Any doctors around - on hols need advice please

[GimmeGin]

I’m in South Africa just now and have a terrible stomach bug.

watery stools with lots of blood
stomach cramps
restarted periods even though I’m menopausal on hrt patches

im in agony and will seek help asap as I thought I’d be better soon, but it’s been 5 days and am getting worse. I’m out in the sticks with no transport.

anything I can do in the meantime? Or over the counter medicine that might help?

Have you got insurance? Is there a doctor anywhere near you that you can talk to?

You need to see a doctor.

If you were in the UK you would seek medical help.. same applies there. Hope you get sorted sounds horrendous and scary. X

You need to replace your lost electrolytes, rehydration sachets like the ones linked below. 5 days is a longtime. There must be a way to see a Dr ?

Yes I’m insured and will try to get to nearest town later today.

anything I can do to alleviate the symptoms just now? I can’t go more than 15 mins without painful cramps and immediate run to loo. Nearest town not vwry close by.

Not a doctor, but some experience with this

Length of time and bleeding (if this is not normal for you) might indicate it’s a pathogen of some kind

When this happened to me it was campylobacter and it did last a long time like you are describing

I was prescribed antibiotic and did require drips at hospital so please do seek help OP if you are not improving!

Not a doctor, but a nurse. You need to get to a medical facility urgently. The kind of thing you might have picked up from contaminated water can be very dangerous. You need antibiotics, fluids and electrolytes asap.

There isn't really anything you can take now. It is awful, but receptacles and towels/ pads are your best bet.

The water you are drinking might be the source of infection. Even if it is supposedly clean (bitter experience).

you need to see a dr.

wrt water, boil & cool it in a closed container.

I really hope you have got some help & now on the mend