Question:
What happens to patients after surgery if they are exposed to food poisoning?

Would it happen quicker, more severe, become potentially more fatal for the patient? I posted a question yesterday about severe abdominal pain and haven't rcvd a reply yet. Just wondering if maybe the ulcer wasn't the only culprit to my pain. What do you guys all know about this?    — Dawn R. (posted on July 19, 2001)

July 19, 2001
dawn, i'm sorry nobody has answerd your question. i can't either. i just wanted you to know that i dont think that's a subject to many people know about.. but good question. i'm going to the doctor soon i will ask. and let you know. sincerely queta carrillo
   — enriqueta C.

July 19, 2001
I had what was diagnosed in the ER as "probably food poisining" about 6 months ago (I was 1 1/2 yrs out from BPD/DS). They say that the definitive test for the bacteria takes so long to come back that the patient is well. My symptoms were vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain w/i an hour of eating whitefish salad on a bagel. I have no idea if this is different than pre-WLS, having never had it before. They X-rayed to be sure I had no bowel or intesinal obstruction and gave me something for the symptoms. It was not a pleasant experience, but it left as quickly as it came on and I was relieved it was "only food poisining" and not surgery related.
   — Jill L.

July 22, 2001
When you get food poisoning your body trys to take care of itself by getting rid of it....vomiting and diarrhea. This is what I learned triaging calls for numerous doctors offices. this is what they wanted done. the biggest concern with people getting food poisoning is dehydration. That is why when someone has vomiting and diarrhea they are told to drink clear liquids, no caffiene, no sugar, no alcohol. You have to urinate a least every 8hrs, if not, you're dehydrated. The longer you go without urinating your kidneys can shut down so its real important to keep replacing the fluids you are losing. Routine food poisoning usually responds to resting the stomach for 2hrs then start with ice chips and tiny sips of clear liquids, if you start drinking alot right away while the stomach is so irritated you will vomit immediately. The vomiting should settles down, usually within a few hours. As your vomiting settles down increase your clear liquids as much as you can. After no vomiting for 12hrs then you start the BRAT diet. Bananas, rice(or saltines), applesauce and dry toast and of course LOTS of clear liquids(no sugar, no caffiene, no alchol, no fruit juice).If you start eating too soon after your stomach has been irritated by bad food or a virus/bacteria you will just start vomiting again. After 3 days of the BRAT diet if the diarrhea doesnt settle down the drs usually gets a stool sample. If its bacterial they put you on antibiotics. **Anytime severe abdominal pain occurs you see the dr right away. Diarrhea in itself causes abdominal cramping that is relieved temporarily after you have a stool but then starts up again if the diarrhea is going to continue. the cramping is the intestines constricting to move the diarrhea through the intestines. You usually feel the cramping throughout your abdomen, not one spot. **Strong belly pain that is tender to touch in one spot, you need to see the dr right away. If you can touch it and make it extremely painful you need to be seen. ** vomiting and diarrhea that start after getting overheated in the sun or hot environment needs to be seen by a dr right away. heat exhaustion is due to dehydation so further loss of fluids can lead to heat stroke. ** Diarrhea more than 3 days while on brat diet should go to the dr. (of course DS tend to have diarrhea anyway) ** Diarrhea with blood or mucous in it should see the dr right away. ** Vomiting blood(more than a teaspoon)or anything that looks like coffee grounds should see the dr right away. ** Vomiting and diarrhea with a temp over 101 should see a dr right away ** No urine in more than 8hrs and not able to urinate, needs to be seen by the dr right away. **** Any time you are in doubt and concerned about your health you need to talk with your dr who can ask further questions about your symptoms. I just wrote a brief synopsis and not complete with all the questions that need to be answered. Now I don't know if having wls can make it worse or not. Since we have smaller stomachs we shouldnt have to vomit as much to empty it so I wouldn't think the vomiting would last very long if it was due to food poisoning. I would imagine the diarrhea could be a real problem since you have to replace the fluids you lose and after WLS you are limited in how much you can drink at a time but I would imagine if you kept a waterbottle at your mouth most the time that you could keep replacing what you lose. You can live quite a while without food but you have to have fluids for basic life functions. trivia knowledge- cool water is absorbed faster by the body than warm or cold. I hope I was able to help in some way.
   — Helen B.

October 31, 2002
I'm not sure if it was the tea or the cottage cheese but I had the same simptoms described as food poisoning. My Dr. recommended Maalox and milk. It didn't really help. I was having dry heaves but not as much now. It's been 2 days. I was concerned I may have torn something. I've had to go to the bathroom almost every hour with diarrhia. I'm concern of dyhidration so I've been trying to drink as much water as I can. I'm still experiencing muscle spasms in my stomach. Anyway, I'm 5 weeks Post Op. Open RNY.
   — Euler U.

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