Sick on the trail?

[squidbilly]

Years ago I had a Dr. tell me that before going into an area that was notorious for bad water (his words) like Mexico, etc. that I should take twice daily doses of Pepto Bismol for at least 2 weeks before departing and at least one dose per day while in country.

I did this before hiking the PCT in 1972 and I think it saved me. I got a bit of the stomoch flu but it was very mild.

Since then I have learned that the stomach flu is most often caused by spotty personal hygene rather than "something in the water". I always make it a point of using purel or sanitary hand wipes after toilet breaks and especially before eating or preparing food.

Excellent advice with the Purel and hand wipes. I make my own, and haven't had a problem since. I take those baby wipes, rinse and dry a small stack of them, then soak them in isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Carry them in your pack in a ziplock, good for cleaning hands and everything else. Especially the camp kitchen items. (Thats why I bother to rinse the moisturizers and soaps out)

[TheNumberSix]

I got a touch of dysentery in Egypt. I used their version kaopectate and then finally purchased 5 days of cipro. If I was on a long hike I would secure cipro in advance.

[Meteor]

While hiking up Mt. Shavano last year with my son and his scout troop's high adventure crew (they don't call the trail we used the 4 mile staircase for nuthin' - let me tell ya) at Rocky Mountain High Adventure Base, I was near the top of the 800 foot climb out of the parking lot when I was hit with a bout of nausea and dizziness like I hadn't experienced before. I'm not sure whether it was altitude sickness or bad grub, but it stopped me in my tracks. I told the group to go on ahead, that I might not be able to continue on. I didn't want them to miss out on the fun, I could just go back to the parking lot and wait for the guide to come back down a few hours later.

Luckily, after losing my lunch (and then breakfast, and then dinner the night before), I felt good enough to slowly venture up the trail where I eventually met up with my group who were very surprised to see me. I slooooowly made my way up the "staircase" and spent the next day at camp while the rest of the group went on to the summit.

There was plenty of time that second day for me to reflect on the fact that I wouldn't make the summit with the rest. But - the weather was great, the surroundings beautiful, and there's no other place I would have rather been at the time, even if I did feel pretty miserable.

[creativeKayt]

Oh, man, Meteor. That bites. Although you felt awful, I'm glad you were still able to appreciate and sort-of enjoy the surroundings.

[DavidWa]

Never been sick out and about on the trail. But one thing does cause me some concern. I've had kidney stone attacks a few times over the years. Never had to go to the hospital for lithotripsy. I used to service the imaging systems on the old Dornier Medical HM-3 & HM-4 lithotripsy machines http://www.wecareindia.com/images/in...y-surgery2.jpg , so I know a little of what those treatments were like. Now days they less cumbersome systems. It's been 15 years or more since the last one. But the pain leaves a lasting impression.

I've been at work a few times when I felt an attack coming on - was grateful to get home quickly where I could ease the pain by getting in a hot shower when the pain became most intense. Don't know what I'd do if stuck miles away from someplace to ease the pain and sleep after downing some pain killers and having plenty of fluids to drink to try to flush out the stone. Not keeping hydrated seems to contribute to the onset of an attack.

Had an attack once while out motorcycling a couple hundred miles from home. Rolled around on the ground for a while trying to massage the offending stone to a less painful place. Was finally able to ride toward home. Intentionally hitting every pot hole I saw to jar the stone lose as it was still quit painful. The pain was tolerable by the time I got home. So I was gland I didn't need to have someone from home come and get me and another person ride the bike home. Passed the stone a few days later. It wasn't large, but it sure looked like an itsy bitsy shark's tooth. Ouchy.

So, anyone ever had a kidney stone attack miles away from a highway on the trail? What did you do?

Best thing I can think to do is talk to a pharmacists and get some extra strength pain killers and hope it is enough. Should it ever happen.

[TinaLouise]

Last year I went with a Scout Troop for a week trip on the AT. The first day, it was hot hot hot and we hiked about 6 miles before lunch. About 3 hours into this, I felt myself getting dizzy and realized that my blood sugar was dropping. I tried everything I could to get myself stabalized. The group I was with wanted to continue hiking so I bid them fairwell and dropped out of the hike. Around about late that afternoon, I finally felt that I was getting better. Blood sugar dropping sounds like something simple but it's not.

TinaLouise

[Shug]

So, anyone ever had a kidney stone attack miles away from a highway on the trail? What did you do?

Best thing I can think to do is talk to a pharmacists and get some extra strength pain killers and hope it is enough. Should it ever happen.

I had stones once....not on the trail. But I would not want an attack out there. I carry Torodol medication....relieves the pain a lot without side effects.
Shug

[Hulk]

Suppose i could share.
It was August of last year. I was defiantly sick the previous week. I believed i was sufficiently recovered. The plan was to challenge my self by taking on the trail to Three-Fingers Look Out as a day hike. It's 7 miles (one way) through rugged, rocky terrain. Where there are not rocks there are roots or mud. It's not a well graded trail, lots of stuff to step over. It also includes a multi segment glacier crossing.

I did not hit the trail particularly early, and it was already crowded. I passed quite a few groups on the way in. I was a warm summer day, on the way in i got a little chest tightness and an occasional annoying cough. It was something not out of the ordinary for me...always just took a break when it happened. This time i did not, i kept going.
I reached the glacier crossing, went from warm summer, to wintry micro climate. During the first segment of the glacier crossing i began to wheeze horribly. I did not entirely recognize the significance of the problem....and pressed on. The second glacier crossing included scrambling down behind a moat, with the aid of a hand rope. I did not get far beyond the second segment of the glacier crossing, when i realized everything was starting to go dark.....and it was not a passing cloud. I sat down to take a break, and watched everything fade away.
My next memory was some stranger gently poking, and yelling at me to get my attention. The blue guy wheezing on the side of the trail probably scared the hell out of him. Never the less, it got my attention. I jumped up, to hike out. Some one helped me back up the moat. Once i got out of the glacial micro climate i recovered much faster.
I hiked out, and drove straight to the ER.

A dozen or so more doctor appointments, it took to find out i have asthma. If i push it, it bites back.

[DavidWa]

I carry Torodol medication....relieves the pain a lot without side effects.
Shug

Shug,
Hope you know from experience that you had no side effects. Torodol and Ketorolac are apparently the same thing. The second time I had a kidney stone attack I decided to go and get it checked out. They prescribed some sort of pain drug to have if needed, the name I don't recall. I only recall two things about it. One, I was told it would cause nausea if I took them but the pain would be subdued and two, I was also told I get about 10 bucks/pill on the right street corner in town.

However, the data sheet you linked had this little warning in the text - "Ketorolac may cause kidney failure." Hope that is only a possibility if exceeding the five day limit that was mentioned. But, I will ask a pharmacists friend of mine about Ketorolac/Torodol.
Thanks

[guySmiley]

Giardia tried very hard to ruin 400 miles of the PCT for me.

I was going to try to finish the trail before seeing a doctor, but another hiker who's an RN informed me that the symptoms can become permanent if left untreated. After imagining what the rest of life might be like without control of my bowels, I decided to make the trip to the ER and get the treatment.

While I was hiking with it, I developed several coping strategies that helped, or at least I managed to convince myself that they helped, which is almost as good.

I would make a point of setting the alarm on my watch for a time that I'd estimate would be before I'd poop myself in the morning.

Allowing myself as many breaks as I felt like I needed. Any light sick feeling would result in a 5-10 minute break.

Make jokes about pooping myself with other hikers. It kept the spirits up. They probably thought I was just whining though.

Try any crazy home remedy that someone suggested. I would have shoved horse turds in my ear, on the suggestion that it would have alleviated the nausea.

Rule number 1 for giardia: Never trust a fart.