Gastroenteritis - Question Re Nutrition

[abnel]

I was feeling pretty reasonable until recently, and was even able to go on the first (very) short vacation I have taken in years since getting POTS. But as seems to be my luck whenever I've taken vacations, I brought back some kind of gastrointestinal bug/virus. It probably didn't help that the property we stayed at ran on tank water with a treatment system from which we drank.

I have spent the last 3 days feeling pretty crappy (excuse the pun). Have had a higher resting heart rate (over 100 BPM), the obligatory "runs", a stiff neck, achey bones, painful cramps through my whole digestive tract, and a fever (on and off).

Have been surviving on a diet of dried biscuits as vegetables and fruit seem to aggravate things, but feel like the longer this goes on the weaker I am getting, also from undernourishment and de-conditioning.

Are there any nutritional supplements you guys have been able to take that doesn't worsen symptoms when you have gastro?

As an aside, since we've been on the topic of doctors recently, my doctor's surgery cancelled my appointment today saying there was another patient who was more urgent than me but he would call me some time later to discuss my situation. I explained I was also not well either! But when they called a second time to say the other patient needed to be seen, I didn't have the energy to argue. Sigh! So long story short I still haven't seen a doctor and am continuing to wait for my doc to call.

[sue1234]

Since you think the well water may have been the culprit, you may have to see a doctor. You may not just have a viral gastroenteritis, but actually need an antibiotic if the water gave you something. Probably best to have a doctor address it.

[janiedelite]

I agree with Sue1234! Also, I'm sure you know it's important to maintain your fluids and electrolyte levels during this time. I use water, pink himalayan sea salt and EmergenC packets.

[abnel]

Thanks for the advice, esp re the himalayan sea salt which from my reading sounds promising and beneficial. As it's now Day 5 and I was getting worse my doctor suspects it's bacterial, but just waiting for the pathologist's report. Am hoping this will just go away because the antibiotics used to treat some of the strains can cause more fluid loss ... not what I need right now!

[heathmcev]

How about drinking Ensure or a protein shake? Or diuralyte at the very least. I've had a GI thing for weeks that sounds similar (but not from water - think I just caught it & can't shake it) and I've been drinking an Ensure every day to try to get nutrients. I'm the same food-wise... My body doesn't want anything but toast & crackers. Feel your pain :/

[janiedelite]

Pedialyte might be helpful too!

[abnel]

Thanks everyone, the electrolyte drinks have really helped. Sorry to hear you have this too Dizzyde

I just checked out the ingredients for ensure and noticed it has milk product in it with lactose removed. It made me wonder if the milk could aggravate an already sensitive stomch. I just read discussions about it on the net - some people saying it's fine with gastro, others saying it's not. I might try a tiny amount anyway and see how it goes.

I also found this link to information about what to eat/not to eat with gastro published by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in NY. Quite helpful actually -

http://www.mskcc.org/patient_education/_assets/downloads-english/644.pdf