Violently sick 24 hours after swimming in a river

[CrazyHorse]

21yo DS went kayaking (and I assume swimming) in the river, according to DD (DS isn't up to talking atm, I'll ask him later)

He's now being violently sick, repeatedly, even though there is nothing left to come up. His body, really, really doesn't want what ever is in him to be in him! Does this sound like something caught from the river or just a general sickness bug? Does it make a difference in how I can help hiim? I've asked him only to only have sips of water.

The same thing happened 5 years ago when he swam in a ford which is now well known to be polluted.

If he's writhing in pain and has been unwell for a couple of days and 111 have told you to take him to hospital then I really think you should,
Infections from rivers can be nasty

The river severn is just as bad too it's all over social media they had the ambulance out to one girl earlier this week

Get him seen if you can

Wasn't in Walsall was it? canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/toxic-chemical-spill-in-walsall

the good thing about d&v is that it's usually over relatively quickly.

he needs to keep drinking. one sip of whatever liquid he fancies every 10 min. on a timer if he needs reminding. some of the liquid will get into his system an help against dehydration (also makes puking more 'pleasant' if it's not just bile)

all the best!

Why did you ring 111 if you don't want to take the advice they've given you? If you think he just needs to sit it out what were you hoping for from them?

E-coli is everywhere in the rivers. The EA supposedly listed all raw sewage dumps but I know of 3 locally they didn't put on their map going for whole days. I'd not paddleboard of kayak in the sea or rivers in UK anymore and often am surprised anyone hasn't seen the frequent news stories about it.

@CrazyHorse for any tummy upset you only drink water or some squash for 24 hours and then can add in some toast after that and then slowly add protein.

Try telling that to the arseholes who insist on swimming opposite the Saxon Mill regularly.

I work in environmental/river restoration these days and it's GRIM. I even think twice about letting the dog in it.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/leptospirosis/

It could be Weils from rat piss. If 111 recommends A and E, he needs to go.

Maybe we should be saying that the our MPs and the twats that think it’s ok to release sewage in rivers rather than those who want to swim in rivers like we did not even 5 years ago.

My DD is experiencing the same unfortunately.
She was on holiday with her friend and they went wild swimming in a river a few times, her friend was poorly yesterday but is much better today.
My DD unfortunately started to be sick this afternoon, she has been having D&V but finally managing to keep down small amounts of water inbetween sleeping and is starting to perk up when she is awake which is a relief.
I hope your DS gets well soon!

The Saxon Mill was where DS first went "wild" swimming with a group of school friends years ago (the same ones who were ill at the bringing of summer) I freaked out when I found out, but he was having a sleep over with a friend whose parents were teachers and had swam there themselves as teenagers, so were quite relaxed about it. I ended up feeling silly and over protective.

I'm sorry to hear this. It's not nice!

Instead of calling the people who want to enjoy river sports arseholes, we should be furious that the water companies are robbing us of this valuable resource. When my kids have been canoeing in the river I make them drink full fat cola, as (apparently) it's so bad for you it kills anything you might swallow.

It's more they have been warned: the water is unsafe. It's polluted with ecoli, crypto, weils and other things, and the landowners do not want them wild swimming there. They don't legally have access to the river at that point.

They've been told,any times it is trespass and too risky and yet there they are....

Not a chance we can have safe river water without truly enormous money going into not just water companies but also into agriculture reform and improvement, as well as road and other infrastructure as lots of pollution comes from storm drains rolling water off pavements and roads & into rivers.

@MtClair to be fair, Matt Weston who is the MP for the area where the Saxon Mill is located does his best to speak up against pollution in the local rivers.

My DS and his friends all have access to clean swimming pools, and I personally think people who jump in murky rivers are idiots. I'm probably specularly mussing the point though.

I run across the fields by the Saxon Mill regularly and am always amazed when I see people swimming there. Seems like madness. And that was before all the pollution levels went through the roof.
There are places locally where you can wild swim safely (Compton Verney, for one) - the River Avon is not the place to be!

A family friend had permanent kidney damage from an e coli infection after wild swimming. Take him to be checked over, it's never worth the risk. The river Severn runs through our village and no one dares get in it with the amount of cattle that get onto the banks and in it, let alone the currents.

Exactly! Compton Verney and the lake at Wootton Hall are safe, lifeguarded open water swimming spots and yet these idiots risk life and limb regularly despite signs up saying not to, and the farmer going to tell them not to swim there.

And yes they are idiots if they've been told numerous times the water isn't safe and they are trespassing and they continue to do so.

I was in Hay on Wye a few weeks ago, and went into the tourist office. The lady there recommended a walk down the river, but was very clear with us that we shouldn't swim in the river because it was polluted. When we got to an area that was easy to access the river, it was very clear that lots of people hadn't had the same warning from the nice lady. I would imagine a fair few of them would not have enjoyed the rest of their weekend...

@CrazyHorse if you were worried enough or he was to phone 111, then take their advice. They know if it is E. coli then he needs medical attention. Of course don’t give him anything to induce sleep when he’s vomiting and unwell! Hospital might send him home but he needs seeing.

No it wasnt

But it was about leptosperosis. (I had forgotten what it was but then saw the comment later on this thread and remembered that was what we had been warned about)

God I'd never swim in a river in this country. When you go abroad to some countries and see how pure the water can be there and think of our sludgy stinky rivers......

Sorry is this some kind of reverse from a sick person whose parents are denying them help? If he was under 18, say 17 and you wouldn’t take him to teh hospital you would have social services on you. He’s in pain, has a potentially severe infection which needs antibiotics to prevent end organ damage and you’re joking around.