tummy bug or food poisoning?

[crisgal]

how can you tell the difference?

I've been in bed all day with sickness and diorreah, and terrible cramps.

I went for a pub meal last night and I was the only one who had the chicken.

If it was that, I want to report them!

[frankofile]

Salmonella and camylobacter can take between 24 & 72 hours for symptons, so unlikely but possible, There are a lot of summer viruses around causing upset tummies at the moment. Unless you can get a lab to isolate it from the food, presumably you don't have any left, or find other chicken eaters with the same symptoms, you will have a hard case to prove. Food poisoning is serious and can last a long time, if you are better in a few days, probably a virus. Hope you soon feel better

[Eve]

Awww no :(

There are a lot of tummy bugs around at the moment.

DId the chicken taste funny and did it look properly cooked?

What kind of chicken was it, what was the meal and did it have any home made mayo or similar sauces on it?

Avoid sweet stuff if you have the runs as it will make it worse.

Avoid trying anti sickness or runs medicine to give any big time to get out of your system (anything with codine in could bung you up a bit) but make sure you keep hydrated and keep to very basic bland foods.

Ginger is good for sickness if you have any ginger tea or you could put it on toast with honey or drink flat ginger beer, preferably the less sugar in it the better.

[lilacben]

Fizzy lemonade is very good for sickness. But do not drink it down quickly just sip little drops. If you drink liquid too quick the stomach will just chuck it up again. hope you feel better soon. x

[Scarlett]

YOu MUST take a stool sample. Not nice I know, but I tried to complain about food poisoning I got from a chicken panini from a service station (both me and my friend were ill a few hours after eating, for 48 hours) but by the time we complained we had no symptoms left to prove what had happened. Get someone to get you a stool sample pot from a chemist, and then phone environmental health for advice. Go to the Doc if you can so it is on your record that you were ill!

[Jenga]

It's not always easy to tell. I was feeling terrible on Thursday and was being sick. I feel better in my head but I have a real terrible bad back now. I am just putting it down to a virus.

[crisgal]

thanks everyone. I had a chicken medley thing. Three different kinds of chicken and the kebab bit tasted a bit odd. I just thought it was the spices, so I left it. I probably had two mouthfuls.
Feel a bit better today but still going to the loo and have a terrible headache. I can't get to the dr as my husband is at work and i've got three kids to sort out.
Never mind, i will put it down to bad luck. Thanks for the advice - i will get some lemonade and boil some rice. x

[tigwig]

you could always try writing a carefully worded letter to the pub in question informing them you were ill and the chicken tasted funny. Explain that you aren't taking the matter any further but have contacted them to make sure they can assess their food hygiene standards. I am sure you will get some free vouchers for next time if you could bear to eat their again!! Hope you feel better soon.

[crisgal]

that's a good idea tigwig. I certainly won't be eating there again, and so may do it anonymously (sp!) x

[naomi24]

Food doesn't have to look or taste odd to cause illness, and neither does it have to be past its sell-by date. If someone handles it with unwashed hands, or if, for example, a chopping board is used to prepare raw meat and then something else without being thoroughly scrubbed in between, food can very, very easily become contaminated. I would guess the staff aren't following the basic rules of food hygiene, and you're very wise not to eat there again.