How To Deal With Mao’s Revenge

Ginger Is Your Friend

If Mao could see the consumer culture that has swept his land, I’m sure he would have flipped over in his grave a few hundred times (and had he actually been buried.) Instead, he lies cold and waxy in a huge mausoleum in Tiananmen Square. I’ve seen him. It was not pleasant at all. Despite Mao’s best efforts, his country has taken the “Capitalist Road” (a reference to Chinese phrase for those comrades back in the day who did not follow the revolutionary way, i.e., they were Capitalist Roaders. See John Pomfret’s Chinese Lessons.) and I think Mao is taking his revenge… on expat stomachs. Surely you’ve heard of Montezuma’s Revenge? Let’s not be too euphemistic here. What I’m talking about is gastroenteritis… stomach upset… Delhi Belly… you know, fun stuff like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and abdominal pain.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I was waylaid this weekend by some kind of nasty stomach ailment. It could have been from bad food. It could have been a passing stomach virus. It could have been something I touched. Who the heck knows? The DH ate exactly the same foods as I and he didn’t get sick at all. (That man has a vulture’s stomach. He could eat carrion washed down with lumpy milk and be fine. Sorry for that mental image.) After three years in Linyi, my stomach has pretty much acclimated to the food and wild germs native here, so I don’t get sick all that much. For that reason, this little spell was all the worst. I won’t go into details, but suffice it to say I was uncomfortable and “sick” in all of its connotations.

Bouts of food poisoning and stomach ailments can occur anywhere in the world, but what to do when they happen far from your home and comfort zone? Here’s what I do. (These are my recommendations based on common sense and experience. You should do what’s best for you and use your own common sense!)

1. Stay home. Obvious, right? Home is where your throne is. I thought I might go to work on Monday, since I was feeling more or less okay. Then I thought about the toilets at work – squatters all. Umm. No. I’ll just stay at home in case of emergency. You need the rest anyway, so just keep your jammies on and catch up on old Lost episodes on Youku. And you’ll keep whatever you have to yourself, in case it is contagious.
2. Stay hydrated. The big risk with diarrhea and vomiting is getting dehydrated. Unless you enjoy IV infusions in crowded Chinese clinics or emergency rooms, be sure to get some fluid on board. This is just the situation those sports drinks were invented for. (And there are several varieties available in China.) Take small sips, not gulps. I like lemon water. While I love to drink hot tea, caffeine should be avoided right now.
3. Try ginger. The Chinese have been using ginger for stomach ailments for thousands of years. Instead of lemon water, try ginger tea. Just cut a few slices of fresh ginger and steep it in boiling water for a few minutes. If you need a little sugar, try a hot ginger cola. Steep the ginger in boiled cola. Delicious, even when not ill. (Canada Dry Ginger Ale does not count!)
4. Take Pepto-Bismol, not Immodium. What? You didn’t bring back a bottle of Pepto-Bismol (or generic equivalent) from the US/Canada? (And, yes, I am addressing Americans/Canadians here. I haven’t seen Pepto-Bismol outside of the US/Canada, but I would love to know if it is available. Generic name: Bismuth Subsalicylate.) Pepto is pink gold. Magical pink gold, since I don’t really know how this stuff works. It coats, that’s all I know, and that is a good thing. At the first sign of discomfort, pop or chew a few pink pills. Try to avoid taking Immodium (loperamide, which is generally available in most places in the world I’ve been,) unless you absolutely must, like if you’re traveling. Sometimes you need to get the bad stuff out of your system and all Immodium does is shut the system down. I can’t really comment on Chinese Medicine, because I’ve never tried it for stomach ailments. A few friends who have tried it said the medication they were given wasn’t really effective for them personally, but if you’re up for it, visit a Chinese pharmacy and see what they can give you for stomach upset.
5. Follow a bland diet if you feel up to eating. Feeling better? You’re going to need some sustenance, but don’t go out for that spicy hot pot meal just yet. Take it easy on your stomach. Try rice, toast, crackers, potatoes. (The so-called BRAT diet – bananas, rice, apples, toast) Avoid fatty foods.
6. See a doctor if your symptoms don’t subside after 2 days. Most cases of “revenge” get better with supportive care and time. But if nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, etc. do not improve within a day or so, you might need to see a doctor. You could have a bacterial infection, which requires antibiotics, or you might need more intensive supportive care, such as IV infusions. Of course, if you have a high fever or blood in your stool, get thee to a doctor as soon as you are able. I’ll do anything to avoid a doctor (Can you tell I’m a registered nurse? haha), though, so use your best judgment and intuition. (And if you have a sick child I’d go to the doctor pretty much straightaway.)
7. And just FYI, if living in China, make sure you’ve had your Hep A/Hep B vaccine and boosters!

I’m feeling much, much better today. Thanks for the notes of concern!

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Tagged as: China, Expat Life, Health, sick