Listeria? Prepacked chicken ate after use by date and flu like symptoms

[Sawa75]

Hi all.

I posted 2 days ago saying I had eaten tesco chilli lime cold cooked chicken slices which were 2 days out of date. I hadn't mentioned that these were out of the fridge for about 90 mins by time they got from supermarket fridge to home fridge last Sunday. Anyway we were to center parcs on Monday and back Friday and when we got back I looked in the fridge saw the unopened chicken and ate about 2/3 of the 150g pack, I was sure it said use by 10 Feb on quick glance. Unfortunately it was use by 1st of Feb (2 days out) which I discovered later.

I woke up the next day (yesterday) feeling queasy and was told by MN responders that it was just anxiety. However throughout the day I felt shivers aches and pains lethargy, nausea lack of appetite and stomach cramps/tenderness. I slept at 10pm and woke up at 2am feeling like gonna vomit but couldn't. Woke up at 7am feeling a little better but slept again until 11 (my husband was a star with our toddler) and then another nap this afternoon on the couch. So I've def got something. My husband ate the rest of the chicken yest morn in solidarity:-D as he's not worried at all. And he's fine. And so is our toddler. Suggesting it's not a bug picked up from center parcs??

I thought I had reduced movements this morning but baby seems active enough since the afternoon. I'm 29 weeks- 30 on Tuesday.

So my question (please be nice) is this likely to be listeria? Thats my main concern but I read it presents 3-70 days after consumption I.e. not one day. Also is it defo likely to be present in the chicken?

I'm still not feeling great or feeling like eating (normally have a ferious appetite) however I don't think I had a fever and no actual vomiting ot diarrhoea. Obviously it could be anything but the baby should be OK if a normal bug or food poisoning.

Thanks for reading and I really appreciate any reassurance.

Hopeful bump

I think if you have any concerns OP then you need to talk to maternity triage or 111 given that you’ve not been feeling well. That’s the NHS advice www.nhs.uk/conditions/listeriosis/

I mean this in a kind way so I hope it doesn’t offend but if you have any worries about your health or your baby’s then please go straight to your midwife, GP or 111 rather than MN.

Hopefully you just have a bug and hope you feel better soon but I would get checked out as you can have antibiotics if it is listeria.

The pack was cooked, sealed and vacuum packed. It is very unlikely to have made you ill. You are talking about probably 30 hours after the use by date, which are very conservative. Your husband ate it and is fine.

It’s probably a bug or even potentially you are panicking yourself and creating symptoms (sorry but it is possible!).

As pp said, if you are concerned or feel reduced movement call your midwife or the triage.

Hope all is okay x

Listeria is really rare, like 150 or less cases a year in England. It's highly unlikely. But noone here can tell you for sure so if you're worried you need to speak to your midwife.