Ptomaine (food) poisoning

[hensylee]

anyone ever have this? I would like to hear how it affected you and how long it took you to get over it.

Daughter just spent 2 days in hospital because of food poisoning. All other illnesses were ruled out, but we knew that it was food poisoning because I had it many years ago when she was small and the symptoms and pain were the same. She is still ill, taking antibiotics, feels weak, is pale, but is coming back. (don't tell me it 'might' be the flu - it isn't. Florida isn't affected yet).

She ate at a restaurant Friday where she goes with co-workers every Friday as they have done for several years. Since then she found out from an electrician that their kitchen is filthy. Wonder how these places stay open. Don't these places get looked at by health departments.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Sorry to hear of your daughter's plight. NOT FUN!

Dehydration can be a problem, exasperated by vomiting and / or diarhea (sp?). This can cause an electrylyte imbalance which may lead to heart arrhythmias for 'some' patients (like many of US).

'AL'

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Restaurant Inspections

Restaurant Inspections

Restaurants in Alabama are required by law to post their latest Health Department rating in a publicly visible place.

One of our local TV stations does a regular 'restaurant report', citing both the High Scores and the Low Scores, with video. They have received several awards for this service!

Your daughter should report her case to the Health Department and maybe even suggest an inspection.

'AL'

 

[bvdr]

"Most" cases of food poisoning are self-limiting, present with severe abdominal cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea. Sometimes it is just referred to as acute gastroenteritis. It can be really hard to prove food poisoning and unless there is a real outbreak, the source of it is often not determined. Treatment is perhaps an antibiotic (like in your daughter's case) restriction of solid foods, until diarrhea abates, and replacement of fluids and electrolytes as needed. There are complicated cases that require much more but even for the simple cases it may takes days before someone stops feeling totally washed out.

Ann, I hope your daughter continues to improve and that her case was on the the uncomplicated ones.

 

[Nancy]

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter. How terrible. Some forms of food poisoning can be very severe, so I hope for a fast recovery for her.

In our local papers, they report on the Health Dept. visits to restaurants.

It's a real eye opener, to say the least. Some of the good ones, have had major infractions, and really, you never know who has been handling your food, or cooking it, and how it's been stored, or even if it was contaminated with other foods, cleaning supplies, rodents, etc. One restaurant I remember had left meat on the counter overnight and was starting to use it the next day when the surprise inspection happened!!

Joe worked at a restaurant when he was young, and he told me some of the stories, made my hair stand on end. Food falling on the floor, and put back on the plate, "high" kitchen workers, grills that weren't cleaned properly, leftover food that wasn't eaten put on someone else's plate. And this was a very good restaurant that he worked in. Granted, it was a long, long time ago, but I would bet that the same kinds of things still apply.

I'm sure we all wash our fresh vegetables, would anyone like to bet that a lot of restaurants don't? And do you suppose that your meat is always being cooked to the right temp??

Fortunately, we can't eat out much because of Joe's sodium restrictions. I do miss it, though, but still would be very careful about what I ordered, if and when we do go out to eat.

There seems to be an awful lot of food bourne illness in the news lately.

 

[Harrybaby666]

Just What People Need...Oh My Gosh...

Just What People Need...Oh My Gosh...

Hi Hensy,
I hope your daughter gets to feeling better real quick...I can't believe that a restaurant could go on for so long without being inspected by code enforcement officers...Here in NH, they are VERY thorough and make very regular visits to restaurants, convenience stores that make food and everywhere they serve food...It really would surprise me if someone didn't sue the restaurant for such negligent behavior...Harrybaby666