Last night, we went out for her birthday to one of our favorite restaurants which has always been oh-so-delicious. I pounded down a steak and potatoes and mixed vegetables with gusto, not wanting to miss out on a single bite. This was mistake number one. I can't necessarily tell you what mistake number two was, but about five hours later I was vomiting for the first time since I can remember. When we were talking about it this morning, Meghan said that I've never thrown up the entire time I've been with her (at least when she's around), and I'm pretty sure that's right. That means I've been vomit free since at least 2003. Not anymore I'm not.
I'm not sure that the reason I got sick was because of the food. It could have been any combination of things, to be honest. After doing a little research on food poisoning, it seems less and less likely that that's the case. All I know is that one moment I was playing Modern Warfare 2 with Eric, and the next moment I'm walking quickly to the bathroom before I really made a mess. So while the following facts may not necessarily be "fun," they are important if you ever think that you've got the food bug. Without further ado, facts about food poisoning!
1. Symptoms generally develop a few hours to a few days after you’ve eaten a contaminated food. And your symptoms depend on the organism or germ.
Some of the most common bacteria include salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, shigella (a bacteria from feces spread by dirty hands and flies), and E. coli.
“If it’s salmonella, you’ll likely experience abdominal pain, fever, or diarrhea,” says Marcus Zervos, MD, head of the infectious-diseases division at the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit. “If it’s Bacillus cereus or a staph toxin, you might experience more vomiting along with diarrhea.”
2. You should feel better after 48 to 72 hours. So be sure to visit the doctor if:
- You don’t notice any improvement after two days
- If your abdominal pain is severe
- If you’re experiencing diarrhea or vomiting more than five times a day
- If you have a fever of 101 degrees in combination with other symptoms
- If you fall under one of the categories listed below
In rare cases, untreated E. coli can cause severe kidney damage. If salmonella is suspected, antibiotics given early may help.
3. Most healthy people can tolerate some bacteria and not end up getting deathly ill. But others may be more susceptible or get sicker. People in the following groups should seek medical attention as soon as possible:
- The very young and elderly
- Someone who has HIV
- Someone undergoing cancer treatment
- Pregnant women
- People who have diabetes
- Those who’ve recently had surgery
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