Sick in Sarria

[GettingThere]

What a week this is turning out to be. We had planned a rest day in Sarria and arrived a day early due to the fires at Triacastela. That was fine, so we had two nice days. Then just as we were planning to set off again, my mother has come down with some sort of food poisoning. Not pleasant for her - diarrhea and vomiting, almost the first time ever for her and she is a bit phobic about both. I've arranged for us to have an extra couple of nights here and will extend if necessary. I'm trying to make sure she keeps hydrated but she's very sleepy which I know can be a symptom. She's also majorly phobic about hospitals so the last thing either of us want is for her to end up in one. I suspect if I asked the hotel to call a doctor she would get admitted just due to her age. She's normally super healthy and fit. It's all rather worrying, I'm not good at this sort of thing.

Not posting this because I need anything in particular - just a friendly ear I guess! Thanks for listening.

EDIT: Just to add - we now have some oral rehydration salts and she is sipping those.

 

[ranthr]

Hope she gets better soon. If not, do not hesitate to get doctor.

 

[nycwalking]

Get well soon. Last mile always the hardest.
Santiago awaits.
Buen camino to you both.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

What a week this is turning out to be. We had planned a rest day in Sarria and arrived a day early due to the fires at Triacastela. That was fine, so we had two nice days. Then just as we were planning to set off again, my mother has come down with some sort of food poisoning. Not pleasant for her - diarrhea and vomiting, almost the first time ever for her and she is a bit phobic about both. I've arranged for us to have an extra couple of nights here and will extend if necessary. I'm trying to make sure she keeps hydrated but she's very sleepy which I know can be a symptom. She's also majorly phobic about hospitals so the last thing either of us want is for her to end up in one. I suspect if I asked the hotel to call a doctor she would get admitted just due to her age. She's normally super healthy and fit. It's all rather worrying, I'm not good at this sort of thing.

Not posting this because I need anything in particular - just a friendly ear I guess! Thanks for listening.

EDIT: Just to add - we now have some oral rehydration salts and she is sipping those.

I owe you this, having gotten so much kind advice and help when I had the flu (and am still sick--day 15).

Rice with chicken broth would be a great idea. It sounds like sipping fluids is going well. You could also get some rehydration mixture of some sort at the pharmacy [ed: I see you have those. Well done].

I'm sure you know what to do (we're all adults here), but as others noted when I was ill, don't be too hesitant to dial 112 and get someone on the phone to help advise if you need that.

When I got dysentery in Cambodia (sigh, multiple occasions), I realized that after a certain amount of D and V, I would start cramping up all over due to dehydration. You won't want your mom to get to that point, but it sounds like you have matters well under control.

Please feel free to pm me if you need more support. I am so glad to reciprocate for the excellent help I got when I tanked just recently only a few days in (not always the last 100!).

Deb

 

[Sheesh]

So sorry to hear about your mum. You are doing well making sure she gets re-hydrated. Deb's advice above is excellent. Food poisoning should show signs of improvement within a short while (a day or two). If it is something more you will need to take further action to get your mum medically assessed.

 

[GettingThere]

I owe you this, having gotten so much kind advice and help when I had the flu (and am still sick--day 15).

Rice with chicken broth would be a great idea. It sounds like sipping fluids is going well. You could also get some rehydration mixture of some sort at the pharmacy [ed: I see you have those. Well done].

I'm sure you know what to do (we're all adults here), but as others noted when I was ill, don't be too hesitant to dial 112 and get someone on the phone to help advise if you need that.

When I got dysentery in Cambodia (sigh, multiple occasions), I realized that after a certain amount of D and V, I would start cramping up all over due to dehydration. You won't want your mom to get to that point, but it sounds like you have matters well under control.

Please feel free to pm me if you need more support. I am so glad to reciprocate for the excellent help I got when I tanked just recently only a few days in (not always the last 100!).

Deb

Thanks so much for this great advice, Deb. Yes, the rehydration stuff is good, and I think she is looking a little better since starting on that. But I will absolutely be ready to seek medical help if she doesn't improve. And thanks for the rice and broth idea! That does sound as though it would be good.

Thanks again and I hope you shake off the rest of your bugs soon - that's a long time to be sick.

 

[CaminoDebrita]

Thanks so much for this great advice, Deb. Yes, the rehydration stuff is good, and I think she is looking a little better since starting on that. But I will absolutely be ready to seek medical help if she doesn't improve. And thanks for the rice and broth idea! That does sound as though it would be good.

Thanks again and I hope you shake off the rest of your bugs soon - that's a long time to be sick.

Rice probably from a restaurant, and if you can, see if there's chicken broth available in a box or can at a market? Chicken rice soup is excellent for someone who is struggling--just enough carbs and protein to boost the system, but easier to digest.

Cheers to you for your courage in caring for her, and I so wish I could have done this journey with either of my parents. Mom wasn't inclined, and Dad's very bad leg (fused knee and artificial hip) wouldn't have allowed, although he would have come along and done what he could.

 

[amorfati1]

sorry to hear about the suspected food-poisoning. that can knock down any unsuspecting eater/drinker anywhere . even more unpleasant while traveling/on the road.

i utilized something like 'pedialyte' (for kids, in cases of dehydration. found it frozen section of supermarkets) when i could not find the electrolytes i usually would resort to. or certain sport drinks provide those electrolytes as well.
sometimes food/drink have to be reintroduced very slowly ... so i had 1 teaspoon of rice (or broth) every 15 minutes only, to avoid retriggering the puke-reflex.
and if you have access to a freezer - i froze small portions of the pedialyte or gatorade in for e.g. a bottle cap, jar cap etc... and once frozen, let it melt in my mouth. that's also another gentle way to reintroduce liquids /electrolytes when issues have been severe.
(after my first night in SdC caught one of those ghastlies ... and what i intended to be two night stay turned into five. needed time to regain strength before commencing the travels. rest well ... and do take it easy. very easy. a true food poisoning (vs just a severe upset tummy) can be quite a wipe-out. that's what 'poison' does, or rather the body's valiant effort to rid itself of it).
best wishes - c

 

[GettingThere]

sorry to hear about the suspected food-poisoning. that can knock down any unsuspecting eater/drinker anywhere . even more unpleasant while traveling/on the road.

i utilized something like 'pedialyte' (for kids, in cases of dehydration. found it frozen section of supermarkets) when i could not find the electrolytes i usually would resort to. or certain sport drinks provide those electrolytes as well.
sometimes food/drink have to be reintroduced very slowly ... so i had 1 teaspoon of rice (or broth) every 15 minutes only, to avoid retriggering the puke-reflex.
and if you have access to a freezer - i froze small portions of the pedialyte or gatorade in for e.g. a bottle cap, jar cap etc... and once frozen, let it melt in my mouth. that's also another gentle way to reintroduce liquids /electrolytes when issues have been severe.
(after my first night in SdC caught one of those ghastlies ... and what i intended to be two night stay turned into five. needed time to regain strength before commencing the travels. rest well ... and do take it easy. very easy. a true food poisoning (vs just a severe upset tummy) can be quite a wipe-out. that's what 'poison' does, or rather the body's valiant effort to rid itself of it).
best wishes - c

Thanks @amorfati1 , these are great tips. Unfortunately we don't currently have access to a freezer, but I'll definitely remember that for the future.

 

[natefaith]

So sorry to hear @GettingThere. Food poisoning is one of the worst things while traveling, and I've met or heard of several who have gotten it during the last stretch.

Hope your mom can take it easy and have peace even if it does come to going to the hospital to get better. (But hopefully it doesn't come to that!)

Thankfully it sounds like you have time to get to Santiago slowly (from what you've said on other threads?) so no pressure there. Take care, both of you, and rest well!

 

[GettingThere]

So sorry to hear @GettingThere. Food poisoning is one of the worst things while traveling, and I've met or heard of several who have gotten it during the last stretch.

Hope your mom can take it easy and have peace even if it does come to going to the hospital to get better. (But hopefully it doesn't come to that!)

Thankfully it sounds like you have time to get to Santiago slowly (from what you've said on other threads?) so no pressure there. Take care, both of you, and rest well!

Thanks Faith! Yes, we do have plenty of time, so we'll be able to wait this out and look at our options. Hopefully it will ease off soon. I think she is at least better hydrated than when I first posted.

 

[Kitsambler]

Another very common culprit for such symptoms is Norovirus. Chicken rice soup and electrolyte drinks are great for re-hydration!

 

[SYates]

Hydration (water) and mineralisation (salts) are the key. You two need to balance both! All the best and give me a shout if you need any further help, SY

 

[DavidJ1215]

I cannot offer any specifice advice other than that which has already been offered but I will be thinking of you both and pray that your mum recovers soon to enable you both to travel safely on to Santiago.

 

[Robo]

Please see a doctor if it is still persisting.
Advice from non medical professionals can be well meaning but sometimes misplaced.
I have had the same symptoms a few times and last week went to a local doctor.
She told me to eat nothing for 24 hours (so as not to feed the bugs in my gut) and to drink loads of rehydration salts.
Next day I was fine.
Products like Imodium are not often recommended these days by doctors as they 'keep all the bad stuff in'.
Lots of well meaning advice is nice.......
But better to see a doctor, just to be safe.

 

[FLEUR]

See a Dr. asap.
He / she will give the best advice and be able to issue a prescription for any necessary medication.
In France a one off appointment with a doctor costs 26€ I would imagine the cost is similar in Spain.
I am sure at your hotel or albergue the person in charge would be able to help and advise where to find a Dr.

 

[VNwalking]

Lots of good advice already, especially hydration and salt balance, and slowly reintroducing food. One more suggestion to add is (if she can handle it) to offer a little yogurt with live cultures; it helps balance everything out in there.
I get gastro bugs not infrequently in Asia and have managed to get more relaxed around them as time's gone on. The main thing is to see a doctor if your Mum's condition doesn't gradually improve (as it seems to be doing), or if she's been running a persistent fever. Other than that, time and kindness are the best medicine. Oh, and not to push the pace once she gets walking again. It takes a while to get back to normal.

And...we're here to listen, and to commiserate. Heartfelt good wishes to you both...this is definitely a trial.

 

[HedaP]

Nothing to add to excellent advice already posted above except my best wishes for a speedy recovery for your Mum.

 

[GettingThere]

Thanks so much everyone for all the reassuring advice and support. Mum is feeling (and looking) much better today - the rehydration solution has really helped I think. Earlier I thought I might be next on the list but that doesn't seem to have developed - hopefully just a stress reaction! Anyway we have extended our stay here again and will now be here till Monday, which should give Mum time to recover fully. After that we'll see how she feels and maybe just do a little more walking. This is our second Camino and we have our Compostelas at home, so it's not so important to us to get another one. It would be nice to walk some of the last stages though, so we'll see how things go over the next couple of days.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[steve 217]

My sympathy goes out to you and your Mum the worry of looking after an older parent particuarly in a foriegn country must be very trying for you.
Its not over, l remember that on one of my caminos i found myself with tendonitis a condition id never had before or since it forced me to sit staring at the walls of a hotel room for two days before i could limp off onwards.
I hope she is on the mend i hope you feel supported by the world wide web of people who love the camino .
Buen Camino

 

[gittiharre]

What a week this is turning out to be. We had planned a rest day in Sarria and arrived a day early due to the fires at Triacastela. That was fine, so we had two nice days. Then just as we were planning to set off again, my mother has come down with some sort of food poisoning. Not pleasant for her - diarrhea and vomiting, almost the first time ever for her and she is a bit phobic about both. I've arranged for us to have an extra couple of nights here and will extend if necessary. I'm trying to make sure she keeps hydrated but she's very sleepy which I know can be a symptom. She's also majorly phobic about hospitals so the last thing either of us want is for her to end up in one. I suspect if I asked the hotel to call a doctor she would get admitted just due to her age. She's normally super healthy and fit. It's all rather worrying, I'm not good at this sort of thing.

Not posting this because I need anything in particular - just a friendly ear I guess! Thanks for listening.

EDIT: Just to add - we now have some oral rehydration salts and she is sipping those.

Fluid and Electrolyte replacement sachets work a treat. Hopefully this will subside within 24 to 48 hours. If not do see a Dr.
I had a bug like this when walking through Austria and I was in an isolated part of a monastery. No one knew I was sick. I passed out on toilet floor. It was awful. I did come right. It is fortunate your mother has you there....

 

[Marbe2]

If you have not seen a doctor yet and your mom is not back to normal do see a physician. Get her blood pressure and test to make sure potassium and salt are within normal range. It is one thing for a tourist to get sick on a trip. However your mom is walking and exercising for many hours so be on the safe side and get her checked out before going off again.