Travelling

[aferneb]

Has anyone travelled internationally before and NOT thrown up??

I'm heading to Africa in 10 days for a week and I'm really worried. 1) the jet lag... do people v* from jet lag? 2) the water/food, their sanitary conditions aren't really up to par. I'm bringing lots of my own food.

Has anyone travelled to Africa and been fine? I'm really worried!!!!!

[olschesky]

wow.....sounds exciting.....i'm sure you will have a great time....i've never been......havent been able to do the whole plane thing at all.

my sister went a few years ago......she took some tablets with her that will clean any water......took alot of her own snack things too......she was there for 2 months and did great......

have fun!!!

[lisalulu]

I've been overseas twice and never been ill from jet lag- I did get pregnant from it though ha ha (it caused me to ovulate 10 days late!)
I was in Egypt and ate the food without getting sick at all. I took a bottle of probiotics with me and took them every day. You could also do a course of super strength probioyics right before leaving (they sell them at health food stores). I once did the after-chemo strength ones to try and help my IBS and right afterwards my husband and his whole family came down with this horrible sv* and I was the only one who didn't get sick!

[annaki]

i am traveling to india in 6 weeks and its going to be 108 degrees. i am so scared and don't think i'm going to eat at all. does anyone have any suggestions??? i feel like everyone who goes there gets sick.

[ann32]

just be really careful about what you put in your mouth...and drink bottled water. If you are cautious you should be fine! I am so jealous...have a blast!

[christianne]

Hello there!

Wow...how exciting!! I'd LOVE to go to Africa!!

I'm a flight attendant and have flown internationally many, many times and I have yet to see anyone become ill from jet lag. Jet lag usually hits after you've arrived at your destination and I suffer from it alot. For me I just get a headache, restless and very fatigued. No n* or v*.

I've spent weeks at a time in places like Kuwait and Japan and was always pretty healthy. The main rules of mine are to make sure to get plenty of rest each night and drink plenty of fluids. Only drink water that is bottled and make sure it's been unopened. I always bring things like Pepto or Immodium to settle any stomach issues that may pop up. Also, a week before I go somewhere like Mexico I take a Pepto each day until I leave. I read somewhere that it helps coat your tummy and prevents any traveler's diarrhea (which I got once...ick!). Worked every time I did that. You can bring snacks with you but check to see if there are any restrictions on bringing certain types of food in. Anything packaged is almost always safe to eat, but make sure you do get out and check out the local cuisine in some of the larger cities.

I've always eaten at the little hole-in-the-wall places and roadside diners and usually had no trouble. Occasionally I'd get heartburn (in Mumbai) or indigestion (Philippines) but it was nothing an antacid and rest wouldn't cure.

If you follow the basic handwashing guidelines and use your judgement on food and drinks You'll be fine.

And most of all....have an amazing time!!!

[qpaulina42]

I have traveled a lot without trouble (knock on wood!). Last time I went to a place with dodgy water, I bought a water purifying water bottle from a sporting goods store. It has an inbuilt filter for everything from protozoa to viruses and you can fill it up with whatever water is available. The only problem I found with it, is that the mouth piece is exposed, which is not convenient to my emet paranoid mind. So I used to cover it with a ziplock bag and a rubber band. It was a little silly but worth the effort for me because I did not have to worry.

[Elski]

I've flown all around the world many times and while I've been sooooo tired that I thought I might pass out I've never v* from jetlag, I really really don't think jetlag alone would ever cause that in anyone.

I've had travellers d* before (take some immodium with you in, just in case), which wasn't so bad and here's what I do to protect myself against v*:

1) Always drink bottled water and make sure that the bottles are sealed (as some places, locals collect empty bottles and refill them with tap water to make a buck).
2) Brush your teeth using bottled water.
3) I know you said you're taking your own food but there may be instances where you have to eat out, in which case I would eat vegetarian.
4) Don't eat salads as they could be washed in tap water.
5) Careful that the ice used in drinks is commercially produced and not just the restaurant filling up trays from the tap. Almost ALL hotels/restaurants will use commercially produced ice so this is unlikely to affect you.
6) Always eat in places that are busy where the food is constantly being cooked to keep up with the high volume of customers. Quiet places might have pans full of food, sitting around for ages not being used. Plus, a busy restaurant is likely to be busy because it's good, hygenic and delicious
7) Take a little travel hand-sanitiser gel around with you and use it while you're out and about.
8) Have your immunisations before you go if you can and haven't done so already (typhoid, hep A etc).

MOST importantly though, have fun!!! If you use your common sense and follow basic precautions like the ones above (which we emets ALWAYS do anyway), you'll have a wonderful time! Enjoy!

[nikinlove927]

Someone here suggested Probiotcs and I HIGHLY reccomend them! Especially one called GSE (Grapefruit seed extract) Basically it helps build good bacteria in your stomach and will help keep you from getting sick. My uncle got sick with Montezumas revenge (the V* and D*) in Mexico one year and He took the Probiotics and the next day he was back to normal. I take GSE on a daily basis, and it also aids in overall immune support. I swear by it and it is available at the health food stores. You can get it in pill form or liquid. I take the pill ones...never tried the liquid so I dont know how it tastes!

Like people have said...just drink bottled water and just use good hygiene! U will be fine. U are going to Africa...that is exciting! Enjoy it =]

[angelofdespair]

Iv travelled abroard plenty of times and its never made me ill. just be careful and drink tap water. hope you enjoy yourself

[sammy_gaga]

I'm always travelling to different parts of the world and ive never had any problems on the flight, never been ill and wasn't ill from jet lag, just make sure you drink bottled water

[x...RaChE...x]

Well I go Spain every yr and Ive been Paris twice and Florida once
I was fine
Just stay away from meat thats what Id do
and dont drink tap water
youll be fine xxx

[mindy r]

Someone here suggested Probiotcs and I HIGHLY reccomend them! Especially one called GSE (Grapefruit seed extract) Basically it helps build good bacteria in your stomach and will help keep you from getting sick. My uncle got sick with Montezumas revenge (the V* and D*) in Mexico one year and He took the Probiotics and the next day he was back to normal. I take GSE on a daily basis, and it also aids in overall immune support. I swear by it and it is available at the health food stores. You can get it in pill form or liquid. I take the pill ones...never tried the liquid so I dont know how it tastes!

Like people have said...just drink bottled water and just use good hygiene! U will be fine. U are going to Africa...that is exciting! Enjoy it =]

I give GSE to my dogs and I take it sometimes too. I got it for the dogs since I was worried one of my boys has a yeast infection on his skin. I got the liquid kind so I can mix it with shampoo and wash him with it too. I haven't bathed him with it yet since he hates baths and I don't like to torture him!

Anyway, if I have my time back I would not have gotten the liquid. I would have gotten the pills so I could take the GSE myself easier. The only thing that I can mix it with that will mask the flavour is orange juice. It tastes HORRID!

It hasn't helped with my dog's itchies yet and I have been giving it to him for about a month now. I am pretty sure he has environmental allergies so I don't really know what will help him!