Today I am writing you as I am lay on my bed because it so happens that I am sick with a bad case of the dreaded “Stomach Flu”. I began to feel like crap Tuesday night and woke up Monday morning throwing up like crazy. I was feeling weaker by the minute and couldn’t stop my body from shivering. My temperature was rising and I could not find a comfortable position in bed that would not trigger the need to throw up. I was worried because later in the day I had an important test to take and I could not see myself driving 45 minutes back and forth with a tiny trash can in my hand… I must correct myself, I could totally see that happening and that is why I already had one prepared inside of my car, but I did not deem it as safe or necessary.
After I dropped my son off at school, I realized that indeed I was not in any conditions of driving more than 5 miles. What I truly desired at that moment was to throw up and curl up in bed. Once I was finally able to lay down and “rest”, The only thing that came to my mind was “ What would I do if I were camping and felt like this ?” Truly.. I wondered, and wondered hard. I have never felt this sick while outdoors and I feel blessed that I have always had a safe place to be under circumstances like this.
I created a short episode of “Naked and Afraid” in my mind and started thinking of possible ways of overcoming bad nausea and vomiting while outdoors:
-If you have any way of getting a hold of ginger root, make yourself some delicious ginger tea to soothe the nausea.
-Always bring electrolytes with you. They will help you to remain hydrated.
-Curl up inside of your sleeping bag to remain warm.
-If you have a warm compress, you can use it to treat stomach discomfort.
-If you have time, remember to dig a cat-hole before throwing up. You wouldn’t want any wild visitors munching on your left overs (although they would probably appreciate it !)
-Write a list of possible places to stay (guesthouses, etc) in case your trip does not go according to plan. I read this on Mom Goes Camping blog and thought it to be brilliant ! I would have never thought of that as a Plan B, but that is just me…
-If you continue to feel bad and your condition worsens, seek medical attention.
If you have ever had an experience like this while camping or during any other outdoor activity and have any recommendations, please ! Share them with us !
I will go back to my trash can..
Stay safe and healthy !
Featured Image from T-rex Trying…
thedihedral.com 
I think this is almost as bad as having diarrhea while on the road or travelling..good it didn’t happen to me.
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Haha I think diarrhea on the road would be worse !!!
Take care,
Gaia.
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Condolences, and best wishes for a rapid recovery. I like your suggestions. One thing I’d add if you’re going to be in the wilderness for an extended period of time is taking a prescription for an anti-nausea med (ondansetron is my favorite) as it can prevent getting seriously dehydrated. And if you’re digging holes in advance, consider a second one in case things start coming out the other end as well. Happens about 50 percent of the time.
My least favorite illness.
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I am so glad that did not happen to me, just vomiting ! Thank you so much for the advice, I would have not thought about it.
Take care !
Gaia.
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funny post. feel better!
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Haha thank you !!!
Gaia.
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Feel better soon! Useful tips though, I will keep these in mind next time I am camping 🙂
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Thank you so much Erik !
Gaia.
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As a long-time camper, learned to go behind bushes. In those last few moments, choose a bush with large leaves (great toilet paper 🙂 ) My legs are dancer-strong so I am a good squatter! Great post for newby campers. Hope you are feeling better now!
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Haha I’ll keep that in mind, I just hope I don’t grab a poisonous one !!
Thank you !!
Gaia.
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Hope you will feel better soon!
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Thank you 🙂
Gaia.
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Get better soon!
Few years ago, ok quite a long time ago…I’m at camp and picked up the stomach flu going around the camp and I’m throwing up bile already when we drove 200km (I don’t know what this is converted to miles) home and went to the doctor…After meds and rest in my own bed, we drove back to camp the following day lol
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Hahaha you are a trooper !!!!!! That is love for the outdoors right there !!!!!!
I am 100% better now, thank you 🙂
Gaia
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I take along Immodium for the poops and Dramamine for nausea. (I have more potent prescription stuff that dissolves under the tongue but you’ll need a doctor for that.) I take along a lot of other meds but those are what would be good for the stomach bug. Set up camp near a water source and stay hydrated with the proper level of electrolytes. Sleep as much as possible. Restrict food to very mild stuff for several days. No need for antibiotics. If it really is “stomach flu” (gastroenteritis is really not related to influenza) it will be over before they could do anything. Ride it out in the bag and keep a bucket handy.
In the field, there are other possibilities. Food poisoning, inadequate sanitation, vertigo, migraine and nasties in the water can result in symptoms that mimic stomach flu. See your doctor when you get out. Conditions longer than 48 hours or conditions involving severe head or abdominal pain really call for immediate evacuation.
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Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us Fred, I appreciate it. Your suggestions will sure come in handy.
Take care,
Gaia.
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Hope you feel better! Thanks for the tips, this is a good thing to contemplate especially when you backpack and are about 20-miles from the nearest port-a-potty! Oatmeal is also great to have too I noticed when you can’t stomach anything else.
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Thank you Curious Climber ! Saltines are also the go to when your stomach cannot handle much !
Take care !
Gaia.
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Hope you feel better soon!
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Thank you dtills, so happy to read you again !
Gaia.
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Feel better soon! I recently had a bout of stomach flu—thankfully it passed quickly, but I can relate. I ate a BRAT (Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) diet for a few days during and after which seemed to help.
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Haha I had never heard of the BRAT diet before until you pointed it out, that was my meal for the rest of the weak after reading your comment. Thank you so much Ella !!!
Gaia.
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I rarely get sick at home or away but when i do its big! This reminded me of a very uncomfortable bout of food poisoning on a small thai island. I spent 10 bedridden days in my tiny bamboo hut with incredibly basic facilities – read, hole in the floor , i also unwillingly shared the hut with a giant rat, (it was a total bargain). 10 days sipping water and electrolytes. Even the water washed straight through, lol !(sorry about the graphics). I must have had a good store of water as i remember it was 6 days before i had the strength to climb down the steps of the rocky promontory to top up. It didnt seem a big deal at the time but when I think back now I imagine I could have been in real trouble. Still, i at least had an exceptional view from my sick bed and i lost about two stone! ….ha, then there was that time when i picked up an excruciatingly painful double ear infection in Mexico and went completey deaf…..aah, the joys of travel😎 Feel better soon 🤒
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OH MY !!! You have some interesting stories to tell right there, at least I would love to read them and don’t worry, I don’t mind graphic descriptions haha. I am glad that you at least had a nice view 🙂
Please, take care, please !
Gaia.
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Thanks😅 Good to hear you’re feeling better
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Get well soon.
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Thank you !!!
Gaia.
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Poor thing! I hope you are feeling better now.
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Thank you, I am feeling 100% better now 🙂
Gaia.
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I hope you’re feeling much better now.
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Thank you !!! 🙂
Gaia.
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Being sick is never fun! Wishing you a speedy recovery!
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Thank you, feeling much better now !!!
Gaia.
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Hope youre feeling better! I found im a little odd and actually have always been drawn to the outdoors when feeling sick. To feel the dirt and earth below me as i lay and feel like death its the one and only comfort.
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Haha wow ! I wish I could be a little more like you in that sense. I would have to try it next time, because I have honestly never thought on laying on the grass when I feel sick. I’ll let you know next time, which I hope never comes because it was awful haha !
Take care,
Gaia.
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i think the closest I ever came to being sick while camping was while I was on an outing when a teenager with my church youth group. We were at a Tijuana orphanage helping them build a new building for them. We camped in tents, refrigeration was bare minimum, and there were outhouses (not very sanitary). We were there for an entire week and even food was sometimes questionable. I think we did bring our own water. But by the end of the week my stomach and my head were beginning to ache. I think it took me two weeks to recover.
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I am glad that you started to feel that way at the end of the week and not at the beginning of it. I hope you at least got to enjoy the experience. Thank you so much for your work, I am sure it was highly appreciated.
Take care and thank you for sharing your experience with us,
Gaia.
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thank you and yes, I enjoyed the experience very much. So much so that I went with my youth group a couple more times in other summers. I always enjoy helping others and the children in the orphanage were a wonderful gift.
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One penny “gator-ade.” No sugar. 1/2 teaspoon Lite salt (half sodium chloride half potassium chloride; in any grocery store with the other salt. Slender round cardboard container.) 1/4 teaspoon table salt. Mix into one quart of water. It will go down like liquid gold. Exactly the same amounts of sodium and potassium as kiddie “lytes”.
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I feel like it it eating me alive. I want to sit here and write but I keep gagging and freezing. One minute I have all the quilts maw maw has in the house, over me. (run ons.. eh) The next minute I am sweating my balls off… (If i had any.) I am so bleh today. Hope you get better! thanks for writing!:)
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