Diarrhea Frequency & Treatment in SE Asia

[AsiaTraveler1234]

I have been traveling SE Asia for almost 2 years now. I rarely, if ever, got diarrhea in the United States or Australia, yet I seem to get a nasty case about every 6 weeks or so while in Asia, whether in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. I take precautions and generally avoid street food, always wash hands with soap and then dry thoroughly before eating and after using the washroom.

 

I'm curious how often other long-term Western visitors or expats here in Asia get diarrhea, how long it typically lasts for you, and what you have found to be the best treatment, generally.

 

Thanks!

[Will B Good]

6 minutes ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

I have been traveling SE Asia for almost 2 years now. I rarely, if ever, got diarrhea in the United States or Australia, yet I seem to get a nasty case about every 6 weeks or so while in Asia, whether in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. I take precautions and generally avoid street food, always wash hands with soap and then dry thoroughly before eating and after using the washroom.

 

I'm curious how often other long-term Western visitors or expats here in Asia get diarrhea, how long it typically lasts for you, and what you have found to be the best treatment, generally.

 

Thanks!

 

Once in 30 years.....but it led to three nights in hospital.

 

My sister visited for a week, only time she's been, ended up being flown back to the UK half-conscious and was ill for a month.....salmonella.

 

It is in the lap of the gods I guess.

[KannikaP]

My Mum would give me corn flour/starch. It did not cure it, but thickened it up a bit! 555

[Dan O]

Take charcoal capsuls as they absorb the nasty bugs in your stomach and allow you to rid yourself from them. Immodium will help stop the "action" but that just keeps the bugs in your gut and may prolong the experience 

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Take charcoal capsuls as they absorb the nasty bugs in your stomach and allow you to rid yourself from them. Immodium will help stop the "action" but that just keeps the bugs in your gut and may prolong the experience 

 

The immodium bit makes sense.

 

The doctor who looked after me in hospital explained the first thing the bacteria does is seal off the inner surface of the bowel as it wants all the water that's in there .....that also explains why you can't rehydrate by drinking......you are just 'feeding' the bacteria.

[bkk6060]

My experience is it can be a bacteria infection and antibiotics may be needed.

I have had it a few times, but if it lasts more then 4 or 5 days, I take some antibiotics and it clears up.

[brianthainess]

12 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

My Mum would give me corn flour/starch. It did not cure it, but thickened it up a bit! 555

I got very sick by eating 'soft' off biskets in Morocco one time, very bad stomach cramps, followed with diarrhea, it went on for hours, a Moroccan guy got me to swallow 2 teaspoons of powdered Cumin (yuk) I was instantly cured.

[KhunLA]

I rarely get, almost never, although I'm usually careful with what & where I eat.  

[watthong]

13 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I rarely get, almost never, although I'm usually careful with what & where I eat.

 

One of the 10 commandments for living in Thailand -

 

Let me elaborate on that: Make sure what you eat is freshly made. Considering Thailand is the only place I know in Asia where ready-cooked food are on display in the open all day long, without being heated. Fresh meat sold in Lotus/Big C is also a cause of concern, being spread out in big open vats for all and sundries to poke in sometime with their fingers.

Last Friday I cooked some suspicious looking chicken legs brough from Lotus, which desperation coming in near closing hour made me do it, at home I cooked them in some curry paste that has been in the fridge for ages, adding  half a carton of coconut milk that has been opened for a few days... Right way after dinner I came down with food poisoning.

Turn on YT, watch some yoga moves which when practices produced quick result - I raced to the bathroom and puked. After that I immdiately took 3 carbon charcoal pills and spent the night with bloated, cramped stomach. Next day I had a temperature so continued with the charcoal and drank plenty of electrolyted water. The diarrhea happened throughout. The next day the temperature subsided, so did the stomach cramps. Started eating in tiny portion, white toast and banana, apple (needed to be peeled and cooked.) Then gradually adding oatmeal. However the diarrhea hasn't gone away so I'm drinking black tea (if available, add cinnamon.) Later today I'm going to get some carrots and eat them boiled. That's my recipe in a nutshell, as we speak... 

[KhunLA]

26 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I rarely get, almost never, although I'm usually careful with what & where I eat.  

 

How is that confusing.  Just common sense.  If an expat, you've been here long enough and should know, what & where to eat by now.

 

If a tourist, and not used to lots of fruits & veggies in you diet, or spicy food, then go easy, very easy first couple weeks in SEA, and let you system adjust, as high levels of those, will act as a laxative to your system if not used to it.

 

The rest is simply choosing wisely what & where you eat.   AVOID BUFFETS

[fredwiggy]

There are quite a few cases of food poisoning here, along with regular stomach ailments, watthong saying where it usually comes from. Randomly taking antibiotics isn't a good idea, as it can make you resistant when you really need them. Best bet is finding out what you have before you try a cure. Safest bet for regular diarrhea is Bismuth Subsaliscylate, Pepto Bismol in the US, Gastro here. Immodium works, but Bismuth has always been liquid gold when attacks come for me. Works pretty fast.

[rwill]

As someone else mentioned carbon pills work good to absorb the bugs in your gut.  There are different brands.  I recommend the capsule ones over the pill form.  The pills are very dry in the mouth, make sure you have water ready with them.

 

I think one of the most important things is to eat where they are busy.  I don't eat at slow places because you don't know how long the food has been sitting around.

I also avoid the places where everything is premade in big pots.  You know they don't throw it out and just keep adding more stuff to it as needed.

[Gknrd]

Food poisoning several time in SE Asia. Mostly Thailand. When traveling. Horrible

[Siamic]

About once a year. Erfuzide capsules usually fixes it in a couple of days.

[Andycoops]

Your hygiene maybe good but it's the people making the food that are often the problem.

 

If they are not cleaning (rinsing salads) the food and not washing their hands it doesn't really matter what you do.

[Luuk Chaai]

19 hours ago, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

I have been traveling SE Asia for almost 2 years now. I rarely, if ever, got diarrhea in the United States or Australia, yet I seem to get a nasty case about every 6 weeks or so while in Asia, whether in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. I take precautions and generally avoid street food, always wash hands with soap and then dry thoroughly before eating and after using the washroom.

 

I'm curious how often other long-term Western visitors or expats here in Asia get diarrhea, how long it typically lasts for you, and what you have found to be the best treatment, generally.

 

Thanks!

trouble is,,     using the Bun Gun .. that hundreds of other patrons have used and probably got a little to close to the exit hole many food vendors don't  "wash hands with soap and then dry thoroughly before eating and after using the washroom."  a lot of restrooms do not have soap and means to dry your hands

 

 or cover the food and care not about hoards of flies landing and leaving who knows what

or leaving food out in the sun for hours

hygiene and food safety protocals are really not high on the list

[simon43]

I can't recall ever getting food poisoning in 22 years!  I attribute this to my cast-iron stomach, thanks to the appalling food that my mum used to give me as a young child....

[Chwooly]

In over 30 years, twice, Once on a flight from BKK to Manila, Was in bed for 3 days, Once from a street food vendor in Indonesia, I was in bed only 1 day then. the person that took me there was Local and was sick also. 

 

The question I have to ask is what constitutes diarrhea, My nephew in the states will tell me his suffering when his poop isn't solid like a log because he ate too much fiber. If you sit down on your normal schedule and it is soft that is not a cause for  alarm, If  you are running to the bathroom every 3 mins and painting the walls of the toilet then you might have a problem 5555

[Thingamabob]

Not since we stopped eating out. I only eat my wife's cooking these days 

[Mutt Daeng]

I guess that I am one of the lucky ones, in that I have never had food "poisoning" or even diarrhoea since I moved to Thailand (15 years ago), and I do eat some street food. There have however, been incidents where I have eaten something which goes through me like an express train but then that's it. Any kind of fried rice is one such dish. I find it excessively greasy in Thailand, so now I don't eat it. I prefer steamed/boiled rice anyway.

[BenCrew]

Take tablets for up to a week, or pay for the quick fix,  one night in hospital on an intravenous drip . Not cheap, but very effective!

[Stevemercer]

I used to get (mild) diarrhea when I first came to Thiland, but rarely get it now. By mild I mean a vomit or two, followed to 2 or 3 days of diarrhea, and then easing back into full eating. I start off with porridge, toasted ham, cheese and tomatos andwiches,and electrolitic drinks.

 

Most times I would continue with my regular cycling and working outside after a day resting. For me, it was an opportunity to loose a bit of weight while my appetite was suppressed.

 

Ialways found the biggest danger was going to Thai wedding and other home celebrations where it was hard to not eat dubious food without causing offense.I'm more wary now.

[Rimmer]

A post with an altered quote and a reply have been removed

[Burma Bill]

On 8/26/2024 at 11:32 AM, AsiaTraveler1234 said:

I have been traveling SE Asia for almost 2 years now. I rarely, if ever, got diarrhea in the United States or Australia, yet I seem to get a nasty case about every 6 weeks or so while in Asia, whether in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. I take precautions and generally avoid street food, always wash hands with soap and then dry thoroughly before eating and after using the washroom.

 

I'm curious how often other long-term Western visitors or expats here in Asia get diarrhea, how long it typically lasts for you, and what you have found to be the best treatment, generally.

 

Thanks!

 

 

F ortunately these days, it is not often I get a bout of "Bangkok Belly" but when I do I take one Imodium tablet and back to normal in 24 hours.  With me, it is not normally food that affects me but more likey the ice that is put in my drinks - by dirty hands or the use of contaminated water which is frozen.

[Dan O]

On 8/26/2024 at 11:57 AM, Will B Good said:

 

The immodium bit makes sense.

 

The doctor who looked after me in hospital explained the first thing the bacteria does is seal off the inner surface of the bowel as it wants all the water that's in there .....that also explains why you can't rehydrate by drinking......you are just 'feeding' the bacteria.

Not sure what your saying.

 

The charcoal will absorb the fluids and bacteria in your gut and you can expell it from your body.  Immodium works by shutting down the bowels from pushing out the contents if I remember correctly. (Non scientific description)

[Will B Good]

2 minutes ago, Dan O said:

Immodium works by shutting down the bowels from pushing out the contents if I remember correctly.

 

 

The contents being primarily water....which is what the bacteria are after in order to survive and multiply.....so with bacterial diarrhea, Immodium could have a detrimental impact on the sufferer.

[Dan O]

9 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

The contents being primarily water....which is what the bacteria are after in order to survive and multiply.....so with bacterial diarrhea, Immodium could have a detrimental impact on the sufferer.

Yes that's what I said and why I suggested charcoal capsule. 

[Wrwest]

Sorry, no help. When I first retired to Thailand in 2011 it was on and off, along with some lung coughing for the first three months. After that (knock on wood) rarely ... less than once a year. Oops, except the occasional negative effect of the little blue pills!!!

[geisha]

Some people react to very spicy foods, some it’s the alcoholic drinks, and icy drinks, even water.  Some restaurants are filthy. After seeing an Indian kitchen I didn’t eat Indian food for many years.  The only one I eat at is Indian By Nature Thappraya Jomtien. 
Avoid  sauces, like spaghetti Bolognese , as they keep the sauce for days , I got the bottom of the casserole and ended up being really ill,for 3 days.A nice Thai took me to his home as I was incapacitated and called a doctor. I was out of it for 3 days. So kind. 
The worse was in India.  I ate only strict vegetarian, after visiting the Taj Mahal, I collapsed in the toilet  of a restaurant stop ( luckily) heading back to Delhi ,  was missed on the bus , a lady German doctor found me, the bus had to stop at least 20 times , again 3 days but even hallucinating. Doctor etc. Now I am ridiculously careful, have 2 or 3 restaurants I trust. 
Never eat at those sushi stands and buffets, people breathing on them etc  and open for all to see and touch .Ugh !

[shdmn]

Thailand has some stuff called flying rabbit that seems to work pretty good.  Found in pretty much all pharmacies everywhere in Thailand.  Not sure if that is it's official name but that is what everyone calls it because of the logo.