Avoid the Trots While Your Trotting

Avoid the Trots While Your Trotting

SOME NEW DRUGS AND SOME OLD FRIENDS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP SAFE.

Mark and Rally had worked hard to earn their vacation to Vegas. Rally had taken a temporary leave from her job at the surgical center to raise Martha their 11 month old precocious daughter. Mark was ready and they left for a family friendly hotel resort in Las Vegas. The family had few health problems but had not traveled out of their town for years. They were eager to try new things, foods and experience new sights. They ate at the airport concession stand and then at a buffet line at their hotel. By the time they checked in Rally and Martha were remarkably ill- both had diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain and were vomiting. The unpleasant two collapsed in their room and Mark was dispersed to find diarrhea medication and nausea patches. The trip to the gift shop was eventful. Mark covered the elevator with his last entrée selection. He visited the lobby for his body’s rejection of the dessert and arrived in the gift shop dizzy. He picked up some Pepto Bismol and some nausea skin patches for an outrageous price and found his way back to his family. For the next 48 hours Gatorade and salty pretzels filled all 3 daily meals for the family. Martha recovered first and Mark last. Their vacation was ruined.

For the next several months both Mark and Rally noticed more frequent bowel movements and Rally developed some persistent right sided abdominal aching. She visited a gastroenterologist who placed her on high fiber and spasm pills that helped but did not cure. Being aggressive she sought a 2nd opinion who did stool studies and placed her on antibiotics. She improved steadily but still had achy crampy discomfort and malaise.

antibiotic20medication1What happened to Rally’s family was typical of many. They had consumed some bad food or water and the results totally upset their well deserved vacation. A simple maneuver would have ensured that their trip was relaxed, happy, rewarding and without pain. A couple of pepto bismol tablets once a day for their trip or consuming one of the new non-absorbable antibiotics would have prevented their infections.

The non-absorbable antibiotics are revolutionizing food poisoning and other patient illnesses. Xifaxan is a 200 milligram tablet taken while traveling that prevents most food borne illnesses. It may even save your life. The deaths of many young children consuming E.coli 157 from foodstuffs could have been prevented by consumption of these new medications once or twice a day while traveling. It would be the cheapest travel insurance you could ever buy. It is theoretically helpful to even take these medications after eating some questionable food. The medications are by prescription only from your health care provider but probably should be over the counter (available without any prescription). The most readily available medication that works is Pepto Bismol. It is in airports, gas stations, convenience stores and all pharmacies. It is an old medication indicated for diarrhea but the bismuth in Pepto Bismol actually helps kill and control bacteria.

Pepto-Bismol-picture

So what else kills bacteria? Very spicy foods and seasonings provide a hostile environment for bacteria. It is proposed that high concentration of fatty acids and proteins disrupt the bacteria (and even parasites) membrane which covers the organism. These substances also stimulate a higher production of acid in the stomach which is directly bactericidal (able to kill bacteria).

Mark and Rally and Martha finally recovered but after reading a similar newspaper article. As they coyly ventured out on another trip to Hawaii, they took their meds like ritualistic members of a radical political group and did not even suffer from gas while they were gone. Lactaid pills had become a regular staple of Rally’s diet since the Vegas incident to help percentages, Mark avoided lactose containing food completely. They now could trot thru all the airports without fear.

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