Day four of gastroenteritis after reheated rice and still feeling awful

[Zorgothslugofdoom]

I'm on day 4 of gastroenteritis, likely the result of eating warmed up rice. Since Sunday i've only managed to eat 4 bananas and one portion of porridge. I feel completely wiped out and the heat isn't helping. What can I do to get better? The doctor said they would see me after 5 days, if no improvement. I've hardly eaten anything but am managing sips of lucozade. Every time i've tried eating something i have horrendous diarrhoea within about 2 hours. I also feel nauseous (but haven't vomited) and my stomach hurts and cramps but that's not constant. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am really fed up with it and will try anything!

I was really bad last year with it, the nurse told me to take Imodium, to keep sipping water (I found even drinks made me run to the bathroom) no food for 48 hours then a dry toast which you nibble very very slowly take an hour or two to eat half a slice of that.

it’s a long slow road. Take it very carefully, the most important thing is to sip water, can you get some or those powder drinks they’re disgusting but do replace your salts etc

I had food poisoning from rice when I was about 20. I’ve never felt so poorly in all my life. I can’t remember how long it went on for, but it was a good few days. We got told to just ride it out iirc.

I’m so sorry for you. It’s horrible. Try sipping flat coke or flat lemonade, that’s good for a tummy upset.

Buscopan for the cramps. Boil the water before you drink it, let it cool and add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Forget trying to eat anything other than something really dry like toast and no dairy on it, in fact dairy is more likely to give you worse symptoms.

I had this recently from eating out of date (by 2 days) bean sprouts. I honestly thought I was dying for the 1st 2 days and it took a good 5/6 days to feel remotely human. I rang our GP for advice as I'm diabetic, and they said not to take immodium with food poisoning, you're just trapping the bacteria in your gut for longer.

Thanks for the advice. Going to try to sleep and hope for some important in the mo. Will try eating a slice of dry toast in the morning.

Omg l am really relaxed with stuff like this - never take notice of use by dates etc but think l will from now on. Wish you better op.

I find that black tea and black (burnt) toast can help - sips and eaten very slowly.

Lemonade is the only thing I could stomach, hope you are better soon.

I have always found sachets of Diaoralite massively helpful for anything like this. Once you start losing bodily fluids at speed you feel horrible as your electrolytes are depleted. Tastes a bit like flavoured sea water but honestly worth a try.
Do bear in mind though that food poisoning from any cause is quite debilitating and takes a good couple of weeks to really feel recovered from.
Hope you are feeling stronger soon x

Loperimide is the cheaper non name branded version of Imodium
And buscopan as well will help

Definitely do as previous poster said and boil water to sip with a little salt and sugar

My go to when Ive been that poorly previously was ice poles to help with hydration

Hope you feel better soon

Rice is one of the worst for food poisoning (but not a lot of people realise as people tend to associate food poisoning with meat or not being hot enough) not so much use by date but reheating it. It can get a heat resistant spores that grow rapidly that you can’t see. It can make you horrendously unwell like poor OP.

I think there is a lot of foods you can cast your own judgement on in terms of use by date - but rice is one I’d definitely advise not to chance!

The most important thing is getting enough fluids. The rehydration sachets are horrid and I wouldn’t bother. Lucozade sport is much more palatable.

they used to recommend bananas, rice, apple sauce and toast, but now advice is to eat whatever you feel able to and avoid greasy and spicy foods.

Try and eat little and often, it will probably help with the cramps, too.

In this heat with diarrhoea it’s easy to dehydrate so really thinking about constant sipping and having ice lollies and things will help.

Why is it okay to eat rice heated in ready meals or the microwave packs? Surely they have already been cooked so they are being heated up?

sorry you feel so ill OP.

Dh eats anything, doesn't believe in use by dates, never got ill - until he poisoned himself reheating rice one year. He was very poorly and very, very sorry for himself, and now holds all rice in great respect. You will get better, but sending sympathy. Rice can knock you for ten.

I had it about a year ago. Totally wiped me out.

Lucozade was the only thing I could stomach. It has so much sugar in it which I think helped keep me going. Im sure it was once sold as medicine!?

Keep drinking as much as you can. Water, flat coke, lemonade or Lucozade. Try dry toast or crackers if you feel up to it

I think its one of those things you just have to let your body get rid of it all.

Go slow and steady and definitely call the doctor if you are no better.

It’s about how rice is stored and cooled after cooking. In industrial processes the rice will be cooked and then rapidly cooled and into a sterile / protective packet very quickly and following a rigorous process with lots of temperature checking.

At home people leave it sat out for too long before refrigeration is usually the issues.

Rice makes you sick due to dormant spores that wake up when left at room temp for too long. The bacteria then produces a toxin that is not destroyed by heating. It’s the toxin that makes you ill

when I have been really bad I had to go hospital for a drip as I just couldn't keep a single bit of liquid down. They said that was the right thing to do.

Could you try an ice cube?

Lucozade original’s high sugar content may worsen diarrhoea and isn’t a rehydration product. Small amounts might give you a bit of a boost but you shouldn’t consume it in quantities.

You will be dehydrated which will be making you feel worse. Lucozade sport is good, but it isn't a true isotonic which is what you should be drinking to help.

Your salts will be out of whack and this will worsen diarrhoea- it comes a vicious circle.

As unpalatable as some find them, you need true rehydration sachets from the pharmacy. Diarolyte is the best, but boots & superdrug also do their own version which taste better.

You can also use ORS tablets, the dose makes quite a thick drink but if you really can't stomach rehydration sachets they will help. But, theyre pretty expensive .

Sip regularly rather than gulping down. Chilling can help with taste if you dislike it, as will drinking from a bottle instead of a glass, or using a straw.

Ice lollies are also a good way of getting some fluids in you.

Dehydration will make you feel weaker and sicker but if you push through with the rehydration sachets they should make a big difference.

Ice lollies and ice cubes are a really good shout from the above PPs. Especially with the heat too

Sorry OP. I was advised by a nurse to eat hula hoops and drink Capri sun when I was ill several years ago.

I’m guessing it’ll be rapid cooled and then it is sealed immediately in the packaging. if you do that at home rice will be fine. If you cook it leave it on the side to cool slowly the bacterial spores will grow and start producing toxins. Reheating will kill the spores/bacteria but won’t touch the toxins at all.

wouldn’t worry too much about eating OP. Just try and keep your fluids and electrolytes up. Wouldn’t touch immodium with food poisoning unless recommended by a doctor.

Should be less of an issue if you are keeping fluids down but watch out for severe dehydration in this heat.

dry toast and Dioralyte

The pouches are sealed before being cooked so hot that they are sterile when you buy them (hotter than boiling, they are pretty much autoclaved).

Ready meals are made under highly-controlled conditions that can include measures like force-cooling the rice with cold water, temperature-controlled containers, and blast freezing frozen meals from hot.

I’m sorry you’re poorly OP. If you feel very unwell then I would give food a miss and focus on drinks with salts or drink water with a pinch of rock salt or sea salt under your tongue. I felt very ill until I had replaced the salts. It made a big difference to me (although it was not rice poisoning). Food can give you strong, painful cramps.

Ready meals with rice are sealed in oxygen free containers. The air is replaced with nitrogen so it kills the spores.

I did similar recently with lentils. I was ill for over a week.

You might find Tena adult nappies helpful for the overnights. I was sleeping on multiple layers of towel with more towel thrown over me because my bowel wasn't sleeping when I was, if you get my drift. Products designed for that situation would probably have been more comfortable.

You need Dioralyte. Lucozade, fruit juice, etc aren't the right blend of electrolytes for food poisoning, especially in this heat. Eating is far less important than drinking electrolyte solution after every runny poo and then drinking some more.

You don't need to boil and cool the water if you are drinking British mains water, unless your mains water has been tested and found full of lead, in which case the whole family should be on bottled water all the time and you should complain to the water company.

Ginger ale, ginger tea, and Gin-gins sweets will all help with the nausea.