Thanks to all for the great advice. I'm feeling better about this now. Where can you get these tablets? Thanks again! Michelle
Any drugstore, any grocery store. You'll find them in the same aisle where they've got vitamins and other supplements. Definitely get chewable (vs non-chewable) so you can just pop one every now and again (we always take ours after eating), and preferably get the ones that don't need refrigeration - although since you're leaving so soon, I don't think that will make much difference for this short time.
And if you decide to risk the street tacos, just make sure they don't sprinkle Cilantro on them - if it hasn't been disinfected, it's likely to be swarming with amoebas - the ones that really make you stay within shitting distance of a toilet for a few days.
Thanks for all the advice. Unfortunately I got sick the day before we left Cancun. I was the only one in our group that did. I felt sick to my stomach, I had a fever, and I had the dreaded diarhea. I was sick for 2 days. I think it was the ice in my drink. I let my guard down and I paid. Oh well...
Were you doing all of the prventative stuff and got sick anyway (bottled water, acidopholous, no cilantro on street vendor food, etc) and where did you have the ice?
It was a bar called Tequila. Down near the market and all the other bars. I think it was near Friday's.
Depends on Where in Mexico Quality of water supply and hygiene vary dramatically throughout Mexico. If you visit Acapulco, be very cautious. If you visit Cancun, don't worry about it. I've never met a tourist in Cancun that had "tourista." (I’ve never been to Acapulco when I didn’t.) When you get it, you're sure you have it -- bedridden for three days, constant sweating and diarrhea, possible vomiting -- and you will require a doctor because of the real threat of dying from dehydration. The reason that many on this board call a mild stomach disturbance "tourista" is because they don’t know what the real thing is. That’s because it’s almost non-existent in Cancun. Rather, I would expect a tourist to get food poisoning in Cancun, from poor storage or handling of food -- but with no greater frequency than in the U.S or Canada. Diarrhea, in itself, means nothing. As you can see with the attached link, which says “most Americans can expect to have diarrhea about four times every year” (in the U.S.). http://www.revolutionhealth.com/conditions/digestive/diarrhea/?msc=A08339 Eat, drink and be merry in Cancun -- and don't worry.
Re: Depends on Where in Mexico I will but not without Bactrim... I have been to Cancun 8 times and Acapulco once, 5 of the 8 to Cancun and the one trip to Acapulco I took Bactrim and was fine. The other 3 times was as you said "bedridden for three days, constant sweating and diarrhea, possible vomiting -- and you will require a doctor because of the real threat of dying from dehydration." with a lot of vomiting. I have been taking the probiotics and Activa yogurt everyday for at least a month, I really wanted to go natural but in the end I'm too chicken so I'm on the Bactrim as of tomorrow.
Been to Cancun many times and I have eaten every where!! Sometimes I was too drunk to pay attention to detail and I still came out fine. The one and only time I got SICK was when we went to Pepe's Tigres. I knew that place was bad but my mom's co-worker told her to go there so we wanted to get a picture and we each got a Margarita and we were soooo sick afterwards. I had to get an 80 dollar shot in my BEhind. :shock: I was soooooo sick - I thought that death was around the corner. The shot helped and I was able to get on the plane. Bottom line is... I knew the place was bad and we would have never eaten there but we thought a drink would be ok. Well, it wasn't and we paid the price. You will be fine. I am a salad eater too and have never had a problem. Have fun. EB
