What Is Gastroenteritis?
To put it simply, here is how the Better Health Channel defines it:
Gastroenteritis is an illness triggered by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system. Typical symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. In many cases, the condition heals itself within a few days.
The main complication of gastroenteritis is dehydration, but this can be prevented if the fluid lost in vomit and diarrhea is replaced. A person suffering from severe gastroenteritis may need fluids administered intravenously (directly into the bloodstream via a vein – the setup is often referred to as a ‘drip’). Some of the causes of gastroenteritis include viruses, bacteria, bacterial toxins, parasites, particular chemicals and some drugs.
The Mayo Clinic offers another helpful way to look at it:
Viral gastroenteritis is an intestinal infection that includes signs and symptoms such as watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting, and sometimes fever.
The most common way to develop viral gastroenteritis — often called stomach flu — is through contact with an infected person or by consuming contaminated food or water. If you're otherwise healthy, you'll likely recover without complications. But for infants, older adults and people with compromised immune systems, viral gastroenteritis can be deadly.
There's no effective treatment for viral gastroenteritis, so prevention is key. Avoid food and water that may be contaminated and wash your hands thoroughly and often.
My Sunday Trip to the ER
After my morning coffee, I had some fried tilapia for breakfast. An hour later, I was stuck in the bathroom vomiting. I figured it was the fish, so I drank sugar water to help clear my stomach and stop the nausea. I ended up throwing up 12 times—at first it was food, but eventually, it was just water. To make it worse, I was dealing with severe diarrhea and cold sweats at the same time. I felt weak, dehydrated, and my stomach was in pain. I was rushed to the ER where they put me on an IV ('swero' or 'suero') to help me recover. I’m so thankful to my wife and her four colleagues who got me to the hospital in time.
Can Gastroenteritis Cause Dehydration?
Yes, it absolutely can. Speaking from my own experience, the combination of constant vomiting and diarrhea drained my system fast. I ended up severely dehydrated and needed an IV to recover.
The Symptoms I Hit
Looking back, the dehydration hit me hard. Here are the symptoms I experienced:
- Little to no urination – A clear sign my body was out of fluids.
- Loss of appetite and abdominal pain – I couldn't even think about food.
- Extreme thirst and dry mouth – No matter what I did, I couldn't get enough water.
- Sunken eyes – I looked as exhausted as I felt.
- Dizziness and lack of alertness – I felt completely out of it and was barely responsive.
- Severe muscle weakness – By the time I reached the ER, I couldn't walk. They had to put me in a wheelchair because I could only whisper and the nurses could barely hear me.
- Constant watery diarrhea – This lasted for the first three days. I’m so grateful to the nurses who cared for me and kept me clean while I was stuck in bed.
My Recovery
After four hours in the ER, the nurse asked if I wanted to be admitted to continue my treatment. I was so grateful for their care, but I decided it was better to recover at home since I was finally able to eat and walk on my own. As much as I wanted the extra medical attention, we had no one else to look after our kid. I trusted in God to help me regain my strength, and within six days, I had fully recovered.
My Prescriptions
These were the medications prescribed to treat my gastroenteritis and dehydration:
- #15 Oral Rehydration Solutions (sachet): dissolve 5 sachets in 1 liter. After consuming this, I drank Gatorade and Pocari Sweat.
- #30 Vitamin C with Zinc: 1 tab once a day.
- #10 Metoclopramide HCI 10mg: 1 tab every 8 hours or as needed.
- #10 Bacillus Clausii: Drink 1 tubelette every 12 hours x5 a day.
The Culprit
The doctors and nurses said my lab tests were all clear and my nasal swab came back negative, which was a huge relief. Honestly, looking back, I think it was just that fried tilapia—I completely forgot it had been sitting there for two days before I ate it. Lesson learned!
- Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, January 18). Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu) [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/viral-gastroenteritis/symptoms-causes/syc-20378847#:~:text=The%20main%20complication%20of%20viral,shouldn't%20be%20a%20problem.
- Better Health Channel. (2021, March 11). Gastroenteritis [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/gastroenteritis
- DiLonardo, M. J. (2014, February 3). Gastroenteritis (Stomach 'Flu') [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/gastroenteritis
