Is this the stomach bug?

[AlexanderTheGreat21W]

I've been feeling sick the past 5 days. The symptoms are: dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, weakness, fever, rapid heart-rate. Is this the stomach bug? Does the stomach bug last this long? Please help me out and give me some advice so I can get over this.

[jemma116]

The stomach bug can last even longer if you keep eating and feeding the bug.

Best thing to do is to drink the fluids (non milky), take paracetamol to help get your fever down and rest in bed.

Make sure your wash your hands every time you have used the toilet.

You could get your doctor to do a culture test to identify the bug.

[Erikafox]

Excellent call! I agree. Drink fluids! Clear fluids, as much as you can. The diarrhea is going to dehydrate you and the liquid will help flush your system and promote new blood cell production. The fever and rapid heart rate may indicate your body attempting to kill the invader. Stomachs flus (bugs) can last any length of time depending on many things but if you have had diarrhea and vomiting for 5 days, your electrolytes are all out of wack and could be making you more ill, ie weakness and dizziness. Definitely go see your physician to see it it's parasitic, viral, or bacterial. They can do that with a culture or upper GI biopsy. I would act soon.

[jemma116]

I think your response is directed for AlexanderTheGreat21W,
I do not have a problem.  But when I caught a stomach bug some years ago whilst on holiday in Greece, I was ill for months.  Culture test came back normal.  I shall avoid going to recommend friend's restaurants in future and especially those that have a chef with a stomach bug.

Best wishes

[AlexanderTheGreat21W]

Hey I was feeling better, up until I fell asleep... I woke up an hour later because I was shaking pretty bad. Do you have any idea as to why it gets worse when I'm sleeping?

I'm wondering if I'm on the verge of being severely dehydrated and when I sleep, I can't consume liquid, so it makes me tremble?

[jemma116]

I think this is still to do with your stomach bug virus.
Do you feel cold at the same time?
These shaking feelings are called rigors and because of your infection with the bug your body is fighting it.

As you have experienced these rigors now for a few days, I would suggest you see your doctor and possibly get your stools checked out.

Don't forget though, keep off all dairy produce, and just keep drinking water and lightly flavoured juice so that you do not become dehydrated.  If you keep eating, the bugs are still thriving.

Best wishes

[AlexanderTheGreat21W]

Yeah I do feel cold at the same time. I shake so hard that it actually hurts. And when I'm in the middle of falling asleep I don't breathe well and it wakes me up. It's like my body's too weak to even breathe. I've had these rigors for a week, now. I've been asking my mom to take me to the doctor's but she says they can't do anything for me --- I'm going to straight-out beg her, I can't keep feeling like this.

No probiotics, either? Okay. I'll keep off all food. Is it alright for me to go two days without eating? Is apple juice okay or should I stick to water? And what about Gatorade?

Thanks for your help.

[jemma116]

Keep off all the diary produce, even the yogurt (you had some and you were still ill after drinking it).

I would dilute the apple juice, say 50/50.  You can get Dioralyte from the pharmacist.  Dioralyte comes in sachets that contain rehydration salts consisting of sugars and salts (glucose, sodium chloride, potassium chloride and disodium hydrogen citrate) and they are used to replace body fluids lost as a result of acute diarrhoea.

I wouldn't use the Gatorade because this is an energy drink and may be too strong for your guts.

You could take a pain relief and temperature reducing mediation to help with the rigors.

But as you have now had the diarrhoea and rigors for a week now, I suggest you get your mum to call the doctor to visit you at home.  Your mum can ring the surgery and explain the situation to the receptionist explaining that you are unwell because of the rigors and diarrhoea to attend the surgery.  They should then advise you whether to come to the surgery for an appointment or whether the doctor will visit.  

Best wishes

[AlexanderTheGreat21W]

Okay thanks again for the advice. Would the fever reducing medicine (pain killers) make the shivering stop if I take it soon enough?

[jemma116]

You are shivering because you have a temperature so the pain killers that say they help with fevers, will help.  

It would be a good idea for your mum to take your temperature when you are feeling "normal" and again when you are shivering.  That information will also be useful to your doctor.

Get your mum to contact the doctor.

[AlexanderTheGreat21W]

I went to the doctors, they said I should definitely not starve myself and that I should stick to the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, apple sauce, toast). They also said that Gatorade is not an energy drink and is good for keeping you hydrated. They gave me some liquid through an IV and I feel 10 times better. I think I was severely dehydrated.

[jemma116]

Glad you went to the doctors and got sorted out.
Sorry about the starvation advice, but that was always the advice given to me by my doctors.  Modern day thinking has obviously changed.

I never heard of Gatorade and looked it up on the web, but I did know about Dioralyte.

Glad to hear you are 10 times better now and that you were given liquid through an IV.  Stick to the BRAT diet like advised and as you get better you will be able to introduce other foods.

You are now on the road to recovery.  

Best wishes.