Hey guys… even though we aren’t using this site like we were, this is still a great way to communicate with all of you quickly. Nate emailed me and asked for help with the diarrhea problem. I’ve sent some info to him and to Tammy to try and help get you guys back on your feet, but I thought I would post here so you all get the message passed around well for sure. Here’s the email… Check with Tammy for some girl specific info as well.
I don’t want you to fall into accepting sickness as a part of your trip… yes, persevere despite it, but there are plenty of things you can do to avoid this!!! I never had traveler’s diahrrea … at least not for long enough to make it memorable. Even during travel, even in new countries, not once.
2) Any time it persists past a few days, go to a clinic.
a. Be concerned if:
i. Dehydration – that’s your enemy.
ii. Don’t stop eating or drinking. 24 hours, let everything get out. Then go to the BRAT diet – bananas, rice or rice water, applesauce (NOT apples), toast. AVOID fried foods, greasy foods, spicy foods, milk products. If someone is cooking for you regularly, have your local contact discuss your health problems with the person who is cooking. Stick with bland as the easy to digest. Drinking just milk is bad, but yogurt can give you good bacteria back in to your stomach.
iii. Carbon pills will help with cramping but won’t stop you up. If you can get those take them.
iv. After you’ve let things flow for 24 hours, still avoid Immodium or anything to stop you up. There’s something in your body that needs to get out… let it out. The only time you want to stop yourself up is if it’s so continuous you’re getting dehydrated. Then you don’t want to stop it, you just want to slow it down so you can stay hydrated. (i.e. stop enough so you aren’t walking down the street pooping your pants, but let it go enough that when you go to the bathroom it’s still loose)
v. Get into your copies of Where There is No Doctor. Inside there you will find checklists to diagnose the cause of diarrhea.
vi. If you think you have parasites or amoebas, talk to a local contact about getting a stool sample analyzed. It’s a common problem in south America and they will probably know how to do that. Then you can pick up the appropriate medicine to treat yourself. Remember though… don’t just take a medicine without knowing what you are treating. These medicines do serious damage to your stomach and liver if not taken correctly. Liver can be permanently damaged.
vii. Blood in your stool is when something is really wrong. It can be due to long term diarrhea or it can be a sign of a serious problem like a parasite. So if you’re having blood, get to a professional.
3) Ways not to have it:
a. STERILE! The water that surrounds you is filthy. Avoid it. When you use it (like for washing dishes or for washing food) boil it or bleach it. Don’t use too much bleach or you will get sick from that, but make your water sterile. Iodine also sterilizes water. And don’t use any utensils, packages, ANYTHING that hasn’t been sterilized.
b. DRY! Germs live in moisture. Everything needs to be well dried. Anything you are using for eating and anything around you (tent, clothes, towels, etc.) needs to be dry.
c. HYGIENE! Keep yourself clean. Dirt under your fingernails, dirt in your hair, open sores or scabs, clean feet (wear shoes and socks!) – make sure you keep yourself clean and dry and practice the utmost in good hygiene. Yeah, we talk about World Race being the time when you go without a shower forever, but that is also how you get sick. In times when your immune system is down anyway, you need to increase hygiene practices.
d. HAND SANITIZER! Use it. Love it. Don’t ever be without it. Nominate team moms who make sure people use it.
e. BRUSH TEETH! Is your toothbrush water clean? Are you rinsing with clean water? Are you rinsing your brush with clean water? Remember… anything that touches your mouth MUST be clean.
f. More often than not your diarrhea is caused by bacteria. If you notice different smells, that’s probably the cause. In which case you can take antibiotics but again, don’t do that regularly as it will destroy your stomach. If you take parasite medicine, but your diarrhea is caused by bacteria, it won’t help. Be sure you are correctly diagnosing the problem. Hygiene will prevent you picking up bacteria. Until your body gets used to encountering new bacteria regularly, you need to be overly hygienic. Later it will get better, but remember that if you get lazy in hygiene you are leaving you immune system open to attack.
Keep me posted and I’ll try to keep helping… We’re praying for you…
