Stomach problems how do you Prevent them

[GeezerCouple]

The menu's were wiped down after each passenger handles them and then were handed to the new passenger, sometimes dripping.

 

As for the Cipro, I will ask my doctor tomorrow. Not only is he our doctor and good friend, but he is our Sunday School teacher. :D I trust his judgement, but may have misunderstood the use of Cirpo. The Cipro may not have kept us from getting the Noro, but it gave us piece of mind and perhaps that positive attitude along with being diligent with hygiene practices kept us well. ;)

 

Do ask about and/or look into the downside of taking Cipro prophylactically and/or if there isn't an actual bacterial condition to treat (or to prevent) - and Noro is viral, not bacterial.

 

The main concern from a personal perspective is that you don't want to end up with bacteria in your own system that has mutated to become resistant to Cipro.

(A separate-but-related concern is community-wide bacterial resistance to antibiotics. That can also end up affecting each of us individually.)

And one also doesn't want to take an unnecessary antibacterial that could wipe out some normal and *useful* gut bacteria.

 

The WebMD linked list above includes "Traveler's Diarrhea" and "Infectious Diarrhea", but those terms are too general.

Those terms can include causative agents that are not bacterial, in which case Cipro (or any antibacterial) will not be effective.

Compare this, for example, with the entries of "Diarrhea caused by E. Coli Bacteria" or "Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection", which are much more specific items on that list - and ones for which an antibiotic can be helpful. Even then, not all bacteria are susceptible to all antibiotics.

That is, not all "bacterial infections" will be susceptible to Cipro anyway, although e. coli apparently is.

[There can be personal situations where someone's medical situation might make them more vulnerable to secondary infections, which could be bacterial.]

 

Bringing Cipro along in case one gets diarrhea is different from actually taking it prophylactically. If one then gets diarrhea and can't test to see if there is a bacterial cause, then taking Cipro might be warranted, especially if one can't get good medical care or testing.

But if one does get tested, and the cause is noro (or any other virus, although that might not be detected), then taking Cipro is not helpful.

Worse, it might wipe out some of the healthy gut bacteria that you'd really want to have there, especially during recovery.

 

It's tricky.

[CintiPam]

Thanks for all the excellent suggestions, Bill. When my spouse started eating Greek yogurt every morning a couple of years ago, his formerly delicate stomach improved considerably.

 

When it comes to Norovirus, hand washing is the number one best suggestion; I never ever washed my hands (the soaping part like you see the actor surgeons do on TV) for such a lengthy period in my life. Twenty seconds is a very long time to soap up and rub one's hands together before rinsing.

 

Happily neither Gerry nor I caught the virus on Riviera last week but those onboard with compromised immune systems, like the lady with MS in the motorized scooter whom I met in our hotel registration line at 10 pm last Saturday evening in Miami, were extremely unhappy that they had been subjected to a week of chemicals everywhere with zero information provided about them by management onboard. Living for days in a cabin that smelled like an indoor pool was extremely unpleasant for all of us.

Edited February 27, 2016 by CintiPam

[ORV]

 

Noro is so contagious - CDC says Noroviruses can be found in your vomit or stool even before you start feeling sick.

 

Just a thought, if you have vomit you probably are already feeling sick, unless you're bulimic.

[broccopb]

There are a couple of old-fashioned preventives to consider for bacterial stomach bugs.

 

Pepto Bismol, 2 tabs 4 times daily, has been used for years to prevent traveler's diarrhea, with reported 60% success rates. If you search for 'pepto bismol preventive' you'll find articles on this. (And note the precautions if there's any reason you shouldn't take things similar to aspirin.)

 

Stomach acid has a significant role in protecting against food & water-born pathogens, so if you routinely take antacids (notably, the easy to always take, long-acting Prilosec, Prevacid, Nexium & similar), it's worth considering whether you really always need to do this, or if you can get by with, say, the short-acting ones like Zantac & Pepcid, just for late-day food & drink, so your stomach has more acid more of the time.

[LHT28]

There are a couple of old-fashioned preventives to consider for bacterial stomach bugs.

 

Pepto Bismol, 2 tabs 4 times daily, has been used for years to prevent traveler's diarrhea, with reported 60% success rates. If you search for 'pepto bismol preventive' you'll find articles on this. (And note the precautions if there's any reason you shouldn't take things similar to aspirin.)

 

.

 

If you have noro, food poisoning or e coli

remember the infamous words from Shrek :D

 

"Better out than in"

 

You do not want to keep these bugs in your system

[LHT28]

Just a thought, if you have vomit you probably are already feeling sick, unless you're bulimic.

 

How true

I made it home from N.S. did not feel ill at all until early next morning when I was on the toilet & throwing up at the same time

 

When it hits ....you know it

[hypercafe]

If you have noro, food poisoning or e coli

remember the infamous words from Shrek :D

 

"Better out than in"

 

You do not want to keep these bugs in your system

 

I think that all depends where you are. If on a plane coming home from a trip, as an example, its hard to spend the flight in the restroom! You never know where it will hit.

[LHT28]

I think that all depends where you are. If on a plane coming home from a trip, as an example, its hard to spend the flight in the restroom! You never know where it will hit.

 

There are times when maybe Imodium are needed

 

if you are throwing up stay in the loo on the plane in your scenario

[zoncom]

I had Noro, not from ship. Immodian D cured D. quickly but not racking pains. On my long Insignia journey I used only my cabin bathroom. At first evidence of Noro, O had staff by sanitizers but few used them. On Celebrity one had to use them to gain dining access.O also needs to spend more effort wiping down public bathroom surfaces where Noro starts. . Noro seems to be especially bad on Oceania. I wonder if unhappy crew members are spreading it on purpose? Stranger things have happened. Otherwise its lazy cruisers.

[Travelcat2]

In terms of prevention, the U.S. government has a list (I posted a link on one of the "norovirus" threads) of wipes and sprays that are effective against norovirus. I purchased two of the products. This one http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GEY0P0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00 comes in small packets but the wipes are a good size. I will use them on airplanes (arm rests, tray tables, controls, etc.) and will have them in my handbag for times when it is not convenient to go to a restroom to wash my hands.

 

Some of the anti-noro solutions come in large containers. If I can't find a small size, I plan on putting some in a leak-proof container that I'll transfer into a spray bottle on the ship.

 

Anyway, this is what we plan to do to keep ourselves healthy!

Edited March 7, 2016 by Travelcat2

[Troban]

These say not safe to use bare handed, do you carry gloves?

[GeezerCouple]

These say not safe to use bare handed, do you carry gloves?

 

We have the bleach version (not peroxide), and those aren't for bare hands, either. (Specifically and importantly, these do NOT serve as "hand wipes", to clean hands!)

 

We try to keep a small bunch of disposable gloves with us.

 

If we need to use one quickly, or just have a couple in a purse or pocket while out and about, etc., then we open the packet, and use the outsides of the packet as a "cover" to grab the wipe before using.

(Anything can be used for this... a couple of tissues even. It won't seep through that quickly; it's not like using a liquid product. But something that won't absorb is obviously better.)

 

It isn't so toxic that coming into brief contact will cause a burn, but I certainly wouldn't want to "hold on to one barehanded while cleaning".

 

But for the thorough cleaning of a "possibly noro-infected place" that would take several minutes, yes, we'd have a pair of gloves on if possible.

 

A place where we usually won't bother with the gloves are when first on a plane and wiping down the tray. That's a quick job, a flat surface.

We almost always have a plastic bag with us, from getting some snacks before boarding, so we can easily drop the used wipe there and dispose of it later.

And of course, the plastic bag (or any old baggie, etc.) can be used as a protective barrier.

 

It's a lot easier than traveling with a tiny travel-sized bottle of bleach.

 

Travelcat2: Have you used them as hand wipes? Was that okay for brief contact?

[Troban]

No I have not. We will be cruising in Oct on Regatta. I am looking for ways to get around things like menu and salt/pepper shaker. Those are high contact areas. I have found a small s/p I think I plan to use, not very upscale to have to do but beats getting sick. I am stickler on germs due to chronic illnesses I have and weakened immune system, Noro is whole new thing.

[Travelcat2]

The wipes I referenced above do not contain bleach nor do some other products on the list. It is easier to just post the link again - you need to scroll down to the second page to see the list. Some items didn't make sense to me -- I just Googled a few and found two products on the list on Amazon.com. http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-10/documents/list_g_norovirus.pdf

 

This is the second item that I ordered from the list. I haven't found a smaller package but could put some in a baggy for travel. http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BFFGJ6S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Edited March 8, 2016 by Travelcat2

[G8RH8R]

Otherwise its lazy cruisers.

 

Not just lazy; disgusting! Come on people, poor personal hygiene is the main cause of Noro outbreaks. If you're cruising and not washing your hands frequently and using the hand sanitizer liberally, then you are showing your disrespect for your fellow passengers. Actually, if you use the bathroom and then leave without washing your hands, you are a pig. This is not rocket science; put the toilet lid down before you flush, wash your hands frequently, use the sanitizer. If we are on a cruise together and I see you exit a bathroom without washing your hands, I will make sure everyone within earshot KNOWS that you are a pig!

 

Just 'sayin

[hypercafe]

Well now I have seen the dress police, child police, smoking police and now the bathroom police. Maybe Oceania should give out t-shirts telling which type of monitor a person is.