just got back from sharm on thursday and i have still got cramps and the trots. had them since last saturday. i took buscopan which did not work, i took some white pills which one of the locals gave me and they did not work. i was in pain and couldn`t even drink any booze but i didn`t let it spoil my holiday. i was told to turn the air ???? off at night which i did and had 2 nights pain free sleep, someone did say this bug is airborne so the air ???? may have something to do with it

If any of you are sick, or still got cramps a week after coming back from Egypt, you must see a GP, they will request two stool samples from you. If you have eaten, salads washed in tap water, drank milk on cereals, or in tea/coffee at breakfast, had any ice cubes in drinks, drank beer too cold, had the air-condioning on all the time, had ice creams full of ice, or drunk water/pop really cold, you will suffer if prone to tummy upsets.

I avoided all the above knowing i get upsets, but i still had the trots for one day, it was the cramps that i still get now.

I take everything with me, and buy antinal as soon as i land, because on day 3 i always get it.

Never put me off though



Michelle xx

Hi,

I have been reading this thread with interest as I was struck down last time I went to Sharm and Morocco. We leave for Makadi Bay tomorrow and I have bought the tablets recommended on this thread to take with me. I have one query though. The only Buscopan I could find says that it is for people suffering with IBS... Is there two types or have I bought the right one?

Thanks

i think there is only one buscopan and it is for ibs sufferers but i did not work on me. i had no ice, salads or milk as i drink black coffee and tea i think my problem was the air ???? as we had it on constantly but then again my husband ate and drank everything in sight and didn`t have a twinge. i don`t ever have stomach problems, and the thought of giving samples to my doctor is a no no. i am feeling better just a few twinges now and again. i don`t think i will go ther again but we are goin to tunisia in 7 weeks and only hope i don`t get it there

My wife and I are a frequent visitors to Luxor and spend 28 nights there each time, we have never had any problems with our tummies, we have a rule that we never eat anything we do not recognise plus we only eat fruit that we can peel.

We have just returned from Luxor and we are amazed that the majority of cruise guests (7 nights cruise/7 nights hotel) all had upset tummies and we understand that as you check in on the cruise ships you are given tablets etc for upset tummies, surely this must say something, maybe you are expected to get an upset tummy!!!!!!!

Furthermore, if you require the assistance of a doctor the cost is around £60.00 (sterling) so beware just watch what you eat and drink and hopefully you will be okay.

If you do get an upset stomach go the the pharmacy next door to Macdonalds in Luxor, overlooking Luxor Temple, they speak excellent English, ask for ANTINAL in the two tone yellow package, they will cost you 5 Egyptian pounds (50p) for a pack of 12 capsules.

Go and enjoy your holiday but be sensible, dont eat the local food because you are in Egypt.

Have a safe holiday

we are off to Egypt for the first time later this year and of course i fully expect to get "pharoes revenge" as Rob calls it. Does anyone know of medication that can be administered in liquid form to counter act this as the boy has great difficulty in swallowing tablets and i wouldn't want to further add to his distress by trying to shovel them down him.

we may not need anything of course.. but i am just being an over cautious mother!!!

val and rob

i would get some pepto bismol from uk. its quite good to tide you over but if you get bad tum then see pharmacist in hotel as there stuff is stronger and works better. pepto will be o.k. for a start as it is liquid.

hope this helps

ali

thanks ali..

Just back from El GOuna... this year we did B and B and ate out every night... not one of us got tummy upset. Our air conditioning was not fantastic, so room was never ice cold, and we were'nt all inclusive... think this contributed to our well being! We met loads of people who had stayed in All Incs on the plane and they had said virtually the people in their hotel had come down with it, several times!!! Because El GOuna was quiet we found all our meals in restaurants were freshly cooked, always piping hot, and both my husband and daughter ate various salads and we were all fine [got to say I avoid salads like the plague on holiday, but thats just me!]. Nice change not to have to run off several times to the local chemist.

I had a week in Nuweiba last year and had a bad tum for about 5 days. I only took imodium, which did nothing.

I have a very sensitive tum anyway but my main concern is that we are doing a week on a Nile cruise in September with all the excursions and I'm concerned about needing to dash to a loo at in inopportune moment. Do the coaches tend to offer toilet facilities? What about at the temples etc?

I have been given some tablets that are for dysentry but I don't want to have to take them unless I get REALLY bad!

I've never had any success with imodium or found anybody who has for treating "Egyptian Tummy" What does work is to find the nearest chemist or hotel doctor and get them to give you something. It may cost you a few quid if you have an excess on your travel insurance but is certainly worth it to feel better!!!

My experience of several different cruise boats in Egypt is that they always have something to treat a bad tummy at the reception desk if you ask. Usually there is no charge.

To answer Roadie Girl's question, i've found that most of the tour buses do now have toilet facilities and there are toilets at all the temples and historical sites that i've visited. They may not be 5* luxury, but "any port in a storm" is how I look at it!!

I agree... dont bother taking anything from here... the chemists etc have local potions for us tourists which work immediately - wonder drugs, believe me! . They don't cost more than a couple of quid either at the most. My daughter needed ear drops on holidays this year and the antibiotic cost 65p!! One tip though, make sure when you are leaving the boat to take PLENTY of water with you, cause believe me its hot, and you shall go through loads. Don't leave your air conditioning on full blast when you leave your cabin, cause Luxor is quite a bit hotter than other areas of Egypt and going from extreme heat to extreme cold does upset your system. Also pack a nice anderex toilet roll and food bag with you this end to take, and you can pop some into your bag to take with you on your trips just in case! Don't be surprised if you have someone at the toilet entrance trying to sell you toilet roll before you enter!!! My oldest daughter decided to holiday with us to Egypt this year for the first time, and was horrified at the airport when someone tried to do this to her... however the rest of the holiday made up for her 'first experience' of Egypt.

Thanks both for the useful info.

46 days to go...........

We returned from Sharm this week and although none of us had severe d+v my twelve year old had a slight upset tummy and as this was the day before a visit to Cairo I as advised by many on the forum visited the local pharmacy. We were given two lots of medication to take three times a day, Drotazide and Streptoquin. The streptoquin had information about what the tablet contained.I was very concerned that it contained streptomycin an antibiotic that as a nurse I cannot every remember giving orally. at no time was I asked about allergies or the age of the child.
On return to the UK I have looked up this tablet and the World Health Organisation states that it is dangerous and discouraged its use for diarrhoe over ten years ago.
I fourtunately did not give this medication to my child.
What is also worrying is that first choice and the resort reps were also recommending visits to the pharmacy.
There appears to be liitle control over what can be given at phamacys and standards that apply in the UK certainly do not apply in Eygypt.

Yes i agree, i too am a nurse and strangley enough all the Divers at our complex were advising Streptoquin and it costs 50p from the chemist. All the divers swear by this, but it did cause a bit of sickness.

I avoid streptoquin and always buy Antinal asap in resort as i have a funny tummy where ever i go abroad. You have to barter at the chemist as well because they make prices up as they go along.

From the UK you need to buy Buscopan (for cramps) and Diaoraltye for salt loss, then in resort just buy a packet of Antinal. Or else you may find they will give you buscopan and diaoraltye anyway.

Just found this....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/740633.stm





Also an excerpt taken...from the nile information list.
*Edit for copyright please provide link Briar

thanks

We have just returned from Sharm, one morning in our second week I started having tummy troubles (diaorhea only) - on going to the St. Georges Hotel Beach I spoke to the person who sells the massages. He said get a cup of "hot" water, cut a lemon in half, squeeze as much juice as you can into the hot water and drop the squeezed lemons in. Add sugar for how sweet you can manage and drink. I was fine the next morning. I only had this for one day. I didn't need any kind of medical attention or pills etc, so enjoyed the rest of my holiday. Some people have stronger stomachs than others though.

I also got told to drink lemon and also the locals swear by mint tea for calming of stomachs, again i am still ill but love mint tea

Headstar
we've been to the Coral Nuweiba plenty of times , some guests get " the tummy ", others don't. My worst experience was a severe dose of the cramps, having read this thread I've put Buscopan on my shopping list .

As far as I'm aware ( things change ) they don't keep any Antinal at the hotel. If the Longwoods rep is still Russel he was living in Nuweiba.......if you say you're on your honeymoon he might be persuaded to collect some for you! A taxi is cheap and gives you the chance to have a look around!! it's not that far to walk but can be too hot on the open road. Better to get it as a precaution rather than to have to get it in an emergeny . It was available in town and was 5LE as previously stated.

Best wishes for the wedding and have a super honeymoon at the Coral.

My husband was given the lemon tea remedy by the restaurant manager when we were in Luxor and it worked. Also, in El Gouna this year the manager gave him antinal - they seem to keep a wee supply - and didnt charge for the four tablets they gave him which cured symptoms immediately.