Traveler's "Stomach"

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http://dr1.com/travel/prepare/health.shtml

I find a good dose of rum or other strong drink on an empty stomach will often cure mild cases.

My first time in this country was in Punta Cana at an all inclusive there. Me and 3 friends. One of my friends got really sick and yet we all ate the same foods and drank the same drinks. She went to the doctor there and he gave her a shot and some medicina and the next day she was feeling much better and the day after all was good. I did have a funny stomache...not sick but not right...the whole time I was there. But then there has been a few times I've eaten things since I've lived here and got sick too, and both times it was in expensive resturants.
So just go for it! Take a chance. I don't think you'll die unless your in poor health already. Just think of it as a good cleaning out. The doctors in the resorts are prepared to handle it if your sick.

Buffet food is pretty high risk in any establishment. But I think the real reason for tummy trouble in AI's is that so many overindulge in the unlimited food and drink, combined with the unfamiliar climate.

Chiri

I think Chiri nailed it!

What most people don't realize is that the average North American diet contains less than 15 grams of fiber and not much Vitamin C.
Get to an AI where you are eating a lot of high fibre fruit and veggies and you're asking for "the trot's" due to the increased fibre. Throw in a lot of fruit juice based drinks and the increased Vitamin C will also give you the runs along with the upset stomach that accompanies it.
Too much fibre, too much Vitamin C and too much fluid will do it every time.
I recommend people who are coming to start taking a 500 mg. Vitamin C tablet daily at least two weeks before arrival as well as increasing their consumption of fruit and veggies. Then when they arrive I tell them to watch their fluid consumption (with the eception of bottled water) and make sure they have a glass of red wine with lunch and dinner.
This helps get their system "accostumed" to the change in diet and the red wine has been scientifically proven to kill any "mild" E-coli or "bad" bugs that may be present.
Works for most everyone!
Hope this helps!!

That must have been some shot to cure upset stomach.

Dominican "doctors" are shot and pill crazy. They will certainly give them to anyone who will submit - no chance of them simply advising to take it easy for a couple of days.

The Dominican people love it too. I once saw a hypochodriac (there's lots of them) proudly showing her neighbors the 8 (yes, eight) kinds of pills that her doctor had given her.

I've also had Dominicans ask me for pills - any pills - they seem to think that they are magic.

Thsi si true here...when you even get a little cold everyone tells me to go to the clinic. Take a flu pill. Take antibiotics...and I don't like to take meds when its not necessary.
Really tho..whatever that doc gave my friend made her better fast. I have no idea what it was but her husband was calling him a voodoo doctor! jejeje

I couldn't speak for many of the resorts, it's been years since I stayed in one, but lactose free & fat free milk is really common in the even the smallest Colmados here in Sosua. No problem picking up a carton of liquid, or a packet of it in powder form at the supermarkets here in Sosua. Most of the resorts have little mini fridges in the room, so if the resort doesn't have it (they probably do or will get it for you) you can easily grab some of your own and put it in the room fridge.

Jan said:

Thsi si true here...when you even get a little cold everyone tells me to go to the clinic. Take a flu pill. Take antibiotics...and I don't like to take meds when its not necessary.
Really tho..whatever that doc gave my friend made her better fast. I have no idea what it was but her husband was calling him a voodoo doctor! jejeje

Click to expand...

Jan,
It was probably Immodium in its injectible form. I was given that the only time I ever became violently ill from consuming local food/water -- in Brussels, Belgium, believe it or not! I generally have cast-iron stomach & intestines, which have successfully tolerated local water and food in much of Latin America (yes, including Mexico), usually with little more than some queasiness. I must confess, though, that I did get cramps this trip will staying in an AI in PP. Immodium in tablet form took care of that quickly.
BTW, folks, a good doc will tell you NOT to take Immodium if you just have diarrhoea -- stick to old fashioned Pepto Bismol for that. Cramping is another matter.

LL, don't take Cipro unless prescribed by a doctor, please. This antibiotic is already over-prescribed, and is too good for us to be used where it really is not a first-line treatment. Careful of some other antibiotics too -- some will actually kill the beneficial bacteria in your disgestive tract and make things much worse (let's just say that **nothing** will stay in you long!). If that occurs, stop taking the antibiotic and find some yoghurt with active culture in it.

MommC & Chiri both make excellent points. Many North American systems are just not accustomed to the high fiber intake. And buffet food left out very long (just like street cooked food in pots or bins) is notorious for accumulating bacteria that will do a number on your diagestive system.

WHO produces a pretty good downloadable leaflet with tips for travelers on food safety (link below).

Best Regards,
Keith R, wearing his stethoscope

WHO leaflet

Peppermint Tea

Pack some peppermint tea bags. Let the bags seep for at least 5 minutes or even longer. Peppermint helps to soothe the stomach, eases bloating and gas pain.

Maryanne

Re: Peppermint Tea

maryanne said:

Pack some peppermint tea bags. Let the bags seep for at least 5 minutes or even longer. Peppermint helps to soothe the stomach, eases bloating and gas pain.

Maryanne

Click to expand...

A good suggestion! My wife packed some for our recent trip to the DR (plus my trusty mug and inversion heater), and when I had some queasiness after eating locally cooked food in Punta Rucia, she brewed the tea for me and it really did help quiet things down rather quickly.
Best Regards,
Keith

Spearmint or ginger tea would also work.

You can also carry Peppermint Oil, mix it with some other carrier oil and rub directly on your stomach. This will work too.

Maryanne

pepermint tea

Trivia;
peppermint is classed as a gut anesthetic
while spearmint is a analgesic
Misc. useless trivia from a Medical Technologist turned hippy,
-k
Still looking for a budget $10-40 room NW of STDGO
so I can come play in paradice

Gippy Tummy

LL,
Don't sweat it - if you get the gippy tummy, stop eating, take a mouthfull of yoghurt every time you get a rumble(?), drink lots of water too. When you're hungry again try building from a piece of toast to scrambled egg and then ...........
The yoghurt really works! We always advise our visitors to start taking daily yoghurt, plain unsweetened, for at least 7 days prior to travel - seems to start the good bugs working early which then fight off the bad bugs if you are unfortunate enough to pick them up.
P&A

re: yogurt

Peter and Alex are right!


We've learned through all of our travels in the islands and Mexico that yogurt has a natural ingredient that fights off a lot of the bad bacteria in our intestinal walls. I forget the name of this good bacteria found in yogurts. There are also pills you can buy in most stores that will help but not as effectively as the yougurt itself.

The other thing is to take everything in moderation. Limit your alcohol and overeating for the first few days until your system adjusts.

Pepto Bismol in chewable tablet form also helps if necessary. It coats the stomach lining and the intestinal walls to help avoid any type of upset to your system.

Good luck,
Palmas

It's called acidophillus and it's considered good bacteria.
mk