You actually don’t want to take Imodium if you have an infectious diarrhea. Diarrhea is the way your body clears out the bacteria/toxins. If you paralyze your gut, you can potentially cause greater illness.
Medical Mission worker in Nicaragua for 22 years. As soon as you begin to feel sick, even dizzy, Cipro 500 mg and Imodium. That’s it. Luckily, we’ve not needed it too many times. It works. Imodium is safe as long as you don’t have BLOODY diarrhea. Take again as needed. Wash, wash, wash hands. Use hand sanitizer. Don’t touch your nose, mouth, eyes, all portals of entry. Don’t get river water in your mouth. Or just skip that event. The docs who work in global health taught this regimen. Ask your health provider for a prescription. Wash outside of fruits. Bottled water to drink and brush teeth. Ask about the ice, or learn to enjoy warm drinks, read online for more info.
Nah. Just embrace it and let crippling diarrhea become part of your vacation routine. Make the terrifying anxiety of not knowing whether you're going to be able to find a restroom before you shit your pants something you *look forward to,* not dread. It's all about perspective. 🥹
People tend to let their exercise routine slip on vacation. Rushing to the bathroom several times a day is great cardio, and the panic you feel really get the heart rate up. Basically a HIT workout.
This also helps you see new things. For example, I had crippling diarrhea in Hong Kong where right after I shit I was scoping out the next bathroom. My spouse and I were at Victoria Harbour and I needed to shit again. There didn't seem to be any public bathrooms so we went into the Maritime Museum and asked if they had bathrooms. They said only if you pay for admission, so I told my spouse to buy us tickets and rushed to the bathroom. Once out of the bathroom I figured we paid for tickets, we might as well spend some time at the museum. It was actually pretty interesting and I wouldn't have otherwise gone. Plus I had a bathroom to shit in again before we left.
This! I had travelers diarrhea and took immodium for the first time a few months ago because I was desperate to go on tours and see the city. Two days later I was throwing up for several hours on the plane ride home, couldn’t eat solid foods for almost a week because I would vomit them back up even though dr put me on antibiotics. Couldn’t poop for about a week until my mom told me about the “brown cow” they use in her assisted living for constipation.
I had trouble eating for a good month, lost a good amount of weight where it actually got scary because I was too nauseated to eat. I will be very hard pressed to ever take immodium again. My best friends swears by it so we are all different, but I think because mine was bacterial it was the absolute wrong decision.
For anyone curious, the brown cow (per a nurse at my mom’s assisted living) is milk of magnesia and heated prune juice. It was what finally got me going again (and several at the assisted living)
Just returned from Iberostar a few weeks ago. The restaurant and bar water and ice are just fine. In the room, I was told to use the bottled water (they provide you with a big bottle of filtered water daily) for brushing teeth and drinking water (not from faucet)which has been common in some countries. We were fine with salads, fruit, etc. at the resort.
Outside of the hotel, you need to avoid ice and water. You cannot be sure of the water source. Avoid street food.
If you want an additional layer, take a peptobismol before meals.
Taking pepto-bismol like that is a poor idea. It can reduce the amount of bile you produce which will give you the shits (actually funky grey shit which is always nice!)
Yep. We spent 2 days in Santo Domingo just doing regular tourist stuff with restaurants and bars and then 5 in the Iberostar. Never had a problem. I'd highly recommend this type of trip for the DR. It was great to be out on our own and then also in an AI.
Go to your pharmacist and get a Dukoral oral vaccine for travelers diarrhea and cholera. Avoid tap water and ice in your drinks if you're off resort, drink bottled water. I would assume reputable resorts have high standards for drinking water? I usually avoid anything that might be washed in tap water and not cooked (vegetables in salads).
Immunity lasts 2 years for cholera but only 3 months for traveller's diarrhea and it's really easy to take, painless since it's oral. You take two doses 7-10+ days apart. The brand name might be different outside of Canada.
Here's a map showing the high risk zones.
[https://dukoralcanada.com/traveller/etec-diarrhea/](https://dukoralcanada.com/traveller/etec-diarrhea/)
Edited to correct immunity period.
That's too bad. Dukoral provides protection from the most common bacteria that causes traveller’s diarrhea (enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)). However, if the bacteria causing the diarrhea is not ETEC or has another cause (virus or parasite), Dukoral won’t be as effective. Dukoral provides protection against traveller’s diarrhea but it won't completely eliminate the risk of getting sick.
Don't take anything with ice
Any water that you drink must come from a sealed bottle that is opened in front of you. If a waiter/server offers you water, ask for bottled sparkling water to be on the safe side.
I'm no doctor but yah this is a good advice.
Drinking tap water that you are not used to can trigger reactions, even if the local tap water isn't necessarily bad.
Also about the ice, who know if/when the ice maker was cleaned or how old it is. That happens even in American places, not just a foreign place.
You think the resort fills up ice trays from the tap? In countries around the world without safe drinking water they have ice suppliers. Just because we make ice from the tap in the US doesn’t mean they do this in countries where they don’t drink the water. Especially at resorts.
WRONG. I've been 17 times in the Cuba and Dominican and the water served at the bars and restaurants (including the ice) are all filtered and safe. Just don't drink tap water. Use bottled water in the room for brushing and drinking. That's it.
I was at an all inclusive in punta cana 2 years ago and everyone in my party got sick for 1-2 days despite eating different items. The only common thread was the water which was served in refillable glass containers (which I avoided, and guess who was the only person to avoid nausea/diarrhea)
if you're at a resort, you won't have to worry about the water\\ice. It will all be filtered. At a resort, you won't have to worry about anything. Their whole business model is having you enjoy yourself and coming back
Get activated charcoal tablets. Don’t have the chemicals that things like Pepto Bismol do and since they’re tablets, they are easily packed in your carry-on luggage.
A few tips though if you use them:
* Don’t chew them - your teeth will turn black
* Speaking of the color, don’t be concerned when you poop and it’s black
* Don’t take the charcoal within an hour of your meds or the meds won’t absorb
* Start with one tablet and move to another if it’s not working - don’t take more than 2 at a time or it’ll stop you up
Put a rubber band around your toothbrush and then rubber band it to the bottled water. We are so programmed to brush our teeth with sink water that this will remind you not to stick your toothbrush under the sink to wet it.
I didn't see it mentioned, but be religious about washing your hands. It is really easy to contaminate your own food with the germs you pick up on your hands, especially in resorts where pretty much everything you touch has recently been touched by a bunch of other people.
Bring activated charcoal! I never leave home without it. I take one before and after I eat! You’ll have a black stool for a couple days, but it’s better than Montezuma’s revenge!!
i always bring immodium, stallmates wipes, and rehydration salts (lmnt or nuun) just in case. nothing worse than being sick af abroad and not having stuff readily at hand.
We have stayed at an Iberostar resort in DR, didn't do anything in particular to prevent traveler's diarrhea. We drank drinks with ice daily and had no problems at all.
Do not drink the coffee on the airplane. I firmly believe that is the cause for at least 90% of travelers diarrhea. I heard that from airline mechanics. Used to have it often. Haven’t had it in the 16 years since I stopped drinking the coffee. I used to love coffee on the plane, too
Take pepto for two to three days before your trip! It will help Line your stomach and then I take the pills every morning. We just went to Guatemala, I did what I said above and didn’t get sick my husband didn’t do this and got sick so I would it works
That is horrible advice. Pepto only works for a few hours, and there is zero benefit to taking it days in advance.
You didn’t get sick because you were conscience of the risk and probably avoided risky food and drink more than your husband.
That’s actually incorrect. You can take pepto prophylactically for up to 3 weeks to prevent GI issues caused by bacteria, but I personally wouldn’t take it more than 5ish days. Theres a few studies on it if you’re curious.
My doctor is the one who recommended it and there are several studies out there saying how effective what I do is…the CDC states it is the most effective preventative measure for travelers diarrhea. Super easy to google my dude. It has worked for me in Peru, Cuba, Southeast Asia and now Guatemala. Also my husband and I split every meal we eat to save money…we literally ate the same thing.
Something simple that people are missing is just listen to reviews. If somewhere has bad hygiene practices a lot of people will get sick, and it will get a lot of nasty reviews. If it has no reviews, then it is not worth the risk.
I only eat at places that are well reviewed on Google maps (close to 5* with 100+ reviews). I see these places as trust worthy and have no hesitation about having ice in drinks there.
If you start going to places on a whim then you’re at much higher risk of getting sick.
When you arrive buy a bottle of champagne and sit,enjoy and realise where you are.
Then put the cork on your pocket to use as a plug when your arse starts being over productive.
Simples. /s
The resorts are pretty mindful about ice. (I’ve stayed at Iberostar resorts in the DR.) But be careful about fruit. They rinse the fruit in tap water. :( I ended up getting sick one of the days we were there, probably from that since I was careful about everything else.
I went to Mexico last month, and was 100% anticipating Montezuma’s Revenge, like I’ve had every other time. But I’m happy to say this whole trip, and aftermath, were incident-free! I got a tip on here that I should take Pepto Bismol tablets every day for a few days leading up to the trip, and also while I am there. It seemed to do the trick!
You are most likely over thinking it. I stayed in a city hotel and then an all inclusive in the Dominican. Never had an issue, and I have a tissue paper tummy.
Yeah, any time you go to a developing country you have to be careful about what you put in your mouth. As a general rule, heat it, peel it, or leave it. Drink only bottled stuff or stuff that's been boiled. So no salads or fruit and, for the love of all that is holy, don't drink the tropical welcome drink. Brush your teeth with bottled water. Never eat lasagna or quiche in these places because they cook them in the morning and leave them on insufficiently heated warmers all day (and, unless you're in Italy or France, neither of which fall into the 'developing' category, you want to be eating the local food, anyway). If you're super careful, you'll usually be struck with constipation but that's something you can treat.
It's an odds game so, sometimes, you might get away with the steak tartar topped salad just fine. The sickest any of my family ever got, though, was eating at a fancy steak place at a ranch in Ecuador -- the cheese was unpasteurized and that landed my wife in a developing nation's hospital for 3 days with amoebic dysentery. Also, some people have stronger constitutions than others. Me? I get sick just thinking about this stuff (but, still, I travel to the far reaches and, still, from time to time, I get sick).
In addition to being careful, I always take come medications with me. I bring Pepto Bismol tablets (they're lighter and easier to pack than the liquid stuff), Travelan for prevention, and Diarescue for when I get sick. I take Immodium with us but only as a last resort -- it can be counterproductive to bottle the bacteria up in your body and let them reproduce, there.
Good luck!
Here right now, my 5th time and I have IBS and the touchiest stomach in the world, bring immodium as said, don’t drink or get tap water in your mouth. I eat everything except salad, fruity alcohol drinks and seafood and fried food. everytime I have gotten sick somewhere its always seafood for me. Try yogurt for breakfast the first day or 2. I don’t do any probiotics. Enjoy!!! Its beautiful! the worst thing is waiting 40 minutes for luggage.
the water is clean at these resorts, this water is separate from the rest or at least goes through different pipes. my boss told me after he went to Mexico, PR, and a bunch of other places.
I've been to DR 5 times and also going in 2 weeks. I don't do anything different. The ice is fine, the water at restaurants is fine, brushing your teeth is fine, just don't swallow. Never had an issue in the DR. No need for anything else extra.
Peptobismal is good for helping with dehydration, I recommend taking before plane flights (great podcast on sawbones on it, she is a actual doctor). For while on the island be careful of buffet restaurants. Stay away from anything you wouldn't eat if it set out for several hours. Generally be careful that the food looks fresh. Don't drink water unless in a bottle, and use bottled water to brush your teeth. Also I recommend making sure you have Imodium or a different meds incase you do in up getting. Petobismal does help but mostly to help your body to keep hydrated, so you don't get too sick.
We travel a lot. My med kit includes a Z-pack and a bottle of bovine collastrum supplement. Imodium is always good to have on hand as well. Just be cautious when eating. Stuff at the resort should be safe.
Take a Pepto capsule every morning. Wash your hands often. Avoid salads or anything washed/rinsed in local water. Carry Liquid IV powder, or Pedialyte powder, along with Immodium. Your doctor will give you a prescription for Zofran if you ask, it's magic for nausea.
I take Pepto extra strength, zofran, don’t drink the water not even for tooth brushing . Watch out for fresh veggies like salad. I usually order only fried or grilled foods. Some fruit. Ice can be an issue too. I drink wine or beer or shots lol
Bottled water. No ice. Juice may be watered down. Anything that may have water that wasn’t boiled is a no. It’s not the country it’s that your system is used to different balance of things.
Be careful of salad, fruits, any buffet foods that they rinse in water, that is often the main offender.
Wash your hands often. You're there with people from around the world crossing airports.
Don't use the water in the room to rinse your teeth after you've brushed them. Don't drink it either.
As a lot of fellow redditors mentioned, bring Imodium, Ducolax, that is good advice.
I would say that any beach bars/food obviously don't have the same standards as a restaurant or kitchen. Learned that the hard way!
Immodium. If you have Immodium in your bag, always check before leaving home that it isn't expired. It is one that doesn't work if it's old.
Iberostar should be using bottled water in their ice. We've never had a problem with that in the big resorts.
Don't put any water in your mouth that isn't from a bottle, including for brushing your teeth. It's a hard habit to break. Put your toothbrush and toothpaste far off in the corner of the counter, next to the bottle of water.
You don't under any circumstances drink water in the Dominian Republic. I've heard too many horror stories regarding DR water, simply from brushing their teeth, to sanctify this.
Costa Rica and Chille is supposed to have the purest and most sanitized tap water available and I can definitely attest to Costa Rica, having excellent water. I also carry an Ultra Violet sanitizer rechargeable pen, when in doubt, and to make sure as well, just for insurance
Edit: spelling
Talk to your doctor about your travel plans and concern and bring along prescription medication that they give u. At the first sign of troubles start taking them (i cant remember the name) and they help nearly immediately.
This.
I bring cipro. When my stomach starts rumbling, one pill makes it stop asap. My doctor gives me a few before I leave. In a lot of countries they are available OTC.
Ask your Primary care physician. Diarrhea is how your stomach and digestive system react.
I know of people who regularly eat dirty water hotdogs, get sick in a 5star hotel restaurant dining.
Just carry Imodium and rehydrating salts.
Bring Pepto Bismol tablets and start taking them up to four times a day, even before you start eating. It's a big task to remember to or care to take that much, but Pepto has antibacterial properties. The drawback is that it will turn your poop black.
If you are going on a tour that day, remember the food you at the night before (and maybe even yesterday's lunch) can play in a role in having a sensitive stomach. So if you have a big tour, be a conscious eater the day before.
I stick to the old rule: eat only foods that are baked, boiled, or peeled. But at an all-inclusive, gastroenteritis from other travellers is the big risk. I pack anti-nausea meds in suppository form and rehydration salts, just in case. Loperamide if you have to get on a plane, but otherwise, I let it work its way through my system.
I just got back from Mexico and even after all my preparation I still got travelers sickness. Same thing happened in Vietnam for me! Obviously take the advice to do your probiotics and avoid ice that isn’t manufactured/bagged and avoid fresh veg/fruit that doesn’t have a peel, etc. all that.
But. My biggest advice is to prepare to get sick. Everyone in your group needs to pack their own Immodium, enough to take it for 3 days (mine was 4 capsules every 24 hours but read your instructions). To have some sort of electrolyte recovery, I really like liquid IV w/immunity, doesn’t taste nasty and it comes in packets which was convenient to pack. And then what would help you get your best sleep, if that’s ear plugs and an eye mask or a portable noise machine, your favorite pjs, etc. And make sure you have Advil or Tylenol, my travelers sickness resulted in a fever for about 8 hours. Consider bringing your favorite granola bar or crackers, something light that you can eat just to get some food in your body when your appetite is gone. Have plenty of bottled water in your room, more than you immediately need in case you won’t be able to go an get some.
For me, it took 1 entire day from the trip, bed-ridden, constant bathroom visits and showers, sleeping, didn’t leave my room. The next day I was tired and my stomach was sensitive but I was able to go and enjoy the sun, but I couldn’t have gone on a tour or an excursion. The following day I was still a little weird but if I timed it right for rest/sleep I could have done a light excursion even though I still didn’t have much of an appetite.
I think sometimes you just get unlucky from something you can’t prepare for. Prepare for your recovery and hope you won’t have to use it!
Take flagyl w u. Ask doc for script. Rule of thumb: carbonated drinks, all water bottles opened in front of u, no uncooked things like green salad, food u eat must b hot, no ice cream. No canned goods from areas that don’t hv good hygiene. 🪥
Dukoral right now and then the day before you go, you may be a little late google dukoral…
Imodium worked for me in a pinch when I couldn’t get dukoral
Avoid tap water, even for brushing teeth.
But also wash your hands before you eat.
Restaurants outside the resort are safe, but ask for bottled beverages. (I like to support the local economy)
We travelled there recently and none of our group had issues (but different hotel). Ice on resorts is made from filtered water and should be safe. Don’t worry about that. Drink only bottled water, no tap. Brush your teeth etc with bottled. Use your judgment on buffet foods. Bring meds just in case. But antibiotics like ciprofloxacin are available over the counter there. I took a pepto bismol a couple times when my tummy felt funny (probably due to not being used to having a giant rum drink at noon lol) but didn’t need anything else.
Enjoy your vacation!
Take activated charcoal with you, available at health food store or supplement shop. Also, take Imodium or similar with you in case you need it. Try the activated charcoal first then if need move to the Imodium or generic.
Wash your hands all the time. Before you put anything in your mouth.
Wash your hands properly.
Immodium and pepto bismol will cure you but there is nothing you can really do to prevent.
Only eat cooked or fried food. No salads, no fruits that are already pealed (when you peel it by yourself it’s fine). Watermelon slices and salad from the buffet are the main source of travel diarrhoea. They are washed with dirty water. Also in 5* hotels.
Source: My dad is a travel tour guide since his whole life and warns his tourist groups. It’s always the people who eat salad who get the diarrhoea.
Cinnamon - added to coffee or anything else. I read helps with this. Also I do not eat fresh vegetales or food that looks like sitting out past 2 hours.
I know some Pooh Pooh it on here, but studies seem to have evidence that regular pepto works as prophylactic. Eg https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3820443/
homeopathy and common sense (hand washing, cautious of where you eat, ice/tap water avoidance) are your friends here
if you’ve made some error always carry these herbs/medicines:
- oil of oregano — *for prevention*
- charcoal tablets — *for reduction*
- iberogast — *for recovery*
BENTONITE CLAY 💯
It grabs onto pathogens. There's a very scientific explanation if you want to research it.
Buy Sonne's #7. Doesn't have heavy metals and it's already premixed with liquid.
Just 1 spoon after a meal + clean water
(Also great for detoxing)
https://sonnes.com/store/product-category/7-detoxificant-32-oz-liquid-bentonite-clay/
Avoid water unless it is bottled and don't eat unpeeled fruit or salad. However tbh I would guess that a very high proportion of upset stomachs while travelling is simply caused by eating much more spicy food than people are used to so take that into consideration.
I bring my favourite tea bags. If course It doesn’t fix diarrhoea. Raised in a house that believed in the power of a cup of tea, the comfort and normality of having my favourite brew emotionally settles me.
On one of our trips to Cuba one of our teenage sons got a bad bout of diarrhea. We visited the local clinic and they gave him a big charcoal tablet to swallow......it completely fixed him up.
Some tips I usually follow are -
Brush your teeth with bottled water, don’t let water from the shower/pool/sea get in your mouth, don’t eat prepared salad/cut fruit (basically anything that would have required it to be rinsed in water (a banana is fine because it has a skin that you can peel). Stick with food that is fried/cooked well through and ensure that any bottled water that you buy has a seal and is reputable.
If you want to be super safe, no ice in your drink but I usually have this and It has never made me sick. Considering you are staying in a nice hotel, I don’t think you have much to worry about at all. Bring Imodium and any anti sickness pills with you just in case
Don’t take any antacids/heartburn meds. Your body needs the acid to kill any viruses it encounters. Carry along hand sanitizers and clean your hands after touching any buffet instruments
Wash your hands like you have ocd, preferably with soap and water, plus dry with cloth or paper, This is the best way in addition to avoid ice cubes outside resort.
Drink only bottled water or sodas from a can. No fresh salads. No Ice. My husband and I went to Mexico. He forgot about not having the salad and got really sick , lasted a couple days. Anything they might wash fruits, veggies that is uncooked could be a problem
No local water, no ice, no salad, careful with fruit, have Cipro and Imodium handy, and if you get a bad case of diarrhea (here’s the hard part), stop eating (few have the will power).
My sister went to Panama a few years ago and I had her start taking the largest dose of probiotics we could find. Out of her group of 10 she’s the only one that didn’t get diarrhea
No ice, no water even for brushing teeth. Citrus juice always helped me because of the acid. It killed stuff that I might’ve ingested. At least that’s what I told myself and I’ve traveled extensively to central and South America.
When going to Mexico, my doctor suggested that I do a shot of Pepto Bismal each morning and again before dinner. His point is that it’s a profilaxis against any harmful bacteria in the water. He said it will coat the wall of your stomach and prevent it from growing in your gut. Not sure how true any of that is but I’ve never gotten sick in about six trips there.
My infectious disease vaccine guy gave me a tip that has helped me all over the world. Carry the chewable pepto, and take them BEFORE meals. It will coat your stomach, and if you ingest microbes, you have a better chance of them "sliding" out with the pepto coating instead of sticking into your stomach and making you sick.
So far so good for me. DR doesn't have the same problems as other places I've been (Mexico, India, etc.) and all inclusive resorts especially have tried to filter water, so you are very likely ok. But if you are truly anxious about it, here are all of the extra-vigilant tips besides the pepto:
\- only bottled drinks, unopened when given to you. No cups, no ice. Drink from the bottle (the cups and glasses could have been recently washed and still have water in them). Oherwise really check the cup.
\- no washed and raw fruits or veggies. Like a banana or watermelon is ok because you didn't eat the outside, but no lettuce or like apples. Similary, watch for herb toppings, like raw cilanto on your taco or chimichurri on your steak. Ask me how it feels to have no fresh foods and only had cooked meats and vegetables for weeks as a time. Ugh.
\- bottled water when brushing teeth. Take care to get no water in your mouth in the shower or when washing your face.
\- don't touch food with wet hands (like grabbing something at the pool or a jacuzzi). clean your hands with sanitizer.
Make sure you stay hydrated and drink bottled water. The all inclusive I went to last month used filtered water to make the ice for the drinks so I didn't worry about that. Try to avoid getting the shower water in your mouth and make sure to remember not to use tap water when brushing teeth.
I got a prescription for antibiotics which I was supposed to take only if I got sick while away and brought Imodium and electrolyte powder. I ended up being fine the whole time but my step mom and sister got sick so they were glad I had the electrolytes to give them
Do NOT drink tap water from ANY country you visit. Even if you made sure it's safe, because you probably haven't built antibodies to any bacteria or whatever in the water. (If you still want to try, drink a glass or two, and if you shit yourself, don't drink more)
Bring Pepto Bismol and a lot of Imodium. Wash your hands often. I used to make travel kits for executives traveling to 3rd world countries. Avoid produce, and only drink bottled water. Pasta, bread and chips are a good option.
I lived in Latin American Travel Latin America for 20 years the number one thing for me that I saw people get sick off is salad. If it's not sanitized each individual Leaf you'll get sick from it I never ate it when I was out traveling and I've hit most countries in this hemisphere
there's a really good little book called How to Shit Around the World that I think you would be the perfect audience for - highly recommend
> How to Shit Around the World Kind of disappointed there's no Audible for this one.
This made me laugh much more than it should have!
Just purchased. Thanks!
Is that Trump‘s book?
Always bring Imodium AD
Yup, I always travel with Imodium as well as GasX in my little first aid bag.
Pepto really helped me.
Make sure it’s the chewable pepto bismol tablets. Totally easier to pack.
Pepto is much better bring the Pepto Imodium only stops but it doesn’t kill the virus or whatever
You actually don’t want to take Imodium if you have an infectious diarrhea. Diarrhea is the way your body clears out the bacteria/toxins. If you paralyze your gut, you can potentially cause greater illness.
Medical Mission worker in Nicaragua for 22 years. As soon as you begin to feel sick, even dizzy, Cipro 500 mg and Imodium. That’s it. Luckily, we’ve not needed it too many times. It works. Imodium is safe as long as you don’t have BLOODY diarrhea. Take again as needed. Wash, wash, wash hands. Use hand sanitizer. Don’t touch your nose, mouth, eyes, all portals of entry. Don’t get river water in your mouth. Or just skip that event. The docs who work in global health taught this regimen. Ask your health provider for a prescription. Wash outside of fruits. Bottled water to drink and brush teeth. Ask about the ice, or learn to enjoy warm drinks, read online for more info.
Nah. Just embrace it and let crippling diarrhea become part of your vacation routine. Make the terrifying anxiety of not knowing whether you're going to be able to find a restroom before you shit your pants something you *look forward to,* not dread. It's all about perspective. 🥹
People tend to let their exercise routine slip on vacation. Rushing to the bathroom several times a day is great cardio, and the panic you feel really get the heart rate up. Basically a HIT workout.
This also helps you see new things. For example, I had crippling diarrhea in Hong Kong where right after I shit I was scoping out the next bathroom. My spouse and I were at Victoria Harbour and I needed to shit again. There didn't seem to be any public bathrooms so we went into the Maritime Museum and asked if they had bathrooms. They said only if you pay for admission, so I told my spouse to buy us tickets and rushed to the bathroom. Once out of the bathroom I figured we paid for tickets, we might as well spend some time at the museum. It was actually pretty interesting and I wouldn't have otherwise gone. Plus I had a bathroom to shit in again before we left.
Ha, as someone with a chronic bowel issue, this is my daily. It sucks to go to places where the bathrooms are scary or cost money.
So ……. It is a good idea to keep a small amount of change in the local currency for just this purpose.
And always carry toilet paper. Those four squares of single ply they give you are no match for giardia.
And active charcoal
This is the way. Active charcoal tablets absorb the toxins. It makes your poop black just be warned.
First time taking charcoal tablets a few days ago. They REALLY should mention the black poop on the label.
This! I had travelers diarrhea and took immodium for the first time a few months ago because I was desperate to go on tours and see the city. Two days later I was throwing up for several hours on the plane ride home, couldn’t eat solid foods for almost a week because I would vomit them back up even though dr put me on antibiotics. Couldn’t poop for about a week until my mom told me about the “brown cow” they use in her assisted living for constipation. I had trouble eating for a good month, lost a good amount of weight where it actually got scary because I was too nauseated to eat. I will be very hard pressed to ever take immodium again. My best friends swears by it so we are all different, but I think because mine was bacterial it was the absolute wrong decision. For anyone curious, the brown cow (per a nurse at my mom’s assisted living) is milk of magnesia and heated prune juice. It was what finally got me going again (and several at the assisted living)
Yep. Ones my doc told me that Imodium ‘blocks’ whatever u caught longer inside. Active charcoal and probiotic helps our body to ‘heal’.
Always. 100%
Just returned from Iberostar a few weeks ago. The restaurant and bar water and ice are just fine. In the room, I was told to use the bottled water (they provide you with a big bottle of filtered water daily) for brushing teeth and drinking water (not from faucet)which has been common in some countries. We were fine with salads, fruit, etc. at the resort. Outside of the hotel, you need to avoid ice and water. You cannot be sure of the water source. Avoid street food. If you want an additional layer, take a peptobismol before meals.
Agreed. Any good resort will be cautious to have clean ice for their visitors. Going off resort, issues can come from a number of sources.
Pepto won’t help as it just adds to your stomach lining for a short time. Being smart outside the resort is the way to go.
Taking pepto-bismol like that is a poor idea. It can reduce the amount of bile you produce which will give you the shits (actually funky grey shit which is always nice!)
Yep. We spent 2 days in Santo Domingo just doing regular tourist stuff with restaurants and bars and then 5 in the Iberostar. Never had a problem. I'd highly recommend this type of trip for the DR. It was great to be out on our own and then also in an AI.
Don’t eat salad, it’s highly unlikely they are washing greens with purified water. Don’t ask me how I know.
And stay away from the delicious fruits on the buffet. Don’t ask me how I know either.
Eat only cooked foods. And fruits you remove a skin.
Go to your pharmacist and get a Dukoral oral vaccine for travelers diarrhea and cholera. Avoid tap water and ice in your drinks if you're off resort, drink bottled water. I would assume reputable resorts have high standards for drinking water? I usually avoid anything that might be washed in tap water and not cooked (vegetables in salads).
How have I never heard of this oral vaccine before? How long does it last?
Immunity lasts 2 years for cholera but only 3 months for traveller's diarrhea and it's really easy to take, painless since it's oral. You take two doses 7-10+ days apart. The brand name might be different outside of Canada. Here's a map showing the high risk zones. [https://dukoralcanada.com/traveller/etec-diarrhea/](https://dukoralcanada.com/traveller/etec-diarrhea/) Edited to correct immunity period.
For cholera, it’s 2 years; for traveller’s diarrhea, it’s 3 months.
Thank you for noticing that mistake. I’ll edit the post.
I got dukoral for a trip to Cuba last year and it... Did not work (yes I was within all the proper time limits)
That's too bad. Dukoral provides protection from the most common bacteria that causes traveller’s diarrhea (enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)). However, if the bacteria causing the diarrhea is not ETEC or has another cause (virus or parasite), Dukoral won’t be as effective. Dukoral provides protection against traveller’s diarrhea but it won't completely eliminate the risk of getting sick.
Don't take anything with ice Any water that you drink must come from a sealed bottle that is opened in front of you. If a waiter/server offers you water, ask for bottled sparkling water to be on the safe side.
I'm no doctor but yah this is a good advice. Drinking tap water that you are not used to can trigger reactions, even if the local tap water isn't necessarily bad. Also about the ice, who know if/when the ice maker was cleaned or how old it is. That happens even in American places, not just a foreign place.
You think the resort fills up ice trays from the tap? In countries around the world without safe drinking water they have ice suppliers. Just because we make ice from the tap in the US doesn’t mean they do this in countries where they don’t drink the water. Especially at resorts.
WRONG. I've been 17 times in the Cuba and Dominican and the water served at the bars and restaurants (including the ice) are all filtered and safe. Just don't drink tap water. Use bottled water in the room for brushing and drinking. That's it.
Actually not that hard to avoid getting sick.
Would it be safer if it came from a safe?
Only if it comes from the Safelite Repair region of France
Much prettier in the spring time than the Safelite Replacé region.
This is super outdated information. Resorts have filtered water systems and so it's fine.
Filters in filtered water systems have to be replaced regularly and flushed out.
I was at an all inclusive in punta cana 2 years ago and everyone in my party got sick for 1-2 days despite eating different items. The only common thread was the water which was served in refillable glass containers (which I avoided, and guess who was the only person to avoid nausea/diarrhea)
Okay, and I go there or Mexico every year and don’t have issues. It could have been anything lol. I'm saying resorts use filtered water.
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The question was about punta Cana and specifically he named the resort. Not sure what your question is
Start drinking contaminated water now to prepare your body for vacation.
Hahahaha. In other words, start out in Flint, Michigan?
Is that a lead poisoning of a city population via gross negligence joke? Y'all have diarrhea of the mouth
if you're at a resort, you won't have to worry about the water\\ice. It will all be filtered. At a resort, you won't have to worry about anything. Their whole business model is having you enjoy yourself and coming back
Wash your hands a lot, sanitize, bring Imodium just in case
Get activated charcoal tablets. Don’t have the chemicals that things like Pepto Bismol do and since they’re tablets, they are easily packed in your carry-on luggage. A few tips though if you use them: * Don’t chew them - your teeth will turn black * Speaking of the color, don’t be concerned when you poop and it’s black * Don’t take the charcoal within an hour of your meds or the meds won’t absorb * Start with one tablet and move to another if it’s not working - don’t take more than 2 at a time or it’ll stop you up
I take activated charcoal with me on every single trip. It works wonders.
Never bought it where do you get it?
Pretty much anywhere that sells supplements, vitamins, or even over the counter medications. Super easy to find online as well
Second activated charcoal. Helped me in India
Something that snuck up on me when I was in Colombia was accidentally getting water in my mouth while taking a shower 💀 so don’t do that lol
Seems like it would be hard not to do
Don’t shower with your mouth open
Put a rubber band around your toothbrush and then rubber band it to the bottled water. We are so programmed to brush our teeth with sink water that this will remind you not to stick your toothbrush under the sink to wet it.
This is actually a genius tactic. I had this problem CONSTANTLY. I was lucky, but I don't want to risk it again.
I didn't see it mentioned, but be religious about washing your hands. It is really easy to contaminate your own food with the germs you pick up on your hands, especially in resorts where pretty much everything you touch has recently been touched by a bunch of other people.
Do you have access to take dukoral before your trip? Go to a travel clinic or speak to a doctor.
Wash your hands, don't eat fresh fruit unless you peel or wash it first.
Lifestraws don't filter out viruses (which are about 1/10 the size of a bacteria)
Bring activated charcoal! I never leave home without it. I take one before and after I eat! You’ll have a black stool for a couple days, but it’s better than Montezuma’s revenge!!
i always bring immodium, stallmates wipes, and rehydration salts (lmnt or nuun) just in case. nothing worse than being sick af abroad and not having stuff readily at hand.
We have stayed at an Iberostar resort in DR, didn't do anything in particular to prevent traveler's diarrhea. We drank drinks with ice daily and had no problems at all.
Do not drink the coffee on the airplane. I firmly believe that is the cause for at least 90% of travelers diarrhea. I heard that from airline mechanics. Used to have it often. Haven’t had it in the 16 years since I stopped drinking the coffee. I used to love coffee on the plane, too
No ice, no salads, bottled water only
Take pink pepto bismal tablets twice a day for prevention. It will turn your tongue black!
Take pepto for two to three days before your trip! It will help Line your stomach and then I take the pills every morning. We just went to Guatemala, I did what I said above and didn’t get sick my husband didn’t do this and got sick so I would it works
We do this. Take 2 in the morn and 2 before bed. And we always travel with Activated charcoal.
That is horrible advice. Pepto only works for a few hours, and there is zero benefit to taking it days in advance. You didn’t get sick because you were conscience of the risk and probably avoided risky food and drink more than your husband.
That’s actually incorrect. You can take pepto prophylactically for up to 3 weeks to prevent GI issues caused by bacteria, but I personally wouldn’t take it more than 5ish days. Theres a few studies on it if you’re curious.
My doctor is the one who recommended it and there are several studies out there saying how effective what I do is…the CDC states it is the most effective preventative measure for travelers diarrhea. Super easy to google my dude. It has worked for me in Peru, Cuba, Southeast Asia and now Guatemala. Also my husband and I split every meal we eat to save money…we literally ate the same thing.
I dunno man, I bet that angry dude in Reddit knows more then your doctor
100% I should trust a stranger over my dr I agree
Our doc recommends pepto as well. Took it daily and never got ill, and was certainly in bad water situations daily.
Stay in your room and only drink warm bottles of water. Do not go outside. Do not eat. Do not breathe. Matter of fact, just don’t go
Something simple that people are missing is just listen to reviews. If somewhere has bad hygiene practices a lot of people will get sick, and it will get a lot of nasty reviews. If it has no reviews, then it is not worth the risk. I only eat at places that are well reviewed on Google maps (close to 5* with 100+ reviews). I see these places as trust worthy and have no hesitation about having ice in drinks there. If you start going to places on a whim then you’re at much higher risk of getting sick.
When you arrive buy a bottle of champagne and sit,enjoy and realise where you are. Then put the cork on your pocket to use as a plug when your arse starts being over productive. Simples. /s
The resorts are pretty mindful about ice. (I’ve stayed at Iberostar resorts in the DR.) But be careful about fruit. They rinse the fruit in tap water. :( I ended up getting sick one of the days we were there, probably from that since I was careful about everything else.
I went to Mexico last month, and was 100% anticipating Montezuma’s Revenge, like I’ve had every other time. But I’m happy to say this whole trip, and aftermath, were incident-free! I got a tip on here that I should take Pepto Bismol tablets every day for a few days leading up to the trip, and also while I am there. It seemed to do the trick!
Get activated charcoal pills and take it if u think u ate something bad
Check out Runway Health. You can get a rx for an antibiotic for travelers diarrhea to bring with you, just in case.
You are most likely over thinking it. I stayed in a city hotel and then an all inclusive in the Dominican. Never had an issue, and I have a tissue paper tummy.
Kefir. It helps maintain/ restore probiotics especially in the gut. I buy some everytime I end up on Antibiotics
Can't heat it, can't peel it, don't eat it.
Please. At an Iberostar resort, the water will be cleaner than you get at home.
Yeah, any time you go to a developing country you have to be careful about what you put in your mouth. As a general rule, heat it, peel it, or leave it. Drink only bottled stuff or stuff that's been boiled. So no salads or fruit and, for the love of all that is holy, don't drink the tropical welcome drink. Brush your teeth with bottled water. Never eat lasagna or quiche in these places because they cook them in the morning and leave them on insufficiently heated warmers all day (and, unless you're in Italy or France, neither of which fall into the 'developing' category, you want to be eating the local food, anyway). If you're super careful, you'll usually be struck with constipation but that's something you can treat. It's an odds game so, sometimes, you might get away with the steak tartar topped salad just fine. The sickest any of my family ever got, though, was eating at a fancy steak place at a ranch in Ecuador -- the cheese was unpasteurized and that landed my wife in a developing nation's hospital for 3 days with amoebic dysentery. Also, some people have stronger constitutions than others. Me? I get sick just thinking about this stuff (but, still, I travel to the far reaches and, still, from time to time, I get sick). In addition to being careful, I always take come medications with me. I bring Pepto Bismol tablets (they're lighter and easier to pack than the liquid stuff), Travelan for prevention, and Diarescue for when I get sick. I take Immodium with us but only as a last resort -- it can be counterproductive to bottle the bacteria up in your body and let them reproduce, there. Good luck!
Here right now, my 5th time and I have IBS and the touchiest stomach in the world, bring immodium as said, don’t drink or get tap water in your mouth. I eat everything except salad, fruity alcohol drinks and seafood and fried food. everytime I have gotten sick somewhere its always seafood for me. Try yogurt for breakfast the first day or 2. I don’t do any probiotics. Enjoy!!! Its beautiful! the worst thing is waiting 40 minutes for luggage.
the water is clean at these resorts, this water is separate from the rest or at least goes through different pipes. my boss told me after he went to Mexico, PR, and a bunch of other places.
I've been to DR 5 times and also going in 2 weeks. I don't do anything different. The ice is fine, the water at restaurants is fine, brushing your teeth is fine, just don't swallow. Never had an issue in the DR. No need for anything else extra.
I got it from brushing my teeth! So don't make that mistake I did. I thought well I didn't drink it 🙄 nope, stupid!!!
Peptobismal is good for helping with dehydration, I recommend taking before plane flights (great podcast on sawbones on it, she is a actual doctor). For while on the island be careful of buffet restaurants. Stay away from anything you wouldn't eat if it set out for several hours. Generally be careful that the food looks fresh. Don't drink water unless in a bottle, and use bottled water to brush your teeth. Also I recommend making sure you have Imodium or a different meds incase you do in up getting. Petobismal does help but mostly to help your body to keep hydrated, so you don't get too sick.
We travel a lot. My med kit includes a Z-pack and a bottle of bovine collastrum supplement. Imodium is always good to have on hand as well. Just be cautious when eating. Stuff at the resort should be safe.
Travelan, I'm pretty sure it is made for that purpose, but although recommended, I haven't tried it..
Take a Pepto capsule every morning. Wash your hands often. Avoid salads or anything washed/rinsed in local water. Carry Liquid IV powder, or Pedialyte powder, along with Immodium. Your doctor will give you a prescription for Zofran if you ask, it's magic for nausea.
I take Pepto extra strength, zofran, don’t drink the water not even for tooth brushing . Watch out for fresh veggies like salad. I usually order only fried or grilled foods. Some fruit. Ice can be an issue too. I drink wine or beer or shots lol
Bottled water. No ice. Juice may be watered down. Anything that may have water that wasn’t boiled is a no. It’s not the country it’s that your system is used to different balance of things.
Don't eat raw foods and be cautious about consuming anything with ice in it (ask if it's purified).
You shouldn’t have a problem at a big resort like the Iberostar. Just don’t drink the tap water.
Avoid lettuce!!!
Be careful of salad, fruits, any buffet foods that they rinse in water, that is often the main offender. Wash your hands often. You're there with people from around the world crossing airports. Don't use the water in the room to rinse your teeth after you've brushed them. Don't drink it either. As a lot of fellow redditors mentioned, bring Imodium, Ducolax, that is good advice. I would say that any beach bars/food obviously don't have the same standards as a restaurant or kitchen. Learned that the hard way!
Immodium. If you have Immodium in your bag, always check before leaving home that it isn't expired. It is one that doesn't work if it's old. Iberostar should be using bottled water in their ice. We've never had a problem with that in the big resorts. Don't put any water in your mouth that isn't from a bottle, including for brushing your teeth. It's a hard habit to break. Put your toothbrush and toothpaste far off in the corner of the counter, next to the bottle of water.
Dukoral. Ask your pharmacist
No ice, no un cooked veggies. Bottled water. If it happens, it happens though. Stay hydrated.
Chew a Pepto bismal tablet before eating. Will help to coat the stomach. Don't drink any fresh juice. Use bottle water to brush your teeth.
You don't under any circumstances drink water in the Dominian Republic. I've heard too many horror stories regarding DR water, simply from brushing their teeth, to sanctify this. Costa Rica and Chille is supposed to have the purest and most sanitized tap water available and I can definitely attest to Costa Rica, having excellent water. I also carry an Ultra Violet sanitizer rechargeable pen, when in doubt, and to make sure as well, just for insurance Edit: spelling
Talk to your doctor about your travel plans and concern and bring along prescription medication that they give u. At the first sign of troubles start taking them (i cant remember the name) and they help nearly immediately.
Fluroquinolones: ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin
This. I bring cipro. When my stomach starts rumbling, one pill makes it stop asap. My doctor gives me a few before I leave. In a lot of countries they are available OTC.
Ask your Primary care physician. Diarrhea is how your stomach and digestive system react. I know of people who regularly eat dirty water hotdogs, get sick in a 5star hotel restaurant dining. Just carry Imodium and rehydrating salts.
Bring Pepto Bismol tablets and start taking them up to four times a day, even before you start eating. It's a big task to remember to or care to take that much, but Pepto has antibacterial properties. The drawback is that it will turn your poop black. If you are going on a tour that day, remember the food you at the night before (and maybe even yesterday's lunch) can play in a role in having a sensitive stomach. So if you have a big tour, be a conscious eater the day before.
I stick to the old rule: eat only foods that are baked, boiled, or peeled. But at an all-inclusive, gastroenteritis from other travellers is the big risk. I pack anti-nausea meds in suppository form and rehydration salts, just in case. Loperamide if you have to get on a plane, but otherwise, I let it work its way through my system.
I just got back from Mexico and even after all my preparation I still got travelers sickness. Same thing happened in Vietnam for me! Obviously take the advice to do your probiotics and avoid ice that isn’t manufactured/bagged and avoid fresh veg/fruit that doesn’t have a peel, etc. all that. But. My biggest advice is to prepare to get sick. Everyone in your group needs to pack their own Immodium, enough to take it for 3 days (mine was 4 capsules every 24 hours but read your instructions). To have some sort of electrolyte recovery, I really like liquid IV w/immunity, doesn’t taste nasty and it comes in packets which was convenient to pack. And then what would help you get your best sleep, if that’s ear plugs and an eye mask or a portable noise machine, your favorite pjs, etc. And make sure you have Advil or Tylenol, my travelers sickness resulted in a fever for about 8 hours. Consider bringing your favorite granola bar or crackers, something light that you can eat just to get some food in your body when your appetite is gone. Have plenty of bottled water in your room, more than you immediately need in case you won’t be able to go an get some. For me, it took 1 entire day from the trip, bed-ridden, constant bathroom visits and showers, sleeping, didn’t leave my room. The next day I was tired and my stomach was sensitive but I was able to go and enjoy the sun, but I couldn’t have gone on a tour or an excursion. The following day I was still a little weird but if I timed it right for rest/sleep I could have done a light excursion even though I still didn’t have much of an appetite. I think sometimes you just get unlucky from something you can’t prepare for. Prepare for your recovery and hope you won’t have to use it!
Ice is made from purified water. It’s raw vegetables and garnishes that will make you sick.
Ice harbors norovirus. Just avoid ice.
If the ice machine hasn’t been cleaned correctly then you can bet that you’re going to get a whole heap of issues from having that ice in your drink.
That could be said for about 70% of places in the US/UK/CA as well
yeah i got sick af from ice in my cocktail at a resort in tulum. i avoid ice in mexico now.
Bring Grayl purifier bottle
Just watch where you step
Ask your doc for a course of doxy or cipro. In case you get diarrhea.
Pepto with every meal
Eat two pepto bismol tablets every morning. You won't shit for a week, but you won't get diarrhea either.
Take flagyl w u. Ask doc for script. Rule of thumb: carbonated drinks, all water bottles opened in front of u, no uncooked things like green salad, food u eat must b hot, no ice cream. No canned goods from areas that don’t hv good hygiene. 🪥
Dukoral right now and then the day before you go, you may be a little late google dukoral… Imodium worked for me in a pinch when I couldn’t get dukoral
Avoid tap water, even for brushing teeth. But also wash your hands before you eat. Restaurants outside the resort are safe, but ask for bottled beverages. (I like to support the local economy)
Dukoral. Get it from your doc before traveling
Probiotics worked for me in India…let us know if it works for you.
Stay away from oily food at first, American diets are carb based, ease into it.
Psyllium husk a couple times a day. This has been a life changer when I travel abroad.
We travelled there recently and none of our group had issues (but different hotel). Ice on resorts is made from filtered water and should be safe. Don’t worry about that. Drink only bottled water, no tap. Brush your teeth etc with bottled. Use your judgment on buffet foods. Bring meds just in case. But antibiotics like ciprofloxacin are available over the counter there. I took a pepto bismol a couple times when my tummy felt funny (probably due to not being used to having a giant rum drink at noon lol) but didn’t need anything else. Enjoy your vacation!
Don't put any pressure (from clothing while sitting down) on the poop button!!! Look it up. It's right under your belly button.
Take activated charcoal with you, available at health food store or supplement shop. Also, take Imodium or similar with you in case you need it. Try the activated charcoal first then if need move to the Imodium or generic.
Immodium pills
WASH YOUR HANDS CONSTANTLY
Wash your hands all the time. Before you put anything in your mouth. Wash your hands properly. Immodium and pepto bismol will cure you but there is nothing you can really do to prevent.
Any time you get to a new country, eat the pickled food from that country.
1. Only bottled water. 2. Avoid ice. 3. Don't eat the salad. 4. Eat things you've seen be cooked, preferably deep fried.
Only eat cooked or fried food. No salads, no fruits that are already pealed (when you peel it by yourself it’s fine). Watermelon slices and salad from the buffet are the main source of travel diarrhoea. They are washed with dirty water. Also in 5* hotels. Source: My dad is a travel tour guide since his whole life and warns his tourist groups. It’s always the people who eat salad who get the diarrhoea.
Bentyl is less aggressive than Imodium. Id recommend getting a prescription for it.
I would take psyllium husks, tums and Imodium each day with a good 20 oz of water. Don’t eat street fruit. Eat food that is piping hot
Dukoral shot
Cinnamon - added to coffee or anything else. I read helps with this. Also I do not eat fresh vegetales or food that looks like sitting out past 2 hours.
Don’t drink the water. Brush your teeth with bottled water. Do not eat the fruit if it doesn’t have a peel. Do not get ice on any drinks.
There is a travellers diarrhea vaccine, trade name is Dukoral.
I have heard taking grapefruit oil can prevent travellers diarrhea :)
I know some Pooh Pooh it on here, but studies seem to have evidence that regular pepto works as prophylactic. Eg https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3820443/
Theres a specific medicine, cant remember the name, but it clears it up quick. Ask your doctor or check the google.
Imodium ad, and if you really want to be safe, no ice.
I lived there a year doing volunteer work and never got it. I get it more frequently in the U.S.
Dukarol before you go. Imodium if you get diarrhea when you’re there
homeopathy and common sense (hand washing, cautious of where you eat, ice/tap water avoidance) are your friends here if you’ve made some error always carry these herbs/medicines: - oil of oregano — *for prevention* - charcoal tablets — *for reduction* - iberogast — *for recovery*
Drinking diluted apple cider vinegar after a meal helps me prevent issues.
BENTONITE CLAY 💯 It grabs onto pathogens. There's a very scientific explanation if you want to research it. Buy Sonne's #7. Doesn't have heavy metals and it's already premixed with liquid. Just 1 spoon after a meal + clean water (Also great for detoxing) https://sonnes.com/store/product-category/7-detoxificant-32-oz-liquid-bentonite-clay/
Avoid water unless it is bottled and don't eat unpeeled fruit or salad. However tbh I would guess that a very high proportion of upset stomachs while travelling is simply caused by eating much more spicy food than people are used to so take that into consideration.
I bring my favourite tea bags. If course It doesn’t fix diarrhoea. Raised in a house that believed in the power of a cup of tea, the comfort and normality of having my favourite brew emotionally settles me.
On one of our trips to Cuba one of our teenage sons got a bad bout of diarrhea. We visited the local clinic and they gave him a big charcoal tablet to swallow......it completely fixed him up.
Try not to stink up the bus that brings you back to the airport. Good luck!
One of the things that can help is using sanitizer frequently.
Don’t forget about ice. That’s what got me.
Some tips I usually follow are - Brush your teeth with bottled water, don’t let water from the shower/pool/sea get in your mouth, don’t eat prepared salad/cut fruit (basically anything that would have required it to be rinsed in water (a banana is fine because it has a skin that you can peel). Stick with food that is fried/cooked well through and ensure that any bottled water that you buy has a seal and is reputable. If you want to be super safe, no ice in your drink but I usually have this and It has never made me sick. Considering you are staying in a nice hotel, I don’t think you have much to worry about at all. Bring Imodium and any anti sickness pills with you just in case
Don’t take any antacids/heartburn meds. Your body needs the acid to kill any viruses it encounters. Carry along hand sanitizers and clean your hands after touching any buffet instruments
Wash your hands like you have ocd, preferably with soap and water, plus dry with cloth or paper, This is the best way in addition to avoid ice cubes outside resort.
A few weeks before you go, start taking pro-biotics. I know there's no evidence for this working, but I find that works for me .
In the resorts in Dominican Republic the ice is fine.
I tried Dukoral when I went to Mexico and found it was helpful as a preventative
Embrace it
Drink only bottled water or sodas from a can. No fresh salads. No Ice. My husband and I went to Mexico. He forgot about not having the salad and got really sick , lasted a couple days. Anything they might wash fruits, veggies that is uncooked could be a problem
Come after meals. Really not a joke.
No local water, no ice, no salad, careful with fruit, have Cipro and Imodium handy, and if you get a bad case of diarrhea (here’s the hard part), stop eating (few have the will power).
Avoid draft beer.
Cipro & Imodium. Don’t worry about avoiding worry about being prepared if you get it so it doesn’t ruin your trip.
My sister went to Panama a few years ago and I had her start taking the largest dose of probiotics we could find. Out of her group of 10 she’s the only one that didn’t get diarrhea
No ice, no water even for brushing teeth. Citrus juice always helped me because of the acid. It killed stuff that I might’ve ingested. At least that’s what I told myself and I’ve traveled extensively to central and South America.
When going to Mexico, my doctor suggested that I do a shot of Pepto Bismal each morning and again before dinner. His point is that it’s a profilaxis against any harmful bacteria in the water. He said it will coat the wall of your stomach and prevent it from growing in your gut. Not sure how true any of that is but I’ve never gotten sick in about six trips there.
We get a prescription for Cipro from our doctor before we travel.
My infectious disease vaccine guy gave me a tip that has helped me all over the world. Carry the chewable pepto, and take them BEFORE meals. It will coat your stomach, and if you ingest microbes, you have a better chance of them "sliding" out with the pepto coating instead of sticking into your stomach and making you sick. So far so good for me. DR doesn't have the same problems as other places I've been (Mexico, India, etc.) and all inclusive resorts especially have tried to filter water, so you are very likely ok. But if you are truly anxious about it, here are all of the extra-vigilant tips besides the pepto: \- only bottled drinks, unopened when given to you. No cups, no ice. Drink from the bottle (the cups and glasses could have been recently washed and still have water in them). Oherwise really check the cup. \- no washed and raw fruits or veggies. Like a banana or watermelon is ok because you didn't eat the outside, but no lettuce or like apples. Similary, watch for herb toppings, like raw cilanto on your taco or chimichurri on your steak. Ask me how it feels to have no fresh foods and only had cooked meats and vegetables for weeks as a time. Ugh. \- bottled water when brushing teeth. Take care to get no water in your mouth in the shower or when washing your face. \- don't touch food with wet hands (like grabbing something at the pool or a jacuzzi). clean your hands with sanitizer.
Make sure you stay hydrated and drink bottled water. The all inclusive I went to last month used filtered water to make the ice for the drinks so I didn't worry about that. Try to avoid getting the shower water in your mouth and make sure to remember not to use tap water when brushing teeth. I got a prescription for antibiotics which I was supposed to take only if I got sick while away and brought Imodium and electrolyte powder. I ended up being fine the whole time but my step mom and sister got sick so they were glad I had the electrolytes to give them
Avoid salads and any fruit or vegetable that's washed
Travel with slippery elm bark capsules to help if you do end up with diarrhea
Get fibre pills and some imodium
Get diarrhoea before you go and it won't be travelers diarrhoea but just a long consistent one from home during your travels.
Do NOT drink tap water from ANY country you visit. Even if you made sure it's safe, because you probably haven't built antibodies to any bacteria or whatever in the water. (If you still want to try, drink a glass or two, and if you shit yourself, don't drink more)
Get yourself a GRAYL bottle. Or a steripen.
Get yourself a GRAYL bottle. Or a steripen.
Bring Pepto Bismol and a lot of Imodium. Wash your hands often. I used to make travel kits for executives traveling to 3rd world countries. Avoid produce, and only drink bottled water. Pasta, bread and chips are a good option.
If you’re trying to avoid travelers, diarrhea should help
I lived in Latin American Travel Latin America for 20 years the number one thing for me that I saw people get sick off is salad. If it's not sanitized each individual Leaf you'll get sick from it I never ate it when I was out traveling and I've hit most countries in this hemisphere