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Food poisoning or stomach flue?

eli polite

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 9, 2010
1,307
30
48
delaware
My wife and I took the kids out to a movie yesterday after some school shopping. All day the entire family has eaten the same thing. We had chicken for dinner we all ate from the same chicken at the movies we all had popcorn. The only difference is the wife and I shared some nachos at the movies. None of the kids had any. By the time we got home about 3 hours after eating the nachos my wife and I got violently ill at exactly the same time. Puking, fever , achy body, it has been a night mate for the last 16 hours but now seams to be on the down side. None of our 3 kids have any symptoms. The strange thing is the nachos were pre packaged. The cheese was in this little pudding cup type thing and the chips were in a pre sealed bag.
 
Sounds like it could be food poisoning but not wanting to give you a "sidewalk consultation" keep in mind that food poising may be difficult to narrow down as systems may occur within the hour of eating tainted foods or you may have issues over a week later depending upon the type of infection. Generally the severity of the symptoms will range with the type of infection and while many will have relief within 24 hours, some may have reoccurring issues for months depending upon what you ate. While the issue could be with the pre-packaged foods (you might want to call the theater and see if others reported similar issues) or the person handling the snack foods had nasty on them you may be the victim of the dreaded "double dip" and either you or your wife cross contaminated the food product....need to keep those hands washed. Now, only drink fluids you can see through and drink a lot of them to flush the system. If you are in bad shape maybe try some 50/50 Gatorade and water. If you need to eat, stick to bland diet until you can tolerate regular foods........Now I'm suppose to give you Motrin because that's just what we do:)
 
It's been water, ginger ale, and saltines today. It feels like the worst has passed. There has been no more nausea sense about 10am. So the worst was about 12 hours now we just feel weak but I can at least get out of bead now.
 
Difficult part for many is replacing the lost fluids so as soon as fluid comes out (of either end), it needs to go right back in. Get a hold of some Gatorade or Pedialyte and that will help you to feel better.
 
I'm having some one drop some off. Thanks for all the info. I have never experienced something like this. I have been sick who hasn't but this was like some one just flipped a switch and every thing went to shit. Literally!! I think at some point last nite I was laying on the floor in the bath room yelling I'm dying of the eboli !!!
 
Notify the movie theatre. They will appreciate it and will do some serious cleaning.
 
Hard to tell the difference from food poisoning and the flu. Doctor is the only one who can tell you for sure. Food poisoning will not give out symptoms until 6 to 8 hours later in a most likely case. It is a "symptom" to say it's the last thing you ate. (unless of course other people are complaining of the same thing) like if you called the movie theatre. Some cases of food poisoning may not even show until 36 hours later. that means day n half after what you ate. from what you have said, I would say it very well could be food poisoning, but most likely a physical contaminant. like a chemical. a cleanser or other physical thing may have gotten on the food item. Best bet is to call places you ate and ask the question if anyone else has complained and call health department if they have had any complaints from same stores from the near past.

I've worked in the food industry long enough and last thing I've always wanted to hear is blame from someone who may not have the right finger pointed.

I would go back 36 hours. see what you have eaten. it may even be something you have done accidently. it has been done and probably happen again. it may be the chicken. the popcorn. the nachos.

there can be a very slim chance and I mean slim chance it could be something 4 months ago.
i'm no doctor however I am certified in food safety.
 
A story to be learned.
One case of poisoning led to a huge investigation because it killed a 7 year old boy. They investigated the grocery store, the packing plant, the workers of all places and their practices. they checked their logs, etc, etc.
They spent a lot of time and effort investigating. They closed the grocery store meat department and packing plant at one time for all of this.

Sad to say, the father had admitted after all this time he had put the cooked hamburgers on the same plate he had the raw product on. This plate had been not washed with blood still on it, for hours in the sun and warm temp.
 
Someone serving your food went to the bathroom and came back with the doodyfinger.lol
 
The timing tends to make me favor food poisoning. Long time ago my wife and I had oysters at a supposedly fine restaurant. Three hours later (within minutes of each other) we were both scrambling for the can. It was a good thing we have two bathrooms.
 
Dr won't tell you shit. At least the Doctors here in my area. I had a caesar salad at a high end restaurant fast fwd 3am and I was hugging the toilet for 6 hours straight vomiting. Finally gave up and headed to the ER. Doc said it was a virus and I say bullshit. Sounds to me like they just want to stay clear of any legal issues due to food poisoning. I was stuck on the same diet, crackers and juice. Hope you get well soon.
 
Hmm. seriously. virus? you both could have picked it up at the same time. She could have picked up the virus and transferred it to you. as the "legal issues" the only "legal issues" there are for the doctor is that he has a "legal issue" when NOT calling the authorities and saying there is an "outbreak" when there was two of you. I would presume he would want his job and pass on his information to the right authorities. People in the industry take food safety very seriously and so does the government with issues. Just not washing the tables down at a restaurant can shut you down until the health inspector sees that the staff has been through food safety class. The doctor, whether you believe him or not, has given his/her best judgement on the case in which you gave him/her. Otherwise, there may be a judgement on him or her on his license.
 
What made me think food poisoning was that both of us got sick at exactly the same time. What's the chance of that?

I'm just glad it was fast. In about 3 hours it will be 24 hours from the onset and I am feeling about 80% normal even 5 hours ago I could hardly get out of bed. I just hope my kids don't get it we have quarinteened our selves to our room. That may not be enough we will see.
 
I'm really not trying to be argue'mentive about all this, however most people, even myself being food safety certified, can not be sure of anything until there is a complete investigation or the "doctor's" word.

Another story to learn from.
I, myself went to the doctor with stomach issues.
it could have been food poisoning. It could have been the flu.
Well, after the doctor's visit, I found out he was going to give me a certain drug.
He had to make sure it was bacterial not a virus.
if it was a virus, the drug could kill me. It has happened before and it's deadly if was a virus.
it turned out to be bacterial. The drug cured the issue. very quickly, I might add.
Ok, it was bacterial. Food poisoning? very very most likely. Sounds and feels like food poisoning. food poisoning is bacterial.
Well, it turns out my issue was to do with my tolerences to bacteria in yogurt. I've always had "lactose intolerance" like symptoms but only with yogurt.
Well this time it went bizerk only after a little bit of yogurt. And my issues with my stomach was very very gross if you want to know. I had the runs for 2 weeks and no over the counter helped.
 
there are many ways two people getting sick at the same time. you could have touched "something" that you should not have and touched another person's food. it may not even be the food but your contact. it could have been vice versa. People's bodies are diffent in the time how fast the sickness hits. My guess it was a physical contamination. a chemical may put the onset of symptoms in a more likely case than bacterial.

a case issue:
someone putting what they thought was flour in the flour bin when it was a cleaning agent. that could put the onset on two people at the same time.

These are all examples. "food" poisoning is not so easy.

it could have been a chemical on the plates you ate off from, when the chemical wasn't properly cleaned.
the examples can go on and on.
 
My certification of food safety doesn't mean I know what the answers are exactly. it takes college and degrees to fully understand everything and where and when to look. I'm serious about this. Guessing is just guessing and pointing the finger.
 
There is no such thing as stomach flu. The flu is by definition a respiratory ailment. Most often what people call stomach flu is in fact gastroenteritis (a virus). Food poisoning (caused by a range bacteria and viruses) symptoms can show in the few hours you mentioned. I had it once and it is the sickest I have ever been. Unfortunately at this point you just have to ride it out. It took me three days to get past the worst of it. STAY HYDRATED or you will have some other very unwelcome lower intestine issues really soon. I do feel for you.
 
Dude, you got food poisoning...for future reference keep activated charcoals in your medicine cabinate and if this kind of thing occurs start taking it 2-3 times per day....you may have gotten poo and if so u will need to get on antibiotics...
 
After a discussion with my wife we also think it very well could have come from the gym the previous day. We both used the same machines at the same time. Or it could have been the food. We don't know. We did contact people at bothe places and just gave them a heads up. public places can be a nightmare.

I understand that every thing discussed here is strictly hypathetical without confermation from a medical professional.

If my kids end up sick we will see a Dr ASAP. As for my wife and I we will let it pass. I just woke up from a little nap and almost feel like I can go out side and take a jog. 24hours so strange.
 
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Yep, sounds like food poisoning to me, but without labs you can't know for sure. Just based on what you said though I'd lean towards the nachos. All it takes is for one 15yo kid to wipe his ass, get a little under the finger nail and not wash his hands well or even at all, and then go make your nachos.

Food poisoning generally happens within hours or even minutes after eating the bad food. You have to eat enough of the pathogen in order for the titer rate to exceed the pathogen's mortality rate. Meaning within 3 hours, they've multiplied faster than your body can handle it so it calls in the experts to round up the pathogens and get rid of them, which in turn makes you sick as you body tries to expel the pathogen (vomit, etc.) crank up the heat on the pathogen (fever) and you experience malaise due to the toll this takes on the body.
 
I read this two days ago and the virus was transmitted over http protocol to my very room. Now I'm just doing my best to not shit in the sink when I start to vomit.
 
From my experiences, it takes me almost exactly 12 hours. I got really bad sick back when they had the peanut butter salmonella. It was 3pm when I ate the peanut butter cracker snacks and it was 3 in the morning when it hit me the next day. I wouldn't wish that on any one, well, I would on terrorists. My wife got sick from a cream mocha from a coffee place. She had it at 11 am and she got really bad lower abdomen pain and violent sick at 11 pm. Some people have slower digestive systems but for most people I know, they have been able to pinpoint at about 12 hours. If your kids get sick, it is probably a norovirus but I doubt it. My 2 bouts of food sicknesses included severe lower abdomen pain and leg and arm severe cramping and barely able to stand. Stuff coming out both ends. It really is bad stuff and I feel bad for anyone that gets it. You should also report it to your state health dept. They will go do a spot check at the suspected establishment. It may sound mean but if you think about it, it keeps these food places on their toes to be cleaner. People can die from this.
 
Dr won't tell you shit. At least the Doctors here in my area. I had a caesar salad at a high end restaurant fast fwd 3am and I was hugging the toilet for 6 hours straight vomiting. Finally gave up and headed to the ER. Doc said it was a virus and I say bullshit. Sounds to me like they just want to stay clear of any legal issues due to food poisoning. I was stuck on the same diet, crackers and juice. Hope you get well soon.

This is exactly correct. When I went to the e.r., they said it was gastroenteritis. 'REALLY!!!'' I SAID. You took no poop samples! They just don't want to end up in court in a food poisoning case. Report it to the state. This kind of stuff could kill a child or senior if they ate the food.
 
ok let's take this scenario. the doctor says gastroenteritis because he doesn't want to go to court. Then you get sicker and make others sick and soon enough 5 people die. Then they find out YOUR doctor said It wasn't food poisoning because he didn't want to go to court. the next day he is arrested and ..well he's not in court, but jail. Then after jail he goes to court. there he spends a lot of time and then his hospital pays out the ying yang. then.. well screw it. you know very well the doctor is gonna cover his ass. He ain't gonna lie. doctors do best. cover their ass.
 
Think about it. The doctor, the hospital are both going to be sued. they would end up both bankrupt. huge scandal. think about it and then think about it again. just because you have gas he wouldn't say you had food poisoning. think about it. think about it.
 
we live in a country where a doctor does the right thing and things do happen. Even all steps are done right. and the doctor still gets sued and the hospital pays out.
 
What you experienced was normal dirty assed movie worker food poisoning. We typically call this the fecal-oral route, or their ass to your mouth. With all the signage, one would think they actually DO wash their hands after taking a piss or shit, but guess what, they don't. Unlike a restaurant, the food service in a movie theater is not subject to the typical Serv-Saf schooling and bi-annual exams.
for food, we eat before the movies. For snacks, there is Walgreens. The soda cups and lids are fairly safe compared to any of the hot dogs or food, so we may get a soda, but never any food