So I was wondering is it the stomach bug or did I get traveler's diarrhea? If so do I start my cipro now?

Question

Hello, I was wondering, my 21 month old son vomited on Thursday morning, and had a soft stool at the end of the day, his general condition is very bad, Friday night around 10:30 pm he vomited, and during the night he had a soft stool, Saturday morning he had a soft stool again, since then nothing, he has not pooped or vomited, my 7 month old daughter absolutely nothing, my boyfriend neither, on the other hand, since yesterday (Saturday) I have a big stomach ache, with reflux, stomach ache and some diarrhea, I didn't manage to eat for supper and since this morning I only have soft stools, everything I eat evacuates from the bottom.. what you need to know is that last Friday we came back from Mexico, a trip that was only for me and my boyfriend. Thanks a lot for the information! :)

Samantha Hui · Accepted Answer

Hello, Diarrhea can be caused by several reasons. Symptoms of traveler's diarrhea can appear during the trip or up to 7-10 days after the return. Mexico is a high risk country. The infection is transmitted primarily through ingestion of contaminated food or water. In rarer cases, it can be transmitted from person to person when basic hygiene measures are not used. Traveler's diarrhea usually recovers in 1 to 3 days with or without treatment. Viral gastroenteritis is self-limiting, usually within a week, without drug treatment. It is transmitted in the same way as traveler's diarrhea. For any diarrhea situation, the rule of thumb and main treatment is to stay well hydrated, especially with oral electrolyte solutions like Pedialyte or Hydralyte. If your diarrhea is mild, tolerable and does not interfere with your daily activities, only hydration is suggested. If your diarrhea is tolerable but interferes with your daily activities, in addition to hydration, Imodium can be used temporarily to relieve your symptoms at 4 mg immediately and then 2 mg after each loose stool, maximum 16 mg/day. This treatment should not be taken for > 2 days and is not a 1st line treatment. This is a grey area and it is difficult to know what is causing your diarrhea. You need to monitor the severity of your diarrhea. In my opinion, if there has been no worsening of your condition since Saturday or if there has been an improvement, I would recommend trying to continue to ingest solid foods and to stay well hydrated. An antibiotic does not seem to be necessary. If you have at least 3 unformed stools in 24 hours accompanied by blood or mucus in the stool, fever > 38°C, nausea and/or cramps, I recommend starting Cipro as prescribed. However, if there is no improvement after 36 hours, or if you notice a deterioration of your general condition, I strongly advise you to consult a physician. I hope this answers your question, Samantha Hui, pharmacy student Under the supervision of Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist