How do make a stomach bug go away?

[wvjules]

Any thoughts? I started puking at 1:00am, puked 5 times and still feel sick. I fly tomorrow and need to be better. Any home remedies that might help me get better faster? I need to clean house and pack tonight!

Oh, DD is upstairs in bed with it too. I got up to drink gingerbread tea and water. Probably going back to bed soon as I am shivering.

 

[tlbwriter]

First, don't worry about cleaning the house. You need to rest.

Second, stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.

Third, when you feel like eating, stick to the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.

 

[2binak]

I don't think you can make the bug go away, but if you want to stop puking, try not drinking anything for an hour after you've gotten sick. Depending on what is causing you to be sick, putting even a small amount of water in your stomach after puking can start the cycle all over again. After an hour, only let yourself have a very little bit of water and then have some more an hour after that. On the advice of a friend, I've done this for both me & DD and it's worked wonders! Good luck!

 

[FergieTCat]

When I had it (in WDW) (yes, I'm STILL bitter), the first 24 hours I did nothing but feel very ill. I stayed in bed and slept when I could (i.e., when I wasn't in the bathroom or writhing in pain). The second day I discovered Gatorade and a love affair was born! Gatorade is awesome -- I immediately felt better after drinking it.

If you can't keep fluids down and you start to get very weak, call your doctor.

 

[wvjules]

Getting ready to eat a banana now. The thought of how it will feel coming back up is making me queasy though. lol

Oh and I went to get Ginger Ale. I think the gingerbread tea actually has more ginger in it becauswe the Candada Dry doesn't have ginger listed as an ingredient.

ETA: I could only handle about 1/4 of the banana.

 

[sparklynails23]

Our family noticed that everyone on antihistamines didn't throw up. Their stomachs still emptied, but they didn't throw up. Probably just a coincidence, but maybe not.

 

[ols386]

I don't think you can make the bug go away, but if you want to stop puking, try not drinking anything for an hour after you've gotten sick. Depending on what is causing you to be sick, putting even a small amount of water in your stomach after puking can start the cycle all over again. After an hour, only let yourself have a very little bit of water and then have some more an hour after that. On the advice of a friend, I've done this for both me & DD and it's worked wonders! Good luck!

That was always my Mom's advise, and I do believe it's true.

And as others have said, try to rehydrate youself, as soon as your stomach can handle it. I had a stomach bug a couple of weeks ago, and it took 4-5 days before I was feeilng back to normal, and I think a lot of the reason it took that long is because I was pretty dehydrated. So forcing liquids is important.

And the advice about eating toast, rice, and bananas, as soon as you are feeling up to it, is also good advise, IMO.

I hope you're feeling better soon wvjules. I know you're getting ready to run in the marathon at WDW. Best of luck to you.

Oh, one other thing I heard, is not to take Pepto-Bismol or anything like that, as it will only slow down the recovery process.

 

[ols386]

Getting ready to eat a banana now. The thought of how it will feel coming back up is making me queasy though. lol

Oh and I went to get Ginger Ale. I think the gingerbread tea actually has more ginger in it becauswe the Candada Dry doesn't have ginger listed as an ingredient.

ETA: I could only handle about 1/4 of the banana.

That's ok. 1/4 is better than none.

Are you running the full or half marathon?

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't think you can make the bug go away, but if you want to stop puking, try not drinking anything for an hour after you've gotten sick. Depending on what is causing you to be sick, putting even a small amount of water in your stomach after puking can start the cycle all over again. After an hour, only let yourself have a very little bit of water and then have some more an hour after that. On the advice of a friend, I've done this for both me & DD and it's worked wonders! Good luck!

I agree! We get several a year in our house, and it's really important NOT to drink too much - just about a sip or two every 15 minutes. Flat soda is a good choice. You need to go many hours without puking to start eating anything. Most only last 24 hours.

 

[mjkacmom]

Getting ready to eat a banana now. The thought of how it will feel coming back up is making me queasy though. lol

Oh and I went to get Ginger Ale. I think the gingerbread tea actually has more ginger in it becauswe the Candada Dry doesn't have ginger listed as an ingredient.

ETA: I could only handle about 1/4 of the banana.

Don't eat if you still feel sick - it will only make it worse! Let your poor stomach rest - the human body can go about 10 days without food, but dehydration can be serious. You want to do what you can not to throw up - eating will make you throw up.

 

[Hercules10]

I drown the little s.o.b. in booze.

 

[SaraJayne]

I hope it goes away soon for you! Maybe it's like the 24 hour bug my DD had starting Christmas Eve.

She threw up around 6:30pm and continued that every 20-30 mins for the next 12 hours, along with fever.

Just like that, 7pm Christmas night, she was back to her normal self. No fever, and no vomiting.

It was very odd.

Good luck in the marathon! Since you are running, it's even more important for you to stay hydrated, once your stomach rests.

 

[Christine]

I just read this in Prevention magazine:

Put a spoon of honey in everything you drink throughout your intestinal illness and while you are recovering. Study participants who did that got better 24 hours sooner than those who did not. Something about the antimicrobial things in honey destroy stomach bugs. So put it in EVERYTHING you drink.

 

[Gigi22]

My travel dr. has us take Gastrolyte/Electrolyte with us to counter tummy bugs on trips. It restores fluid and electrolytes lost during vomiting and diarrhea. The stuff is magic, makes you feel so much better after you have been sick. I can't stand Gatorade.

 

[wvjules]

I'm doing the half on Saturday. I just ate toast and all seems to be sitting well. I am trying so hard to drink!

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Rest, REST, REST, you can clean the house when you get home. Seriously, please do.

We always were told to wait at least 90 minutes from the last stomach attack and then start with either a Pedialite popsicle (just a small amount) or gatorade, or even ginger ale, (ours has ginger) at one tablespoon at a time. If this stays down 20 minutes, increase to 2 tablespoons. Food isn't until after 4-6 hours after last stomach incident. Then on to B.R.A.T. that was noted above. BRAT will help stop the Diarhea when the bug works it's way down.


I'll say a little prayer/thought that both of you feel better quick. Hopefully it is just a 12 hours virus and all will be just fine!!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I wish I knew--thankfully, I just have the feeling of needing to toss my cookies without actually doing it.

As far as I know--you just stay hydrated and let it run its course and rest. I think the only thing Docs can do is help with side effects if they get to be too much (like you get dehydrated for example).

Hope you feel better soon.

My house is a wreck and I'm only doing bits and pieces that keep us from being declared a health hazard.

and my BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG BIG piece of advice which you may ignore...

DO NOT, under any circumstance, DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT--do the half if your bug is still active even if you can "keep down" gatorade" that had to be drank painfully slowly over a 3 hour period.

Bad idea--HUGE!!! Don't do it.

(my 2005 stint was a nightmare and I did it with a stomach bug--DON'T DO IT!)

That said--you should hopefully be good by Saturday. If not--DON'T.

 

[GoodFairies]

You can't cure it; you can only stay hydrated.

You will still be contagious, that is, the virus will still be present in your feces, for a few weeks after you personally start to feel better. Please wash your hands well and often with soap and water and try not to spread it around further.

 

[Rora]

First, don't worry about cleaning the house. You need to rest.

Second, stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water.

Third, when you feel like eating, stick to the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.

This. Maybe drink some gingerale!

Feel better!