57 replies to this topic

[pacman]

Although… on this trip I had no problems in Isaan where I eat food from local vendors but as soon as I went with Lisa to Nana Soi 4 Mc Donald’s few minutes after I got food poisoning from some outdated French fries.

I am the last person to defend McDonald's but if you were ill with food poisoning only minutes after eating there, I can assure you it wasn't the french fries that made you sick.

I was told years ago that the way to determine what meal was the one that caused the illness, count back 8 hours from the first time you vomit. I have done it everytime since then whenever I got sick & I have found you can almost set your clock by it.

However if the french fries were contaminated with something, e.g. cleaning chemical, insecticide, etc, then they could have made you sick immediately. Could you taste anything odd? Or was there too much ketchup & mayo to tell?

[RobiSLO]

Although… on this trip I had no problems in Isaan where I eat food from local vendors but as soon as I went with Lisa to Nana Soi 4 Mc Donald’s few minutes after I got food poisoning from some outdated French fries.

I am the last person to defend McDonald's but if you were ill with food poisoning only minutes after eating there, I can assure you it wasn't the french fries that made you sick.

I was told years ago that the way to determine what meal was the one that caused the illness, count back 8 hours from the first time you vomit. I have done it everytime since then whenever I got sick & I have found you can almost set your clock by it.

However if the french fries were contaminated with something, e.g. cleaning chemical, insecticide, etc, then they could have made you sick immediately. Could you taste anything odd? Or was there too much ketchup & mayo to tell?

Maybe but I'm pretty sure french-fries was the culprit. Lisa didn’t ate it and was ok. It looked like shit, tasted like shit (not anything like french-fries I had in the morning in McDonald's on Ploenchit) and… I'm pretty sure at 10-11 PM oil was »a little outdated« to say it mildly .

BR

[petesie]

I tend to disagree with yon 8 hour rule....as now does my ex - wife , a nurse who told me this rule was normally applicable yet witnessed herself how quickly my body re-acted then rejected whenever it decided that it didn't like something....

If I feel ill after eating something I mentally list the items I've consumed very recently and when I get to the culprit I feel sick...strange but true...

[pacman]

You are probably right about the 8 hour rule not applying in Asia. There are so many damn bugs that can result in illness in Thailand that salmonella wouldn't get a look-in.

And if the cooking oil was rancid, it may just have been a reaction to that. I don't have any medical training, I just know it isn't possible that food poisoning can occur within minutes of eating something. But to get sick straight away, sure, in Asia anything can happen.

[petesie]

I didn't say immediately Paccers....normally within 2 hours before it turns into a bit of a drama....

[RobiSLO]

It sure turned into big drama for me. .. And X told me I'm sick because God punishes me for having short time with Lisa …

BR

[petesie]

As Thais don't subscribe to our God I suppose she thinks that particular edict is not applicable in her case....

[pacman]

I didn't say immediately Paccers....normally within 2 hours before it turns into a bit of a drama....

Sorry, I was referring to Rob's comment that he was sick within minutes of eating the french fries. That was original comment that provoked my response, i.e. food poisoning cannot happen so fast.

But it is interesting to ponder just what did make him ill. We can all learn something if we solve the mystery.

[gildas]

I've given up worrying about getting the trots. Use the tap water to brush my teeth though not to rinse, but God knows how much water I've swallowed inadvertently in the shower over the years.

Only had a really bad dose of food poisoning once - laid up for 36 hours with the shakes and stuff coming out of both ends - and I think that was from a burger at a pretty well regarded eatery/bar.

This last trip I had lunch almost every day at a Thai place on Pattaya Tai just up from the LK Pavilion, food was already cooked and in metal trays under a glass cover, you just ask for whatever you want and some rice.

Lots of Thai's eating there - always a good sign imo - and cheap as can be - three main dishes, rice, Coke for 2 all for 120 baht. The lass always ordered, I just tucked in, often wasn't sure what I was tucking in to exactly but that is half the fun of travel - I can get pie and chips in my local here is Salford.

Anyway, the moral of the story is the hygiene at this Thai place was typical for a roadside cheap eatery, i.e, a bit suspect, but I scoffed whatever she - usual Aem - ordered every day and felt fit as a fiddle.

[Ivor Biggun]

Its funny (well not really!) but the only two times in over 5 years here I've had a bad stomach has been after a KFC- same restaurant both times. Fortunately its closed now so I don't have the midnite munchies there anymore. I eat from the bbq guy next to Taipan all the time and never had any probs. Equally any of the street stalls I use- the food is that fresh its normally going to be fine. The number of peeps getting bad stomachs from half nuked 7/11 burgers etc when pissed is a different story.

All ice (within Patong at least) is fine, even the ice box ice is clean water from a decent ice plant- you should have no issues with 'drinking' ice. Most restaurants also clean their veg etc these days from the big 20 litre bottles that you see all over, others that may use tap water are cooking the food at temps which should kill anything but the nastiest bugs off. In Patong i have no issues brushing my teeth with the tap water but water quality in Patts is that bad that I do use bottled water there. If the water smells- avoid it like the plague.

I always suggest that unless you are travelling avoid immodium, etc. All it does is keep the bad inside. Flush yourself through with plenty of water but wack an electrolyte in there once in a while (no more than 3 or 4 a day though). The more you are evacuating the less shit inside you ( literally) If it goes on for more than a couple of days go to a pharmacy and get anti-bacterial tablets. It kills the crap but doesn't bung you up. If you are travelling go the immodium route. I realise others will have different advice but this works for me.