get better quickly too. hope things improve, x

M2T · 09/03/2004 11:13

Nutcracker - I'm afraid gastro.... is just a loose term meaning a stomach bug. So there isn't really much info the GP can give you. You could try to give him rehydrations salts, but it's very hard to get children to take them (they taste very salty!). Is he keeping any fluids down, even just for half and hour?

I have noticed that even if there is only what looks to us like a minute amount of fluids staying down the doctor is not too concerned. Just keep giving as much fluids as he'll take. I would say to cut out most of his food until the diahorrea and sickness stops. Bananas are very good for a dodgy tummy. Ds was sick for nearly 2 wks a short timie ago and the only thing he could keep down was bananas.

Unfortunately with these tummy bugs it is just a case of riding it out.

Hope he feels better soon.

M2T · 09/03/2004 11:15

Oops! A differing opinion from the others there Nutty!

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:17

LOL Twiglett, oh and my arms and legs are a bit better today thanks.

Ds is asleep at the mo, but when he wakes i will let him have some water, and maybe a dry cracker. He screamed like never before when dd's had their breakfast this morning, because he wanted some too.
The surgery i'm with is CRAP, we have had probs before.
The g.p said that even if he's onlt taking the tinyest bit of water then he's o.k.
Bloody g.p's do they ever get anything right

I want my cheerful, cheeky, little man back

OP posts:
Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:19

Thanks M2T , i was wondering if i should give him bannanas or not. I might try him with some later.
I also brought some rice pudding and some bagels (only becuase he's sick of the sight of toast)

OP posts:
twiglett · 09/03/2004 11:22

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M2T · 09/03/2004 11:22

Nutty - That's what my GP always tells me about ds too. And I'm afraid to say that he's usually right. Is being sick the minute he eats/drinks anything or is it staying down for a short time 1st?

All they can do is put him on a drip to rehydrate him. Do you think he is serious enough to need that? I'm sure it'll just blow over.... the fact that he is wanting to eat is a good thing. I shouldn't worry too much, but if it goes on another 48hrs take him up the emergency docs and they'll reassess him.

How old is he Nutty?

Clarinet60 · 09/03/2004 11:23

nutcracker, my gp admitted ds to hospital with these symptoms. He still had tears, but the lack of wet nappy and the listlessness worried him enough to admit him, and the hospital agreed. They kept him overnight. I think you should see another gp.

M2T · 09/03/2004 11:24

Really twiglett?? Me and my ds must be weird then as it's the only thing that settles out tummy's!

You can but try it Nutty, it works for me everytime!!

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:27

I wouldn't be able to get him back in today though. It was a struggle to get him seen this morning.
I am going to keep a good eye on his nappies e.t.c today, and then take him back tommorow if he's still not having very wet ones.
He said his throat was sore too.
I hate situations like this, because i never know if i'm just being paranoid.

OP posts:
M2T · 09/03/2004 11:30

Good idea Nutty. I suppose it's just trial and error with this. You might get lucky and find something he can keep down.

You haven't answered my question about the length of time he is keeping things down though!

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:30

Sorry, he's 15mths M2T.
He sin't being sick after eating everything. Yesterday he had his milk in the morning (refused water), dry toast, dry buscuits and then a bit of mashed potatoe for tea. About half an hour after the mash he was very very sick, and then had diarrhoea.
Today so far, he has just had his milk.

OP posts:
M2T · 09/03/2004 11:32

I would stop giving him milk though and just keep trying with water. He does seem to be keeping things down long enough to get some hydration from it. I'm sure you'll see him improving soon.

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:34

If i don't let him have his milk first thing in morning though, he goes mad and will not drink anything else at all.
The g.p did tell me to give him yoghurt, but i'm not going to.

OP posts:
bundle · 09/03/2004 11:35

nutty, my sil says in Germany they have a system over what to reintroduce, i think it included (for some reason) grated apples & carrots, as well as toast..

Clarinet60 · 09/03/2004 11:38

I forgot to say, ds had the bug for 3 days then rallied on the 4th day and began to eat a little. Then suddenly on the 5th day, he went down hill.

Nuuty, if he's having milk/whatever, then I agree with M2T - he's probably getting enough to rehydrate. They won't put up a drip for nothing though, don't worry. They looked for signs of dehydration in ds very carefully before deciding that he wasn't bad enough to go on a drip.

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:39

That sounds strange Bundle, but then the strange things uaually work don't they.
I did give him some apple yesterday, but had to take it off him as he was that hungryu that he kept stuffing big chunks in his mouth and choking.

OP posts:
M2T · 09/03/2004 11:39

Nutty - My GP told me to give ds Live yoghurt whenever he started keeping small amounts of food down. As long as I only gave him a little at a time it did seem to really help. Good luck with it all.....

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:40

Droile- that sounds exactly like my ds. He did start to get better on sunday, but then went downhill again yesterday.
How long did your ds have it for ???

OP posts:
bundle · 09/03/2004 11:41

nutty try it grated

Original poster
nutcracker · 09/03/2004 11:41

Thanks M2T, much appreciated

OP posts:
M2T · 09/03/2004 11:47

Oh that was another point I wanted to add: When ds had this in the middle of January the GP said it could be a form of 'flu called Boomerang 'Flu! I'd never heard of it and got very frightened, but the GP explained that the symptoms were: Sickness/diahorrea and fever. The unique thing about this 'flu is that it can reoccur just as you think they are recovering!! Ds didn't show signs of this and has been fine since.

Personally I think he made it all up!

mummytojames · 09/03/2004 11:48

nutty for diarea the best thing i was ever told was dry food nothing fatty like butter as that makes them more sick and as much water as you can pump into themeven if it is coming stright out the other end because its flushing his system out (how lovely our bodys work) also if he refuses to drink anything if he dont have his milk in the morning give him his milk but keep it down to the one a day and pump him up with water for he rest of the day as this will help the rehydration also i dont know about babys but for toddlers ginger biscuit is a great tummy setler
hope you little angel is feeling better soon i know its not nice when there ill mines only just got over a bout of diarea except there wasnt much we could do for him except give him fluids and ride it through because hes only six months old

Marina · 09/03/2004 12:02

Nutcracker, sorry about the doctor's uselessness.
If you can't get him to take Dioralyte, try flat lemonade (not low-cal, full sugar!). This worked when ds had a nasty gastro bug. You can flatten it faster by either warming it gently or sticking more sugar in it.
There is supposed to be a good diet for recovering from stomach upsets...BRAT I think? But the B stands for bananas and there are differing schools of thought on those. (Personally mashed banana makes me feel queasy at the best of times ) R is rice, but boiled in water, not pudding made with milk, and A is apples, maybe grated like bundle suggests. Cannot remember what the T stands for. Has anyone else heard of this?
M2T, agree about the live yogurt as soon as they manage to keep anything down. It's so soothing to the gut...
Good luck Nutcracker and I would also ring NHS Direct if I were you.

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