Food poisoning?
Dec 8th, 2014, 08:17 AM
#41
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Sorry folks.. Sojourntraveller has some very valid points. Babies can live at 22-23 weeks.. so please stop with the fetus not being viable stuff for goodness sake.. We do not know how pregnant OP is.. but if she is past 22 weeks I personally would think long and hard about vacationing in mexico if I did not have proper insurance AND keep in mind many if not most insurances still will not cover all the expenses of a premature birth or a baby born with any complications.
I went to Hawaii and Los Angeles while pregnant.. and we were sure to go before viability was possible.. since usually if a fetus is going to miscarry with no hope of viability it will be before 20 weeks. We were taking a risk though, however at least I didn't have to worry about travellers diarehha, cholera ( which btw is endemic to Mexico) or typoid.
Its not scare mongering,, but if it scares you, then inform yourself by talking to your doctor to find out what SAFE precautions you can take.
I went to Hawaii and Los Angeles while pregnant.. and we were sure to go before viability was possible.. since usually if a fetus is going to miscarry with no hope of viability it will be before 20 weeks. We were taking a risk though, however at least I didn't have to worry about travellers diarehha, cholera ( which btw is endemic to Mexico) or typoid.
Its not scare mongering,, but if it scares you, then inform yourself by talking to your doctor to find out what SAFE precautions you can take.
Jan 13th, 2015, 07:28 AM
#42
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OP here - wow, this thread really blew up. I am just back from Mexico and wanted to thank everyone for the what to eat / what not to eat advice. I played it very safe due to the pregnancy, and only ate at our resort (which was all made fresh, no buffet food lying out for hours).
As for the other debate (insurance and going into labor), travel insurance usually does not cover costs for a premature baby. I could barely find travel insurance that would cover a pregnant woman! Fortunately, my regular health insurance does cover everything. And of course I checked all this before booking the trip
And this whole issue of viability -- I don't think it makes sense to scare people off traveling in the second trimester. That's the best time to do a babymoon! I am 23 weeks pregnant, and this early on, there's really no chance of a healthy baby if one goes into labor. A top NICU could possibly keep it alive, but with very severe, permanent damage. I personally would not want that.
As for the other debate (insurance and going into labor), travel insurance usually does not cover costs for a premature baby. I could barely find travel insurance that would cover a pregnant woman! Fortunately, my regular health insurance does cover everything. And of course I checked all this before booking the trip
And this whole issue of viability -- I don't think it makes sense to scare people off traveling in the second trimester. That's the best time to do a babymoon! I am 23 weeks pregnant, and this early on, there's really no chance of a healthy baby if one goes into labor. A top NICU could possibly keep it alive, but with very severe, permanent damage. I personally would not want that.
Jan 21st, 2016, 01:38 PM
#45
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Hello,
I have been reading this thread with interest - I'm going to Playa Del Carmen in Feb.
To the original poster, can you give examples of what you ate and what you avoided? Did you insist that your meats were cooked well done? What are some tips that you would recommend?
To the entire group, I note that the recommendation is to use bottled water ... even to brush one's teeth. I'm ok with that. But doesn't that mean you can't drink mixed drinks or coffee? Doesn't it mean that you can't eat salads or pasta or anything that is made with water?
I have been reading this thread with interest - I'm going to Playa Del Carmen in Feb.
To the original poster, can you give examples of what you ate and what you avoided? Did you insist that your meats were cooked well done? What are some tips that you would recommend?
To the entire group, I note that the recommendation is to use bottled water ... even to brush one's teeth. I'm ok with that. But doesn't that mean you can't drink mixed drinks or coffee? Doesn't it mean that you can't eat salads or pasta or anything that is made with water?
Jan 21st, 2016, 01:54 PM
#46
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Raed about standard food and water precautions at www.cdc.gov/travel
No reason to assume you'll get food poisoning if you follow food and water precautions. The reason so many people get food poisoning in Mexico is because they don't follow food and water precautions.
No reason to assume you'll get food poisoning if you follow food and water precautions. The reason so many people get food poisoning in Mexico is because they don't follow food and water precautions.
Jan 21st, 2016, 01:56 PM
#47
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Water that has been boiled is fine, so coffee and pasta are fine. Mixed drinks, make sure they are using purified water. Most hotels and restaurants in Mexico do.
As for salad, many people avoid it to be on the safe side. I eat it. Let your conscience be your guide. And if you're not going to eat salad, ask them not to bring it to you--wasting food is a sin, after all.
As for salad, many people avoid it to be on the safe side. I eat it. Let your conscience be your guide. And if you're not going to eat salad, ask them not to bring it to you--wasting food is a sin, after all.
Jan 21st, 2016, 02:00 PM
#48
<But doesn't that mean you can't drink mixed drinks>
No. Tourist bars and restaurants and hotels aren't using tap water to make ice, rather it comes from a purified plant. You can tell by the shape of the cubes.
No. Tourist bars and restaurants and hotels aren't using tap water to make ice, rather it comes from a purified plant. You can tell by the shape of the cubes.
Jan 26th, 2016, 10:08 PM
#49
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I heard about food poisoning in Playa Del Carmen. I thing it is because of the unhygienic restaurants in Mexico. People with the strong digestion may not suffer from food poisoning. You need to be careful about dining out. Try to stick to renowned restaurants only. Hope you will have a great stay!
Jan 27th, 2016, 07:17 AM
#50
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OK, well, this always turns into a list of anecdotal evidence, but I have been made ill by "renowned" restaurants, and been perfectly fine after stopping at roadside stands.
I say this because sticking to "renowned restaurants only" may condemn you to an unnecessarily boring and tourist-oriented food experience, without protecting you from illness 100%.
I say this because sticking to "renowned restaurants only" may condemn you to an unnecessarily boring and tourist-oriented food experience, without protecting you from illness 100%.
Jan 27th, 2016, 09:09 AM
#52
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Yuk!!! All-inclusive resorts are the worst place to contact food poisoning. Who wants to eat food that has been sitting around on an outdoor buffet for hours and mauled by a thousand other people?
The top reasons tourists get sick in Mexico:
- they drink way too much alcohol and lay in the sun until they are so dehydrated that they can't function.
- they eat unpeeled, uncooked fruits and vegetable (that salsa you load on your chips) which carry a type of gut bacteria that is perfectly safe if you eat these all your life, but upsetting if you are new to it. Not so surprising, the reverse happens to visitors in the U.S. with our foods.
One last thing to remember, the food on your flight home, was loaded on in the foreign country. You're not safe from the rules of the road until you get all the way home.
The top reasons tourists get sick in Mexico:
- they drink way too much alcohol and lay in the sun until they are so dehydrated that they can't function.
- they eat unpeeled, uncooked fruits and vegetable (that salsa you load on your chips) which carry a type of gut bacteria that is perfectly safe if you eat these all your life, but upsetting if you are new to it. Not so surprising, the reverse happens to visitors in the U.S. with our foods.
One last thing to remember, the food on your flight home, was loaded on in the foreign country. You're not safe from the rules of the road until you get all the way home.
Jan 27th, 2016, 09:36 AM
#53
I've been sick a few times, TC and it wasn't for any of those reason you mention.
It was from bad food in a regular restaurant (not "food poisoning" but a good case of "turista" for a few days).
It was from bad food in a regular restaurant (not "food poisoning" but a good case of "turista" for a few days).
Jan 27th, 2016, 12:17 PM
#55
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But an evergreen topic, lol.
Maybe I've had food poisoning and "turista"?? Self-diagnosing, I've been violently but only briefly ill; and I've had a lingering case of the trots that was more of a nuisance than anything else, thanks to Immodium. Neither ruined my trip.
Sorry if that's TMI, but there's a lot of fear around this topic, and perhaps if we are very clear about the type of illness we're talking about, it will have a calming effect.
Maybe I've had food poisoning and "turista"?? Self-diagnosing, I've been violently but only briefly ill; and I've had a lingering case of the trots that was more of a nuisance than anything else, thanks to Immodium. Neither ruined my trip.
Sorry if that's TMI, but there's a lot of fear around this topic, and perhaps if we are very clear about the type of illness we're talking about, it will have a calming effect.
Jan 27th, 2016, 12:31 PM
#56
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Op babies have survived at 23 weeks with minimal diabilities. I know one personally!
I have been to Mexico four times. Three times at good quality AI resorts on Mayan Riveria. Twice we were family group of six on one visit,8 on other.
None of us got sick. We all also elected take Dukoral.
I have been to Mexico four times. Three times at good quality AI resorts on Mayan Riveria. Twice we were family group of six on one visit,8 on other.
None of us got sick. We all also elected take Dukoral.
May 20th, 2017, 09:25 AM
#57
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Just got back from Playa 5 star all-inclusive resort. We (13 family members) were there for our daughters wedding and stayed on site the entire time. We regularly visited the buffets and we all got tourista (thankfully not until after the wedding) ranging in intensity and duration (approaching 5 days for some of us without relief). I've had it before while visiting resorts in the Yucatan and haven't had to clean it up with antibiotics. Our experience seems to add validity to the 'don't eat at the buffets' recommendations.
May 22nd, 2017, 05:45 AM
#58
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I've read somewhere that US tourists are hit more than others due to the habbit of drinking with icecubes.
I never have ice, and I am hardly ever sick/ill.
Could be... And I wash my teeth with bottled water. Well mostly. Not in Mexico though.
I never have ice, and I am hardly ever sick/ill.
Could be... And I wash my teeth with bottled water. Well mostly. Not in Mexico though.
