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 explanation:
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 dangerous.
There's no effective treatment for viral gastroenteritis, so prevention is important. Avoid food and water that may be contaminated and wash your hands thoroughly and often.
My Sunday Trip to the ER
I ended up vomiting around 12 times. At first it was mostly food, but eventually it became mostly water. At the same time, I was dealing with severe diarrhea, stomach pain, cold sweats, and dehydration. I became extremely weak and was eventually rushed to the ER, where nurses placed me on an IV ("swero" or "suero") to help replace lost fluids.
I’m very thankful to my wife and her four colleagues for helping me get to the hospital quickly.
Can Gastroenteritis Cause Dehydration?
Yes, it absolutely can. Based on my own experience, the combination of repeated vomiting and diarrhea drained my body very quickly. I became severely dehydrated and needed IV fluids to recover.
The Symptoms I Experienced
Looking back, dehydration affected me more seriously than I expected. These were some of the symptoms I experienced:
- Little to no urination – A sign that my body was already low on fluids.
- Loss of appetite and abdominal pain – Eating was the last thing on my mind.
- Extreme thirst and dry mouth – I constantly felt dehydrated.
- Sunken eyes – A visible sign that my body was already exhausted and dehydrated.
- Dizziness and lack of alertness – I felt weak, disoriented, and barely responsive.
- Severe muscle weakness – By the time I reached the ER, I could no longer walk and had to use a wheelchair. I was so weak that I could barely speak above a whisper.
- Constant watery diarrhea – This continued for several days. I’m grateful to the nurses who helped care for me while I was recovering.
My Recovery
After about four hours in the ER, the nurse asked if I wanted to be admitted for continued treatment. Although I appreciated the care, I decided to recover at home since I was finally able to eat and walk again. We also needed someone to look after our child.
I continued resting and focusing on recovery at home, and thankfully my strength gradually returned over the next several days. After six days, I had fully recovered.
My Prescriptions
These were the medications and treatments prescribed for my gastroenteritis and dehydration:
- #15 Oral Rehydration Solution (sachet): Dissolve 5 sachets in 1 liter of water. After consuming this, I also drank Gatorade and Pocari Sweat.
- #30 Vitamin C with Zinc: 1 tablet once a day.
- #10 Metoclopramide HCI 10mg: 1 tablet every 8 hours or as needed.
- #10 Bacillus Clausii: Drink 1 tubelette every 12 hours for 5 days.
The Culprit
The doctors and nurses said my lab tests were clear and my nasal swab came back negative, which was a huge relief. Looking back, I honestly think the fried tilapia caused it. I completely forgot that it had already been sitting in the refrigerator for two days before I ate it.
Definitely a lesson learned for me. I also realized that I’m not very good at telling whether food already smells bad or spoiled. And apparently, not all food that looks okay is actually okay. LOL!
- 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
