Giardia? - Appalachian Trail

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#1

Hey, I’m hiking the AT now and have diarrhea. A couple weeks ago I arrived at Miss Janets and was healthy, I stayed for a few days, on the 4th night I got sick, had a fever, nasuea, headache, was feeling better by the morning but still had a small fever the next day. The day after that I was fine. A few days later I had a little diarrhea, then a couple days after that (now) I have worse diarrhea. I just got off the trail and checked into a hostel in Hampton even though I was very tempted to keep going to Damascus anyway.

I don’t think it was a problem with water I drank, there were a couple of times I went to the bathroom and could have washed my hands more thoroughly than I did plus I don’t have soap on the trail (I will in the future). Do I have giardia, is this just the chinese food I ate when at kincora, what should I do?

Incidentally, on a related subject, what foods are easier to digest? I remember someone gave me some boiled eggs for the trail and someone said that if I ate that, I’d have “the *****”… I hate squatting on the trail, and I hate messy shit. What sort of foods should I be eating or not eating?

I’m at an internet cafe now, it’s 10 AM, I appreciate all responses very much, I’ll come back here and check this thread again this evening.

danny

danny

#2

Go to a doctor! I must have contracted this on my first backpacking trip. Took quite awhile for it to pass (I did not see a doctor right away). Stool was horrible and the gas was worse!

No soap on the trail??? What were you thinking? There are biodegradable soaps available. Get a doctors opinion and good luck the rest of your hike.

Keith

#3

Get a little bottle of the alcohol-based handcleaners that are available, and wash your hands with it every time you take a dump. It’s better than soap because it kills on contact. Be sure and get your thumbs, too, most people miss them.

bitpusher

#4

Get a doc to take a look at it. My wife got something when we were hiking. We took too long to have it looked at, and she started losing weight like crazy! Made her pretty weak.

Even after some Meds she didn’t get 100% better. Not sure why. Had tons of test after we got off the trail, but nothing showed up. She had intestine issues for almost a year.

Stomach cramping, gas, frequency urges and mucus. It’s not worth waiting, just get it looked at. You don’t want it to become something else.

As for foods that you should or shouldn’t be eating : I know a lot of people talk about certain foods giving them problems. Personally I think it’s eating TOO MUCH food that does it. And not washing your hands, and others not washing their hands.

Eat small amounts more often rather than huge meals even in town (I know it is hard to do!). Also stay away from dairy unless you know you don’t have a problem with it.

Gravity Man

Gravity Man

#5

This is from Jeff Marion, USGS researcher: When treating diarrhea in the field, stick with liquids until the problem subsides, then eat bland foods such as bread, crackers, cereal, rice, potatoes, lentils, pasta, or bananas. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, spices, fruits, hard cheeses, and other fat laden products.

Hope this helps

Tha Wookie

#6

I agree with the bland, carbo-food advice.
BRAT is one anacronym (Banannas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast) to rememeber.

If it is giardia, a simple $10 scrip for Flagyl will rid you of the protozoa. They do some intestinal damage sometimes, inflaming things, so getting rid of it early in the course of things is to your benefit, considering your thruhike. Some folks also let it run its course (about 3 weeks or so) and reemerge with no problems. Do you want to chance it with a long, hard journey before you?

Also, eating greasy foods, as one does in town, does affect the digestion in the manner you so colorfully described, the first day or two out. But fever would not be a factor. Myself, I’d let a trail doc sort it out. It takes a lot of energy to hike the AT, and you’ll need every digestible calorie.

Good luck, and consider posting a follow-up.

Jan LiteShoe

#7

I always got the skitters when I left town. The trail food I ate was always so bland after a day in the woods I was back to normal. You can tell if its something else especially giardia because you will feel like crap in addition to the lower intestinal problems. Fever, chills and weakness are just some of the signs. If you go to a doctor they will put you on Flagl before the tests come back just in case. If caught early you should feel better in about a week.

Big B

#8

Whatever you do, don’t drink Coors beer. Jokes aside, cheese, bread, bananas seem to work for me. Many, many bananas. Have a great hike.:cheers

Snowdog

#9

Giardia is a protoza commensal to beavers. Transmited to humans through water or fecal contamination. Follow Jan Litesoe advice and get some flagyl. Good luck Addy

Adelard Addy

#10

Incubation period for Giardiasis is about 7-10 days, so count back from the time you first had symptoms. For more info see this link:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/giardiasis/factsht_giardia.htm

RockyTrail

#11

I came down with giardia symptoms two weeks after finishing my hike. I think I got contracted it in the 100 mile wilderness from drinking water from lakes and/or not washing my hands properly. Get it checked out ASAP. Good luck on the rest of your hike, and I feel your pain.

Bankrobber

#12

I don’t know about giardia but from reading journals seems people often complain with this type problem after leaving Erwin. Anyone else notice this?

New Moon

#13

hey, do i need a prescription for that flaygl stuff? i think i’ll hike to damascus and get it checked there if i still have a problem. and are you people saying cheese and bannanas saying i SHOULD have it, or SHOULD NOT have it?

have to go, i’ll check in again at damascus, thanks for replies. (i got kopetec at the pharmacy for now)

danny

danny

#14

Everyone on the trail should be drinking a gallon at least a day. Or all this stuff you say will happen also in a few days. Ask you doctor first if you should drink 2 gallons a day hiking 20 miles a day. Napoleon said “Water the Troops”. :slight_smile:

Greg

#15

If you have Giardia or a bacterial overgrowth in your GI tract you should get a script for Metronidazole. You’ll probably need about 1500 mg twice daily for about 7 - 10 days. Start out eating bland foods. Drink water, broths, and jello for a day and then switch slowly over to stuff like boiled chicken and rice (just drain all the fat and keep away from fatty foods). After about 3 days of bland diet you should be able to slowly switch back…you probably should be drinking about 2 gallons of water a day (in food and drink) when you are hiking.

Hopefully, after this episode you’ll be less prone to infection after the fact. I chose good water sources and never treated on my thru hike last year and luckily didn’t get sick.

Mike Sanwald

#16

One tablesspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt, one liter CLEAn H20. Mix well and this will help you fight fatigue by rehydrating your cells. I use it when feeling weak after a long hike or late night.

OHIOAN

#17

A old remedy for the trotts is to take a green bananna(preferably a plantain if you can find one)peel it then burn the outside black.If you can choke this treat down the carbon will clense you GI and the bananna should slow down the water works.I have done this before in Jamaica.I could only eat half but it definately worked for me.

newb

#18

I had the same symptoms in PA last year (fever, vomiting, shitting, sleepyness, etc. I stuck it out through six long “ass blasting” days. About a week and a half later I was feeling close to normal again. It may run its course. Good luck.

Feral

#19

Beaver fever is not good news(at least the kind you are experiencing) I have known folks to contract Giardia at hostels from the hiker boxes or bathroom facilities. A friend got it in an opened jar of peanutbutter he dipped his fingers in for a sample. Cipro helps alot, but once itstarts to grow in your intestinal fauna, it is hard to treat. Cocoanut helps stop the runs, even the small quantity that is in a cocanut cookie will help. It is a tricky devil and umpredictable in its effects(gas,diahrea,bloating cramps or intermissions between all of these GI dysfunctional orchestras) Over time, a tolernace dev to Giardia and excess gas exper. by many hikers is a testament to its introduction. I watch where I get my water, and just last year started filtering it after 20 years. Personally, I think that the transmission is often directly/indirectly between hikers and its prevalence has increased over the years along with the popularity of long distance hiking trails. See a doctor with access to a good lab so it can be specifically identified,stay away from alcohol and rehydrate with electrolyte containing bev. Godsped in your recovery. Peace, 2 Spirits

2 spirits

#20

Thanks for the replies again… I don’t think I’m going to get it treated (I’m lazy), and I don’t think I’m going to change my diet (I’m stupid).

What does water have to do with how my shit comes out? BTW, I’m not drinking enough water, like 3 liters a day I’m going to drink more. Also, I might be getting off the trail, see my other thread for that…

danny

danny