Often holiday tummy is because your gut bacteria changes from those you get at home to those that occur locally. So changing them with bio-yoghurts in advance is unlikely to be any real help.

Funnily enough when we were in Luxor we bought water from a roadside vendor when we were on a trip... the bottle wasnt sealed and it was out of date. This could well be a reason for you not being well...

I loved our first trip to Egypt so much, and our second [have been again since] and recommended it to a colleague at work, and his wife was extremely ill on last week and ended up in hospital for weeks once home... I felt so bad as I had recommened the holiday, but it was just extremely unfortunately that she picked up some unidentifyable bug whilst there.

Like anywhere, even at home here, if the food is not PIPING hot, and especially with AI's where stuff lies for ages in buffet, ask for it to be heated up properly... I did this on our one and only time that we were AI several times, and didnt have any problem.

But, as I have said before, get the local 'antidote' for upset tummys over there, antimol I think it was, certainly worked very quickly with everyone we knew. Even the hotel managers supply some! And again, diocalm wont look at this!

I just returned from 10 days in Egypt and had an opportunity to be royally ill with Pharoah's revenge. Fortunately the tour director went to the pharmacy in the Cairo airport and got both the Antinal nifuroxazide ( yellow pills..take 2 upon onset) and also Flagy 250 Metronidazole. (Take 1). Instructions were to take one of each after each meal thereafter. I had to take the tablets one day and was absolutely fine. Couldnt believe it!

If anyone is interested in an excellent tour company, I can't say enough good about Viking Travel. We were able to design our own itinerary plus add a hot air balloon ride in Luxor. The guides were wonderful and we would ask for them again.

Having never heard of these meds, the power of them surprised me. I am American and took Immodium with me. That didn't work at all. Why did I get sick? Perhaps brushing my teeth using the hotel water. That is all I can say. Otherwise I was very careful about everything else. In our group of 5 only one got sick. But, it is not a comfortable feeling at all.

Sounds like the antinal is the sutff to get and it certainly did the job for me and the wife last time.

Does anyone know if it possible to get hold of some before departure? from the internet perhaps?

Aside from that, I guess it's just a case of stocking up on the immodium etc although I may try to get my hands on some form of antispasmodic also just in case.

I shall try taking some form of probiotic before departure also and will see how I get on with that!

Forget Immodium, it doesnt work, it isnt an antibiotic.

Buscopan (for cramps, you can buy over the counter from a pharmacy in the UK.

Diaoralyte (for putting the salt back into your body through dehydration from the UK.

When you get into resort buy Antenal, it costs about £5LE, this is to kill bacteria in the body.

This is all you require.....Do not buy Streptoquinn, this they will try and sell you, but it is mainly banned in a lot of countries. If they offer it, refuse and ask for the above.

In the resort when you buy Antintal, they will give you Buscopan, refuse it, buy it from the UK before departure.

Can you take antenal as a preventative treatment, i.e.e to ward off symptoms or should you wait until you begin to suffer?
cheers

You can only take Antinal when you get the runs and cramps, avoid ice, milk thats not boiled, fruit thats not peeled, and freezing cold drinks. Avoid rice thats been stood for ages.

If you are A1 and eat outside or in, never take food from the top, go underneath it as flies settle on the top. The same applies about pastries, never eat from the top. Ask them to boil the milk for your coffee or tea.

right then.

I seem to remember there is a pharmacy at the resort 'centre' (lol) of Taba Heights (up by Pub Tandori etc). Can anyone confirm if they sell Antinal in here? If so, I shall try to pick some up and take them at the first sign of trouble. This will hopefully avoid the need for a costly doctor consultation like last year!

I'm on my probiotic at the moment. I remain sceptical as to how much they will help, but they certainly won't make things worse now will they!!?!?!?!

Planning to buy some antinal in Hurghada next week because although I have never been ill in Egypt (perhaps shouldn't tempt fate) I'm off to Tunisia couple of weeks later and I've often had problems there in the past. Does anyone know if antinal can be taken if you have already tried imodium or in conjunction with it. Thanks Caro.

just returned from 2 weeks in hilton waterfalls sharm el sheik. both hubby and i ate same meal in hotel restaurant he was ok and i had tummy upset he drank wine and me water!!! second week he was ill but i was ok, its just hit and miss i think lots of factors to take into account. we both had tablets via...... something they were yellow capsules and worked fine. ps it did not spoil our holiday. elaine b

Imodium is no good in Egypt but will work in other countries.

Another factor to consider whilst we are all being good and drinking a lot of water ........you need fizz in your body also for energy. If you can go to a proper running shop NOT JJB, you can buy the proper energy drinks that people like paula Radcliffe uses, it has electrodes in it to keep you properly hydrated. Failing this, when on the beach drink water and fizzy alternately or together, it will keep your energy levels up, and the Diaoralitye will keep salt levels up that the sun strips out of the body.

My fiance and I got ill last year when we were in Hurghada - our rep Jayne went to the pharmacy for us and got Drotazide, which was marvellous - we used it when we got home for later bouts of tummy ache too! It lists ingredients as Drotaverine 40mg + Nifuroxazide 200mg, and is in a yellow and white box of 12.

Derwentrocker - I think (I hope!!) you mean electrolytes, not electrodes!!!!!!

Choirgirl you are correct I have no idea why i typed that, or what i was thinking at the time

Hi all,

Going to Coral Sea Resort on 27th September and can't wait. The only thing I'm getting really worried about is getting a dodgy tummy, not just me but the kids as well.

As soon as I get there I'm going to get some antinal from the pharmacy but was wondering if this is okay for the children, mainly the youngest who is 6. If not, what do they give youngsters for sickness. Would hate for her to be sickon holiday and not enjoy what time she is there.

I am a self confessed mega worrier and hope I'm worrying about nothing.

Thanks,
Emma

Hi Stemma

if you get cramps, diarrhoea and sickness you are dehydrated and not drinking enough.

As far as i am aware antinal can be used for children, the pharmacy will advise.

As well as antinal, you will require strepoquinn as well, one is for the diahoera, the other antiseptic for the gut.

Neither of those work for me now, so i go straight to the Doctors on site and get the injection, it goes straight away normally.

To buy the above it will cost you £6 roughly for the two.

To buy from the Doctors is 50p..

tutn the air conditioning off when you are in the room, and drink as well as water plenty of sprite, the GP told me this, avoid minty tea although the locals swear by this, the mint makes you loose.

derwentrocker,

Looking back on previous posts, I read a link saying that streptoquinn is not legal and doesn't actually benefit you in any way. What's your opinion on it? Do you think it works?

Thanks,
Emma

Hi Stemma

Obviously it didnt work for me and i was also one of the members that said that sprepoquinn is banned in other countries, i asked for it because the divers swear by it, and yes it worked for my husband. it didnt work for me, but i do have IBS so i always have problems in that area. But the injection didnt hurt and it went, which was good in my case. But to be truthful i will always go to the doctors as they will advise and give stronger medication than the chemist. Plus it is cheaper as the Doctors sell it for 50p not £6 !!! even after haggling.

You can take buscopan bought over the counter at boots for cramps, this works, in place of antinal.

What was the injection? Just so I know what to ask for if I should need it.

emma