Hi katiesmum
You can take more re-hydration,(Dyoralyte sachets) if you want to. The doctors give you them anyway.

I would also recommend anyone upgrading their insurance to excess waiver waved. That means that if you visit the doctor in resort you will get all your money back and wont have to pay the first £30 or so, as long as you have all the documents. I wouldn't go to the chemist either, just visit the doctor, he will get you the correct items you need to get you better, and all your monies back.

I got a cheque this money from our insurers for £130, so well pleased.

Thanks, we`ve got a nil excess on the insurance, hopefully won`t need the insurance.

Hi all
We have just returned from a Nile Cruise and both my son and I suffered from Pharoh's curse and we were told to take Antinal tablets which are only available from pharmacies in Egypt. Within 24 hours we were both much better and were able to resume with some form of normality. My wife also took the tablets even though she was feeling ok just as a precaution, she was ok throughout the whole holiday so it might be wise to buy some of these anyway.

Drink lots of water and stay out of the sun. Still, get prepared for tummy upsets - they *will* happen! It's not the food, it's just your body going into shock (change of climate) - ride it and take some of the local medication, Antinol, it kills bacteria rather than just bunging you up.

Why bother with the expensive chemist? The above advice is the best, get nil excess on your travel insurance, and go and see the hotel doctor. Claim all medication back when your home.
The chemist's are not cheap over there for simple things in life. EG.£4 for box 10 lady products!!

They do rip you off at the chemist i must admit. After the first year of going we spend £50 sterling on stuff and it never worked very well. Excess on your insurance is possible around a tenner, so well worth it. I got all mine back a week or so ago. Our insurance company always pay out. GPs in resort are very highly trained and know instantly what is wrong, so instead of getting pills from the chemist and thinking will they work> the doctor will have it cleared up within hours.I use them all the time.

Some people might not be able to afford to pay out in the first instance to see the doctor though.

Well an easy answer to that is, the chemist always charges more, so they will need cash to spend in the shop. tablets from the doctors are 50p, as opposed to being charged £5.00 from the chemist. You dont have to have a doctor exam you.....just go in and ask for tablets that members have recommended on HT. If the symptoms persist, then you will have no option but to get examined, plus you will be getting the correct medication. You can pay by cash/credit/debit card, and get all the money back before your statement arrives

Michelle x

Oh right, thought you had to see a doctor and obviously then have the standing charge to see him.
So if you just go and ask for the antinal, they should just sell some without a consultation.

Emma

I would love to know what chemists people are going to. We were told by our rep what local tablets were the best which is the Antinal tablets and went to a local chemist in Luxor and it cost us 1 egyptian pound thats about 10p!!!

just got back last night. have been to egypt 3 times now and the first 2 had the tummy troubles, this year has been the opposite ..a few pains but bunged up, it took 4 days before i went to the loo ..i did take Multibionta tablets for about 2/3 weeks before we went so dunno if it was that..i`m just glad i didn`t have the skits and the cramps (cramps are the worst it`s like being in labour all over again)did take a bottle of Pepto Bismol for when i felt sick and it done the job.

sharon

we paid 14 egyptian pounds for 1 box of sachets and one box of antinal at the chemist up in the shopping centre just after macdonalds in sharm. The reps told us to go there rather than the one just outside the Holiday Village as it was one of the cheapest in sharm.

Here is some information i got from my doctors in the resort of sharm.

Cramps.................

Are caused by lack of salt in the body from sweating. His advice is take from home some Dyoralyte sachets, mix it with water. This is a salt mixture which will prevent cramps.

DO NOT keep AC on all night, it is reconditioned air, this air isnt fresh so therefore you are breathing in everyone elses germs by having it on. Also going from an AC room to the hot sunshine is the same reaction as coming out of a freezer and going in the heat. Heat reacts against the cold and causes cramps.

Water..............

Although the doctor insists you drink water, don't over do it, he said drink sprite always as this acts as a gut protecter as it has lemon in it.

Keep alcohol to a minimum as cold beer gives you the runs.
Salads keep off, this turns to water in the gut, as does melon.

If you are loose, eat plenty of dry cakes and chicken without skin and bread.

Of course the problems in hot countries are generally between the middle of April to the end of October. AC is the main problem, keep it to a minimum.

Hope this helps

Michelle x

Im so worried about getting a bad stomach in Egypt, I read about the water but how will i know if they wash the salad in tap water and the same with ice cubes.

Is there anything i can get prescribed for my 10yr old son as he catches a cold as soon as someone sneezes.

Not many Doctors will prescribe for a child in advance. I would take some Immodium Instants, and you can buy re hydration sachets in Boots, in case any of you do get tummy upsets. Ice is always clear if made with bottled water. If its cloudy don't have it. As for salads its a job to tell, unless you wash it yourself.

If you have a gut infection that needs antibiotics Immodium doesnt work, if however it isnt a gut infection then it will.

Off to hurghada in february.

Im going to take immodium instant with us, hopefully they will help if any of us get it * touch wood *

Whilst we are there, no salads, no cleaning teeth with tap water, etc etc, iare these the precautions we need?

I ate salads,cleaned my teeth with tap water and was fine both times I went.Use anti bacterial hand wash after you have touched the money etc.I even used it after opening doors as I saw people using the toilets and not washing their hands!
I took Acidophilus from Holland and Barrett,the last time I went,and I also drank,Sprite,tea and coffee during the day and had no ice in my drinks mainly because having very cold drinks can upset your stomach.
A change of diet can make you go to the loo more often and unless you are certain you have a bacterial infection dont buy the local antibiotics as this can make the problem worse.

Acidiphilus for the two weeks before you fly out and then every day during your stay....and most importantly, keep taking it for at least a week when you get back.

Also try to avoid the bottled water they put in hotel room fridges and stick to better and more well known brands like Evian etc.

The fizzy drinks (Sprite, Fanta etc.) are syrup based and use tap water to dilute them so beware!

Avoid salads and Ice in drinks, and take some Immodium Plus for emergencies as it is four times more expensive in a chemist in Sharm.