Haven't seen a good diarrhea post in ages.

Oh, I see some shit threads and posts. They just don't come out and say it.

I really do wonder about the medication that bungs you up quickly, Pepto bismal & Immodium isn't it better to let is run its course and get whatever out of your system?

I do this

Flat Ginger-ale, soda crackers, bananas, charcoal tabs & lots of water and eventually start to ramp up the fibre intake.

I really do wonder about the medication that bungs you up quickly, Pepto bismal & Immodium isn't it better to let is run its course and get whatever out of your system?

Probably, but if you have to make a long flight with it, you might want to stop it until you get home.

Water and rehydration powders from 7/11...some bananas and dry biscuits/bread ... It will "pass"

I can't imagine being poor and looking for work in a country that isn't my own. Why on earth did they come here with no "back up"

Yep my thoughts exactly. Go to a pharmacy and explain that your friend has the shits and they'll give you something for it. Surely that wasn't too hard to figure out. Oh wait, I forgot who I'm talking to. You're the guy who came to a foreign country with no cash, no income and no prospects.

Thailand is a 'Buddhist' Country, and owning nothing is highly respected by the monks here. *REAL MONKS...

When You have nothing you are truly FREE, being bound by worldly possessions and debts to banks are inprisonment. All that fancy crap you buy with all your money truly OWNS you......

Dont worry about it. I have lived here for 9 years and havent had a solid <deleted> in the whole entire time. It comes with the territory.

Edit. Sorry. Just read the rest of the post. Ignore my reply.

2002. Pattaya when I lived there, year of the World Cup, great time BUT had a nasty bout of the runs for a day, couldn't go out, watched the matches in my condo with my wife but was on the pan every 5 minutes. I blame the wife! It was the worst I ever had but I was already in country nearly 18 months before it hit. Brings tears to my eyes thinking about it now.

water may not be the only issue.

thai food tastes good, but much of it 'lacks substance'. lots of curry, soups, rice, porriage type stuff that runs in one end and out the other.

not enough bread and leafy vegetables.

Water and rehydration powders from 7/11...some bananas and dry biscuits/bread ... It will "pass"

This. Water + electrolytes + fiber + time. If it hasn't cleared up after a week or ten days, medical attention may be needed.

In answer to the OP, I never had a problem during many previous tourist visits. Now that I live here (one year so far), I've had one minor food poisoning incident which was last week. I'm just now feeling like I'm out of those woods. Interestingly enough, it must have come from something eaten at home, since I didn't eat out at all on the day I started feeling woozy. Of course I was the only one affected, out of eight or ten people eating at the same dinner table.

I opted to forego the Imodium, since I wanted whatever was invading my gut to be expelled in short order.

Oh, and what's with the cautions about milk? I'm a big milk drinker (about 3-4 liters per week) and I'm not really picky about the brand. Never had any milk-related issues.

Dont worry about it. I have lived here for 9 years and havent had a solid <deleted> in the whole entire time. It comes with the territory.

Edit. Sorry. Just read the rest of the post. Ignore my reply.

water may not be the only issue.

thai food tastes good, but much of it 'lacks substance'. lots of curry, soups, rice, porriage type stuff that runs in one end and out the other.

not enough bread and leafy vegetables.

If you are not having solid stools, you either have something major wrong with you, or you have a horrible diet.

Bread is not very healthy most of the time, rice is much healthier.

Have the sexy GF change his diapers regularly. I'm sure she won't mind.

Bread is not very healthy most of the time, rice is much healthier.

Who told you that??? Rice is not all that healthy. It has naturally occurring Arsenic in it. Polished white rice is not healthy - no fiber.

Bread is not very healthy most of the time, rice is much healthier.

Who told you that??? Rice is not all that healthy. It has naturally occurring Arsenic in it. Polished white rice is not healthy - no fiber.

Really ? Will be interesting to see when my MIL starts frothing around the mouth. Not holding my breath though, she's survived 52 years eating her own harvest. Is there actually any food on the planet that won't kill you in a horrific, 100 year lasting agony ?

Bread is not very healthy most of the time, rice is much healthier.

Who told you that??? Rice is not all that healthy. It has naturally occurring Arsenic in it. Polished white rice is not healthy - no fiber.

Really ? Will be interesting to see when my MIL starts frothing around the mouth. Not holding my breath though, she's survived 52 years eating her own harvest. Is there actually any food on the planet that won't kill you in a horrific, 100 year lasting agony ?

The alternative would appear to be starvation. Rock, meet hard place.

One wonders how one has survived since the middle of the last century.

The standard remedy(besides time and Immodium when needed) for travelers diarrhea is the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce(dunno if it's available in LOS, could never find it in Nepal), and toast. When I was in China steamed buns for breakfast always did the trick. Oral rehydration salts are also good, especially if you are moving around and sweating a lot. Is there a problem with bugs like Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc in LOS like there is in India/Nepal? If you come down with one of those then you need to take metrotinazole. If you come down with watery diarrhea and feel very weak then you need Cipro and ORS. Keep in mind I'm not a doctor, just speaking from personal experience.

sounds like cryptosporidium...get medical assistance, including pharmaceuticals (nitazoxanide) but seek help from your health professional first

so does a sexy young girlfriend who handwashes your shorts

Good point,it must be a bit crowded with the 3 of them,and all that hand washing water floating about!

The standard remedy(besides time and Immodium when needed) for travelers diarrhea is the BRAT diet - bananas, rice, applesauce(dunno if it's available in LOS, could never find it in Nepal), and toast. When I was in China steamed buns for breakfast always did the trick. Oral rehydration salts are also good, especially if you are moving around and sweating a lot. Is there a problem with bugs like Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc in LOS like there is in India/Nepal? If you come down with one of those then you need to take metrotinazole. If you come down with watery diarrhea and feel very weak then you need Cipro and ORS. Keep in mind I'm not a doctor, just speaking from personal experience.

Yogurt I find helpful as well, as it replenishes the GI tract with helpful bacteria. After a year in the region I can eat most standard food - either from clean restaurants or well-maintained street vendors...just see if a lot of locals are frequenting the place, look over the ingredients and clientele, etc. Ice, as has been stated, is no problem. Actually, the only times I've felt a beat queasy in the stomach recently have been when eating Thai or Burmese made western food. Best to stick with what they know how to make, and stick with what the locals eat. To answer the original question, it's probably normal/standard to take some time for the body to adjust. The BRAT diet, with yogurt mixed in, will help.

sounds like cryptosporidium...get medical assistance, including pharmaceuticals (nitazoxanide) but seek help from your health professional first

My doc told me dihorea was hereditory! Coz it runs in youre genes......(or was that "jeans"?)

Its hereditary

Apparantly its in your jeans

The runs do seem a more common occurrence in Thailand. Newbies seem very susceptible, as they tend to eat anything any place. Chilli is a main culprit, but even a change of water is enough to cause traveller's tummy without there being any infection. Then there's the crap beer, and generally raised bacterial levels. Rough living really, leading to IBS.

Imodium helps a lot.

+ 1

I have not had any problems in the last 18 months I have been here, drinking bottled water, eating street food, and drinking beer with ice the whole time I have been here, must be a strong Welsh constitution, I guess!!!

Lived here more than 20 years, never had a problem, not even as a new arrival, and I was living out in the boonies and eating street food. For that matter, never had a probkem in India or Neal either and likewise ate street food. Just the way i'm built. Some newbies suffer a lot, some a little just a first, and some never.

Must be an immunity to bacteria sheryl, are you from a third world european country like me?