Whatever intestinal bug I've picked up has gone from annoying to a bit frightening. My general philosophy has been to let these problems run their course as it were... but it was getting pretty bad so I took some immodium yesterday. I think that was a bad idea, within the hour I started getting stomach cramps and feeling over-heated and flushed. I had to leave class once to go to the bathroom but then I ended up canceling it in the middle because I just couldn't keep pretending I was okay.
I had gotten some antibiotics from the travel clinic back in OR and thus far haven't needed them, but I decided to take them. It's a three day course, so hopefully by this weekend I'll be better. The thing that's frightening is that I've finally put two and two together and figured out that it was the raw crab on the som tam bpoo that must have made me sick. I didn' tmake the connection at first because I didn't get sick that night - it wasn't until a good 18 hours later. And now that I've told people that I think I'm sick from eating raw crab - they're telling me all kinds of horror stories about intestinal parasites and lung infections. =/
I'm trying not to freak out. I'll give the antibiotics a couple of days to work, but if I'm not better by Friday I'll have the girls in the office point me to a doctor.
The irony is that I did actually go to the doctor yesterday. I needed a 'medical examination' for my work permit. I went in to see the doctor and he asked me where I was from. I told him "America." He had me put out my hands, then turn them over. He asked me to stand up and sit down - which I did. Finally he asked "Do you have any health problems." to which I replied "No, I feel good!" and I was pronounced healthy enough to work.
TAG - Code Bananas.
7 comments:
Yeah, the cruel irony about immodium is that, if you really really need it, you shouldn't have it. Hope the bugs go away soon.... : (
Damn, I could practice medicine like that! HOpe your ooky stuff clears up soon!
Intestinal parasites are awful! When I was a health volunteer in Latin America, many years ago, everyone in our group has some sort of intestinal problem. We spent a lot of time being jealous of each other's constipation or diarrhea depending on our own afflictions.
Oh dear, I hope you get through this with no weird bugs floating around your system. You better get a doc who speaks really good english!
This is a No Dying Day.
That said, when I was in Senegal, I and everyone I knew experienced the same thing. Sometimes it was severe, sometimes not, but general intestinal problems were the norm until we got back to the States.
I'm rooting for the You'll Be Fine/All Systems Normal school of thought.
Oh dear! Feel better soon!
M5K - it's true... I think 'better out than in' is the way to go here.
Bezzie - you should get yourself to Thailand and open up a practice. Of course the office visit only cost $3 so.. I guess I got what I paid for.
Susie - I can so relate!!
Olga - thanks... the doc did speak English, it was just a beaurocratic hoop to jump through.
Karin - I think I've been pretty lucky, this is only my second problem, mostly I've been fine. And yes, I'm hoping to make this No Dying Week actually. ;)
Stacey -thanks I do actually feel a bit better today.
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