Hi
I went travelling around SE Asia last year for 6 months and
although I had all my injections and ate as carefully as I
could and didn't drink/clean my teeth in the water I was
still ill about 4 times (one time I was in hospital for 8
days). I loved SE Asia and am planning to go back again
this year so any tips that anyone might have about staying
healthy, or medication to take should I get ill again would
be much appreciated.
Thanks....
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There's no way you can protect yourself 100% against the runs (or worse). They are offering
some good advise in the LP guides, and if you stick to them (and use your head, as you obviously did
last year), you will have a chance as good as it gets.
Stay away from fat food, alcohol, ice, etc. Since I assume you won't cook, you just have to trust that
next journey will be the lucky one, and you will be served clean and fresh food everywhere you go.
Make sure you have Immodium (when you have the runs but can't stay in your room), and pray for
the best.
As a poor comfort, you may know that you're not alone. Even most expats working in the area are
happy if they can enjoy normal dumps seven days in a row.
----------------------
I don't know which ilnesses you were referring too, but if
it was diarrhea, then don't take too much imodium. All it
does is paralyzing your guts. This may decrease your
diarhhea a bit, but the bacteria causing it will remain in
your guts.
Instead, take antibiotics like Ciproxine with you. My rule
is simple: if you have diarrhea once, don't panic and just
wait. If you have it twice the same day, then start taking
Ciproxine (or Zoroxin or Tarivid) 2 pills a day for 3 days.
It has worked well with me.
I travel alot and so far have managed (touch wood) never to
fall ill.
I am very particular about hygiene and food.
Only drink bottled water but drink lots of it. If you are
thirsty then it's too late!
Only brush teeth in bottled water
NEVER eat ice-cream/ice lollies
Don't have ice cubes in drinks
Become a vegetarian on travels
Only eat hot (cooked) foods
Don't eat too many spicy foods - this is especially
important if you eat spicy food once in a blue moon...
Don't overeat!!!
Don't overdo the alcohol
http://www.travelhealth.com/index.htm
I believe it's maintained by a medical doctor.
I was paranoid on my first trip to Bangkok (bottled water,
western food, etc.) and still came up with a nasty case. I
don't really "count" regular diarrhea -- just hit with
Imodium and try to go on. But in 14 Asia trips I've had 5-
6 cases of the kind that has you doubled up in constant
pain and bedridden, starting with the one in Bangkok (and I
didn't eat any street food; could've been the lettuce on a
Big Mac, maybe). "Bali belly" was no fun (Sukarno's
revenge?) The worst was landing in a Phnom Penh hospital
for a day thanks to some seriously adulterated food;
Cambodia is not a place to be if you need medical care.
Was Kafkaesque, really. So I can definitely empathize.
You can take all the precautions, shun street food totally,
check seals religiously on bottled water and still not fend
off everything.
Well for me it's easy.
I eat everything unless it looks real bad.
Take all my drinks with all kinds of ice.
Eat Rice Ice sandwiches (amazing thailand expierence)
Drink filtered tap water or bottled water.
Bruch my teeth with water straight from the shower.
And been doing that for 24 Months.
Yes i get Diarrhea sometime, but that's fixed within half a
day with no medicine or help of some carbon pills if it's
really serious. At start i visited the hospital once
because i was not too expierenced yet. But everything turned
out to be ok. Sure always monitor your body!
But if you are in good health, it takes you about 2 weeks to
adapt from western style to Thai style food that's it.
It will take that time anyway. eating carefully will not
change that.
Happy Travels,
Mark
Street restaurants RULE !
Especially the ones with home delivery.
Hubby and I spent 5 weeks in Thailand and Cambodia last
summer without incident. At first we were very careful
about where we ate but by the third week we ate almost
anywhere except from a cart on the street (anywhere that
looked like they had a permanent ice box of some kind).
Maybe the thing that protected us was the doxycycline that
our doctor prescribed as anti-malarial...it is good for
short trips but not for extended use (over 6 weeks). We
also drank about 3 litres of water each per day and packed
some antibacterial soap and a few wet wipes....
I cannot agree more about the recommendation of Ciproxin. I have travelled many times in SEA and rarely get ill. For relatively mild cases of diarrhea one Ciproxin tablet will be enough. For severe cases take the full course. Make sure you drink at least half a litre of water with every tablet.