Food poisoning or not?

[Cameo]

We ate at Garden Grill for lunch the day after Hurricane Charley. This used to be our favorite restaurant, but we are pretty sure something we ate caused us to be sick. We were feeling fine until about 8:30 that evening when both my husband and I were very ill, within minutes of each other. My husband became more ill than I, as he was sick from both ends, while I was only sick one way. The children were fine and remained fine throughout the rest of the trip, so we doubted that we had a virus. My husband was basically sick through the night and didn't eat much food the next day. By the following day he was slowly getting back to eating.

I don't know much about food poisoning or the Norwalk-type viruses, but we believe it was the flank steak that we ate. I had about three pieces and he ate six or seven. It looked and tasted wonderful at the time, but I'm sure that was the culprit.

I had thought that food poisoning lasts longer than it did for us, but I recently read an article in our local paper about some children at a camp all getting sick. Their illness was short-lived, as was ours and they were suspecting a Norwalk-type virus, but weren't sure until it was investigated.

Considering that this was our 10th trip to WDW, and also that we eat out a lot, we've been lucky thus far.

We just consider this another reason to plan extra days on your vacation in case something happens and you are stuck in your room. On our last trip, our daughter ended up with a resp. infection and that caused us to cancel a day or so of touring also.

 

[WDWorBUST]

Food-poisoning will not rear it's ugly head that quickly. Not to say that something didn't agree with you there. But true food poisoning takes longer to hit you.

 

[disneyag]

Actually, some food-borne illnesses can hit within 6 hours. Staph aureus, botulism, and salmonella can all affect you within that window of time.

 

[Patty3]

I got food poisoning from eating left over Indian food the next day for dinner. About three to four hours later, I was so sick. I know that it was the food and I can not even look at Indian food now.

 

[Belle5]

Why the flank steak if it looked and tasted wonderful? Is that the food item that the children didn't consume? Just curious...Sorry that happened to you.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Disney evidently did not lose power from the hurricane--so food poisoning and a hurricane--not so sure...surely the fridges were still working and if they weren't--then they would have to comply with Health Department regulations in that area.

If your children ate the same food and did not get sick--then it wouldn't be dinner at that restuarant.

If you do believe you got food poisoning--you should let Disney know--but I thought that food poisoning symptoms make you ill for a whole day.

Also--funny food poisoning story...my mother for years said this restaurant and that restaurant--all these "terrible" restaurants gave her food poisoning. She believed this for years! Then it dawned on me--and her eventually--that this only happened when she consumed fish. My 48 year old mother is ALLERGIC to fish! Basically, she never had food poisoning.

So before you call it FP--evaluate all you consumed that day if you can remember to see if there are any other common foods you and hubby ate that the kids did not eat--and if the flank steak is the only one--then by all means do let Disney know. Perhaps they had other patrons complain and then that would be a confirmation (not sure they would tell you, but maybe they would).

A friend of mine wrote a letter after her family got ill off of the turkey legs at Frontierland. Disney gave them free one day passes...she did letter writing for other incidents and such (all real, non fabricated) that sometimes yielded the same response. So it would definitely be worth writing a letter to let them know what happened to you.

(and this is why I don't eat red meat--I got really sick off of prime rib from a restaurant one time that put me in false labor---all the symptoms were labor like--tummy tightening, sick as a dog--everything! It happened within a few hours of consumption--so I think my baby just didn't like prime rib).

 

[kirkharrod]

This could have been caused by E. Coli. Envision this scenario: A cook or server goes to the potty, wipes and then does not wash his hands. This particular cook or server could have touched your plate and your husband's plate, but not the kid's plate, so you get sick.

But it may not have been the food. Perhaps you and the husband ran your hands along a rail that the kids did not, then you shared a beaver tail, for example. There you go, cross contamination.

I got sick the last time we went to WDW in Feb. I did not vomit or have diarrhea but I felt nauseous for 4 days. It ruined my trip so bad , that I planned another trip for the same year (check my counter!).

My goal for this trip is to a) wash hands frequently b) keep my hands out of my mouth c) load up on vitamins and supplements to build my immune system. Wish me luck!

.

 

[Cameo]

I'm not sure that I'm ready to write a letter. It was just a thought I wanted to share. The lesson being - keep in mind that things can happen on vacation and be prepared to be "off your schedule." If we had been sick for more than a day, I might have been more upset.

Of all the things at the meal, the flank steak was the only thing we both ate quite a bit of. I had a few bites of mashed potatoes and stuffing, which hubby did not. He had catfish, which I did not. We also ate hamburgers from the WL Roaring Fork the night before and thought it might be that, but it seemed like the flank steak was more likely.

I was also curious if certain kinds of viruses/illnesses can strike that quickly (8 hours) after eating and it sounds like they can.

I was just so thankful that the kids did not get sick. They only ate their chicken strips and fries. We even gave my DS some flank steak and he didn't eat it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Some illnesses can hit that quickly--

My prime rib incident while pregant got my "labor-feeling" all around sick (no imagery needed...) within about 5 hours.

Sometimes a letter is appropriate even if you don't expect anything in return. They can review the health policies with their employees. If a letter isn't written, someone else could get sick from a similar error if one was made.

Just my thoughts--glad it didn't "ruin" your trip!

 

[Margie J]

We also ate hamburgers from the WL Roaring Fork the night before and thought it might be that, but it seemed like the flank steak was more likely.

The HAMBURGER is a more likely culprit than the steak. Since the beef is ground and any bacteria from the meat or grinding equipment is mixed within the burger this sets up the perfect media for bad bugs. If the burger isn't cooked thoroughly and doesn't reach proper internal temperature this could cause sickness.

A steak, on the other hand, may have surface bacteria that are quickly killed in the grilling process.

If any foods sit out too long in at the wrong temperture they could cause illness. Before blaming one item or one restaurant you must review all foods you ate within the previous few days and if any were improperly handled or stored (including leftovers).

 

[SamanthaL]

Keep in mind there is a nasty stomach bug going around everywhere right now! Both my kids got it and I did not. Luck of the draw I guess. I would suspect that first.

 

[GeorgeG]

I'm thinking one possibility could be that going on a "thrill" ride during the afternoon may have stirred up lunch a bit too much. As you get older your stomach might not appreciate such things as much as it did earlier in life.

 

[Autumngirl]

Being someone who has had food poisoning FOUR TIMES (yes...count 'em). I can tell you the following:

Yes, it very well could have been food poisoning. Food poisioning can hit from 3 hours to 36 hours later. My DH and I recently had it from a "fast food" chicken place and it hit me 4 hours later and him 2 hours after me.... so it does depend on your system.

ecoli... I don't think so... much more SEVERE form of food poisoning and you wouldn't be over it quite so quickly, and would probably have seen the inside of the local hospital.

Now I'm using "food poisoning" in the broadest since of the word. What I think happen is that the steak was beyond questionable...which is extremely easy to do in the summer time in a restaurant kitchen (I was in the business, the kitchen temp can EASILY hit 110 in the summer) it hit your digestive tract and immediately identified and eliminated (pardon the pun) the enemy.

You were probably drained and a little dehydrated, but all in all, no harm done.

I sincerely doubt writing a letter will get you anywhere....it is very difficult to prove food posioning without a hospital visit and stomach pump.

 

[mrsltg]

Food poisoning can and will hit that fast - it just amy not be as severe as some food poisoning can be.

Both dh and I had a nasty late afternoon-evening after having lunch at Beaches and Cream - YUCK!!! Our feeling was that the cook who was making the burgers was also making the ice creams - with the same gloves on. The light-bulb only went off after I wracked my brain over what this could have been from. Oh well, live and learn!

Erin

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Originally posted by SamanthaL
Keep in mind there is a nasty stomach bug going around everywhere right now! Both my kids got it and I did not. Luck of the draw I guess. I would suspect that first.

Those things we generally classify as "A nasty stomach bug" or "the stomach flu" are more likely to be food poisoning of some sort. There is, of course, no such thing as "the stomach flu." Much of what ails our bodies can be solved with one solution -- wash your hands.

 

[hookedup]

There are MANY types of food borne illnesses. Some can strike in as little as a couple of hours after eating - some can brew for up to 72 hours.
I am sorry you were ill like that on vacation - I know how yucky it is - I have been there.
Glad your kids were not ill.

 

[ducklite]

It could have been anything from food poisoning to a mild bug.

Without having medical tests done, there's no way of knowing.

Anne

 

[swilshire]

A friend and I went out to dinner a few years ago at a popular chain restaurant. We both ordered shrimp dinners. By the middle of the night, I was the sickest I have ever been in my life. I won't go into details, but it was not a pretty sight. I found out the next day that my friend had been similarly afflicted.

I would definitely advise Disney of the problem.

Sheila

 

[Jestocost]

If it was food poisoning, you can be almost certain that you weren't the only ones who ate at the same restaurant for lunch that were affected. No way for you to tell that unless you know or hear from someone who had the same problem at the same time, but Disney would know if they've had multiple reports. Not that they'd ever confirm that.

Having worked in food service, I know that people tend to think food poisoning when they get sick after eating somewhere. I also know that unless multiple people who have had no other contact and no other common experiences come down with similar symptoms, food poisoning probably wasn't the cause.

Sometimes there's another cause or sometimes you just react badly to some food item that would not be clinically contaminated. I seem to have a bad reaction every time I eat certain cuts of beef, for example, but I don't believe it's food poisoning.

By all means report it. If others have filed reports, then they'll know it could have been a food poisoning problem. If they don't have any other reports, they're likely not to believe it's a food poisoning problem and they may be correct.