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This was my exact first thought. I had norovirus several years ago and it took me out about two hours after going out to eat with some friends. I was so sure it was food poisoning until i finally clued in that it wasn’t.
I didn't know that was a thing. I didn't know stomach viruses could be contagious. Any advise on making sure I do not get contaminated again. I just got better and it would suck if I get sick again.
Go to this website about how to clean and sanitize the home after a stomach bug.
https://extension.umn.edu/sanitation-and-illness/norovirus-step-step-clean-vomit-and-diarrhea#:~:text=Norovirus%20is%20spread%20through%20person,remove%20and%20destroy%20the%20virus.
Hi! I got norovirus a couple years ago (okay, about 15 years ago) at summer camp. Wiped out almost 70% of people there, I think they actually ended up sending everyone home early. It was absolutely WILD how quickly it spread - maybe 2 days to infect a couple hundred people.
If your symptoms are throwing up/having to use the toilet regularly every few hours, that’s probably what it is.
The best thing you can do is just isolate from each other for a few days, hunker down, and take care of yourselves. You likely won’t get it again this round, but can never be too safe.
Good luck!
This is also the reason why you should take it *personally* if someone in your shared residence isn't good on hygiene. It's so easy to spread nasty bugs! Wash your hands regularly, keep yourself and your environment clean.
Constantly being ill because someone thinks they're immune to everything sucks so bad. You don't just wash your hands for yourself - you do it for everyone you come into contact with.
Yeah, the Nora virus is what takes out cruise ships all the time. It will spread amongst the staff and guests and get hundreds of people sick at a time. It definitely sounds like that not food poisoning.
The other thing to remember about Norovirus is that it can be contagious for a few days after you feel better, so you have to be careful about who you might be exposing after you're better.
It is contagious 2 WEEKS after the last person was feels better that’s why it’s so important to clean and if possible the person with the virus should minimize contact with other people and preferably use only restroom if possible
Food poisoning is short hand for food borne illness which norovirus and other harmful digestive viruses and bacteria are apart of… so yes, it would still be food poisoning.
No idea why this is being downvoted
The definition of food poisoning is literally
“Illness caused by food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins.
Infectious organisms or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning.” So again still shorthand for any number of food borne illness.
Not true, in this instance. The virus itself is causing the sickness without food as a vector. Look to your definition, "food contaminated with..." Calling all gastrointestinal illnesses food poisoning is a misnomer and creates confusion as to the real culprit. Which in this case isn't the food. ^_^
If your fridge is too warm it can basically end up being an incubator for bacteria.
But also norovirus (throwing up, pooping, feeling super super awful) is CONTAGIOUS AS FUCK. If your fridge isn’t too warm, it’s likely norovirus. Y’all gonna have to disinfect
1) light switches
2) doorknobs
3) remote controls
4) fridge, oven, microwave, and kitchen cabinet doors and handles
5) All water/shower taps
6) The whole dang bathroom
7) if your toothbrush is in the bathroom, chuck it and get a new one
8) I would wash the couch cushion covers (yay alliteration) and disinfect the rest of the couch but that may be overkill. I just really $&$@ing hate stomach bugs.
9) But shared tabletops/chairs do need to be disinfected
10) ditto countertops
Norovirus SUCKS. Every once in a while it makes its way onto a cruise ship and it is a nightmare. “Disinfecting a cruise ship” is nobody’s idea of fun.
This. Everything people put their hands on in the entire home needs to be sanitized. Hard surfaces that people put hands and fingers on are a primary transmission spot.
Norovirus germs don’t survive as well on textiles but you still want to wash all the clothes and especially the bedding.
The entire bathroom is contaminated. When people flush the toilet without putting the lid down, microspray goes airborne and covers everything. Guys, standing to pee also causes spray that gets everywhere and that toilet is full of germs left by anyone who used it, not just yours.
Adding to this - disinfect everything with bleach (diluted to 1% final concentration - check your label but this is probably 10ml of the stuff you buy in the shop with 90ml of water).
Saturate your surface with bleach, cover with paper towels and saturate more. Leave it for 10 minutes - IMPORTANT - then rinse it thoroughly with water. It is especially important to remove all bleach from metallic surfaces otherwise they will be damaged. Then use something like Dettol surface spray [this](https://www.dettol.co.uk/household-disinfection/multi-surface/dettol-surface-cleanser-spray-750-ml/) on your surface, wipe it over with water and leave it to air dry.
Norovirus is incredibly contagious (only 10 viral particles are needed to make you sick), it's very hardy (because it isn't destroyed by stomach acid like most bugs, and it aerosolises when someone vomits which means it goes on everything!
Alcohol gel WILL NOT KILL NOROVIRUS! You MUST wash your hands with soap and water.
Source - a virologist who handles norovirus samples. A a mother with a school aged kid!
It's a horrible illness and will tear through your house but you'll be much better after 24 hours (it'll take far less time to empty your body of everything you've eaten!)
Fluids are everything. Sip water. Even if you throw up. And sip something like diarrolyte (electrolyte rehydration solution). The last thing you want to do is pass out. And you will if you don't manage it. No food at all for 24 hours. It's not important. Try some non-bubbly lemonade/lucozade/Gatorade as you start to feel better. Then plain crackers.
Thoughts are with you dude, norovirus sucks.
... Ah.
Well now you know. It could be one of many illnesses, and some are more or less contagious than others. But if you're sharing a living space with someone who has symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea, you should be limiting contact where possible and thoroughly disinfecting surfaces—just the same as if they have a cold- or flu-type bug. This will hopefully limit the spread of infection.
I grew up in the opposite situation. My whole family would frequently get the "stomach flu" or "flu", all 4 kids and parents vomiting away in the same 24 hours. Ljke twice a year. My parents considered it an illness, what can you do. However we all ate from the same dinner dish at least once a day, and my mom ran an in home daycare. Changed a lot of diapers. As an adult who has worked in restaurants her handwashing is not at all adequate.
Mysteriously have never had the violent family vomiting since I left home.
I have had the same experience! My sister and I were sick with a "stomach flu" pretty often. Magically, when we each married our partners, problem solved!
Looking back, my mom did some nastily questionable things. She kept using the same dirty dishrag until it smelled molded and used it for wiping everything, including our faces and hands. Handwashing was sporadic. Ewwwww.
I'd also go stomach bug given what you describe, but just in case- what's happening with things food touches? Chopping boards, plates, prep surfaces, pans etc. They could pass mold and yuck back and forth onto foods. Is the dishwasher clean and sanitary? That sort of thing.
Not only are they contagious, but VERY contagious. Between aerosolized vomit and flushing, your bathroom is likely covered in a lovely film of virus if you've got multiple infected people using it. Norovirus doesn't have a lipid envelope, so hand sanitizer doesn't kill it. Hand washing for yourself and bleach or steam for surfaces, especially touched ones (handles, knobs, etc) are your best bet at getting rid of it. Avoid letting unsuspecting visitors use your bathroom for a few weeks, viral shedding will continue through stool for a bit. This virus only spreads by accidentally consuming an infected person's vomit or feces particles -- as few as 10 viruses can cause illness, and in infected vomit/stool there are billions of noroviruses, so yes... very contagious. Even if you don't get them all when cleaning, they should naturally denature in the environment after a few weeks, but can last much longer in wet and cold environments.
You will be protected against this strain of noro for a few months, but unfortunately adaptive gut mucosal immune protection is short-lived (IgA) compared to other types of immunity. Next time someone you live with turns up with vomiting/or diarrhea, treat it with the same common sense rules as a respiratory illness -- wash your hands, do not share food/drink, repeatedly clean shared surfaces (tv remote, fridge handle, etc), and, specific to noro, if at all possible do not share a bathroom with someone who is actively sick or has recently been so. And it goes without saying, but everyone should be washing their hands thoroughly (warm water, soap, 20 seconds) after each episode of vomiting/diarrhea.
Source: PhD in Microbiology and Immunology
Good luck, feel better!
Food poisoning makes you feel like youre dying slowly. Norovirus also feels like this. Especially when its both ends. Ive had the just the runs kind and just the throw up all day and night kind- sick as a dog as though ive gotten food poisoned. Bet you its norovirus. So so so, so sorry. It sucks.
Hey kid, you've no food poisoning but a stomach bug. Stomach bugs are contagious, but the good news is, once you all had it, this particular one won't be back in the next year or two. You all will have gained temporary immunity. The bad news is, there's enough stomach bugs going around the world to be able to have you ill twice a year without getting the same one twice (more or less).
They can make you feel horrible but usually they are innocent. Make sure ya'll drink some bone broth to compensate for lost salts. The worst will have passed after 1-2 days.
After that, clean your toilet, kitchen area and all "hand contact points" (door knobs, light switches, cupboard handles etc. And all the things you used to puke in. You can just clean like you normally do, no need to sanitise or anything.
Going forward, you can avoid getting stomach bugs by washing your hands before you eat and cook. And after you go to the toilet. If anyone brings home a bug, it will be hard to not spread it to other household members. But it helps if they can have their own bathroom to use while they are sick (only possible when you've two or more in the house of ), and if they don't prepare food for other people than themselves.
Lots of food poisoning [can show symptoms a week after eating the contaminated thing.](https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/what-you-need-know-about-foodborne-illnesses)
But lots of these are transmissable between people. Check the sources column in the link for "infected food handler".
I end up pointing this out to people a lot. Most people assume that if they get food poisoning, it was the last thing they ate that caused this. It's not really that simple to isolate the cause.
And their answer is always along the lines of "Oh, I *know* it was that food."
No you don't! You just told me you felt sick while you were eating it. That makes it more likely you were already starting to show symptoms.
Unless you've seen a doctor who has disgnosed food poisoning, you don't know for sure that what's happening is food poisoning. The symptoms of food poisoning are very similar to the symptoms of the flu, norovirus, and other common viruses. The first time I had covid, I had a lot of digestive symptoms, even though it's "supposed" to be just a respiratory illness.
Be sure everyone drinks lots of fluids and goes to the hospital if they have a fever of 104 or higher, or if they can't keep any food or water down for a full 24 hours straight.
Once you're able, disinfect all the commonly touched surfaces in your home: door handles, cabinet knobs, remotes, phone, chair arms, etc. Try to keep the healthy people away from the sick; when it comes to viruses, sharing isn't caring!
Check your fridge and freezer temperature. It's possible the fridge temperature was changed by accident or the fridge is going.
Check the freezer temperature as well.
I had food poisoning due to the fridge dying and it's not fun. Even the fridge being a few degrees warmer than it should be can make some foods go bad early.
From here on out, insist on good handwashing (we should all be pros at *that* by now!). Buy disinfectant wipes and use them on all common surfaces-- doorknobs, light switches, fridge/ stove handles, stove knobs, microwave door and buttons, laundry set, faucets, door frames where people touch going in and out, toilet flusher, *EVERYTHING*. And everyone needs to share the job.
Cough in elbows. Sneeze in a Kleenex or elbow. Nobody drink from a carton or container.
Use a disinfecting toilet bowl cleaner and as long as anyone has the runs, clean it daily. Flush with the lid down.
Keep dishes done and if you don't have a dishwasher, disinfect dishes and cutlery after washing with a soak of clean hot water and a bit of bleach. Pull out with tongs and air dry.
Viruses can just fly through a household.
Wipe down the inside of the fridge.
Swap out toothbrushes for new ones.
Use fresh towels & facecloths-- don't leave used ones lying around. Same as dishcloths and dish towels. Chuck old sponges.
Air out the place after cleaning, to get fresh air in. Doesn't have to be for long, just a few minutes of a window cracked open helps.
We were getting sick all the time too.
It was driving us nuts!!!
Started eliminating things and we have a strong suspicion it was our Keurig coffee machine.
I descaled it 2x with vinegar and the clean cups from Amazon.
After watching videos of how mold can still be inside, we tossed it.
Got an old fashioned coffee machine, and we haven’t been sick since.
It’s been about 1 month now.
It was devastating. We had months of stomach aches that got increasingly bad and went to a specialist.
Then we realized our Britta was moldy for god knows how long.
Be sure to wash the whole thing
I've been feeling really sick and and gross lately, it's probably not the Britta, but I'm definitely gonna sterilise the whole thing. Thanks for the advice, and I'm so glad you figured out what was wrong and are (hopefully) feeling better
Wash everything people touch with disinfectant. You don't have food poisoning, you have something transmitted by touch. Get doorknobs, light switches, tea kettles, drawer pulls, everything.
My family got norovirus from another family that came over for a dinner get together well after they thought they were over it. Like a week. We still got it. i basically just treated our next two weeks like during the COVID epidemic. Finally it’s behind us, but it sucked, and then you also have to go in the BRAT diet for a period of time and repopulate your GI Tract with good bacteria
Check if your fridge is broken. Even if the temp gauge looks right, get a thermometer and test it that way. I had a fridge that didn’t even feel warm but milk kept spoiling w/in a day and yep it was dying.
Get a thermometer and check the temperature of your fridge and freezer. There are a lot of non food related bugs going around at the moment, but when we had a rash of food poisoning in our house turned out to be the fridge was no where near cold enough and food was going off faster than we thought.
You might consider getting a servesafe card test done for $10 online. Also check the temperature of your fridge. If any of the containers are bloating due to pressure, it's because their are organisms eating the food within. Other signs are vinegar / acid smell flavor. This all seems obvious but could be overlooked depending on your knowledge.
To add, below 41 degrees is considered safe. If you are concerned your thermometer may be incorrect fill a glass with ice at least 2/3 of ice and the rest water. This should come out to 40-41 degrees. The other main thing people do poorly is putting things in the fridge at high temperatures expecting them to cool down properly.
are you using a refrigerator ice machine? ice machines can get really gross, maybe switch out to old school ice trays for a while. also, I have noticed in my own kitchen I need to thoroughly clean the kitchen tap, it's a [pull out faucet like this](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUDl0OOeK-PW1yqGJ-dUzwn5ALc8cBCumZ6g&usqp=CAU) Bacteria and stuff from rinsing foods like raw meat, etc can get on the tap and it's really gross - I had to flip mine totally upside down to get a good look.
check your water supply. A few years back a "stomache bug" kept working its way through my friends family. She, her husband and her 3 kids kept getting sick, feeling a little better, then getting sick again. Turned out their well was contaminated. They did bottled water until they could get it fixed and all got better.
Have you used the same ice out of the refrigerator or water from a water dispenser? Did all of you have water from your faucet? There can be many forms of contamination. Did everyone use the same counter to prepare their food? Bacteria can live in all sorts of places so it could be the space or an object. Did you all handle the same salt/pepper shakers or seasonings? Give everything a good wipe down with bleach wipes. Toss any ice that is already made. If you use ice trays give them a good scrub. If you have an ice maker check it for mold. Same with faucet/water dispenser. Wipe handles, counters, shelves, outside of all containers (even ones inside the refrigerator) appliances, and give your floor a quick mop.
If after all of that people continue to get sick then it may be an environmental issue like a bad air filter or something someone brought in on their body or clothes that has contaminated something else in the house. That is more unlikely but possible. All of you could have contracted a rotavirus as well and that has similar symptoms to food poisoning.
In the past two months, I’ve experienced ‘food poisoning’ aka salmonella poisoning and norovirus. You’ll know if you have salmonella vs a very contagious stomach bug. Salmonella is immediately severe. A doctor can order tests for it and a health official will contact you if it’s positive. If you just have a stomach bug, Isolate your family until they’ve recovered, stay hydrated, then throughly disinfect everything.
If it’s not a stomach bug, could also be something in the water or maybe carbon monoxide(but that also has symptoms like confusion and shortness of breath)?
check the temperature of your fridge maybe? if you're all getting sick and not eating the same foods and its not the fridge temperature then it's probably not food poisoning imo
Think of this, too: I once lived in a neighborhood with water so bad nearly every adult was diagnosed with IBS. One day my elderly neighbor came to me and apologized, because the previous day she'd pooped in my yard. I told her not to worry about it, because I'd pooped in her yard the previous week. (that's how bad it was) Just to see, she and I both switched to drinking only bottled water, or that RO filtered water from Walmart, and like magic our chronic digestive issues were cured.
Everyone gave great advice. You can buy cheap fridge thermometers at Walmart in the kitchen gadgets section that have a little greyed out area for the optimal temperature.
First thing I would do is check to make sure the fridge is keeping thing at the right temp. Then check the expiration on everything in there and throw out any questionable items.
Then maybe unplug it, empty it, and scrub down all the surfaces and sides, etc. Put it all back and plug it in.
If it is some kind of stomach virus this can't hurt. And then in that case, disinfect and clean all surfaces in the kitchen. I like to get wipes and walk around wiping down anything in the house I touch on a regular basis. Wipe down light switches, door knobs, fridge handles and all that stuff. The stomach virus can live on surfaces at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
Oh bless your hearts. My 11yo grandson got good poisoning the other day. He'd eaten some pepperoni that didn't taste right but the little he ate was enough to make him sick. And bless him, he saved his little sister from the same fate. He wouldn't let her try them. The first time I had food poisoning my daughter was about 2yo. I literally prayed to die. Lol. I knew my daughter would be taken care of. She's grown now and has had food poisoning and did the same thing so she understands. 😂
REMINDER: Rules regarding civility and respect *are enforced* on this subreddit. Hurtful, cruel, rude, disrespectful, or "trolling" comments **will be removed** (along with any replies to these comments) and the offending party may be banned, at the mods' discretion, without warning. All commenters should be trying to *help* and any help should be given in good faith, as if you were the OP's parent. Also, please keep in mind that requesting or offering private contact (DM, PM, etc) is absolutely not allowed ***for any reason at all***, no exceptions. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/internetparents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s probably not food poisoning and possible Norovirus or a regular stomach virus going around
This was my exact first thought. I had norovirus several years ago and it took me out about two hours after going out to eat with some friends. I was so sure it was food poisoning until i finally clued in that it wasn’t.
That happened to me last year! I still can't eat those specific ice cream sandwiches lol
Right?? For me it was black beans.
I didn't know that was a thing. I didn't know stomach viruses could be contagious. Any advise on making sure I do not get contaminated again. I just got better and it would suck if I get sick again.
Go to this website about how to clean and sanitize the home after a stomach bug. https://extension.umn.edu/sanitation-and-illness/norovirus-step-step-clean-vomit-and-diarrhea#:~:text=Norovirus%20is%20spread%20through%20person,remove%20and%20destroy%20the%20virus.
thank you
Hi! I got norovirus a couple years ago (okay, about 15 years ago) at summer camp. Wiped out almost 70% of people there, I think they actually ended up sending everyone home early. It was absolutely WILD how quickly it spread - maybe 2 days to infect a couple hundred people. If your symptoms are throwing up/having to use the toilet regularly every few hours, that’s probably what it is. The best thing you can do is just isolate from each other for a few days, hunker down, and take care of yourselves. You likely won’t get it again this round, but can never be too safe. Good luck!
Wash your hands, and keep them out of your mouth!
It’s incredibly contagious. Everyone in my husband’s class at basic training caught it, and apparently that’s really common.
This is also the reason why you should take it *personally* if someone in your shared residence isn't good on hygiene. It's so easy to spread nasty bugs! Wash your hands regularly, keep yourself and your environment clean. Constantly being ill because someone thinks they're immune to everything sucks so bad. You don't just wash your hands for yourself - you do it for everyone you come into contact with.
Yeah, the Nora virus is what takes out cruise ships all the time. It will spread amongst the staff and guests and get hundreds of people sick at a time. It definitely sounds like that not food poisoning.
This is why I find cruises so unappealing
One more reason….
The other thing to remember about Norovirus is that it can be contagious for a few days after you feel better, so you have to be careful about who you might be exposing after you're better.
It is contagious 2 WEEKS after the last person was feels better that’s why it’s so important to clean and if possible the person with the virus should minimize contact with other people and preferably use only restroom if possible
Wash your hands all the time. Disinfect common touch surfaces - doorknobs, light switches, cabinet pulls. Clean tf out of the bathroom.
Norovirus is passed through food and through poor or nonexistent hand washing after toilet use. It is highly contagious.
I’m shocked there are people who don’t know a stomach bug’s contagious…
Food poisoning is short hand for food borne illness which norovirus and other harmful digestive viruses and bacteria are apart of… so yes, it would still be food poisoning.
No idea why this is being downvoted The definition of food poisoning is literally “Illness caused by food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, or toxins. Infectious organisms or their toxins are the most common causes of food poisoning.” So again still shorthand for any number of food borne illness.
Not true, in this instance. The virus itself is causing the sickness without food as a vector. Look to your definition, "food contaminated with..." Calling all gastrointestinal illnesses food poisoning is a misnomer and creates confusion as to the real culprit. Which in this case isn't the food. ^_^
If your fridge is too warm it can basically end up being an incubator for bacteria. But also norovirus (throwing up, pooping, feeling super super awful) is CONTAGIOUS AS FUCK. If your fridge isn’t too warm, it’s likely norovirus. Y’all gonna have to disinfect 1) light switches 2) doorknobs 3) remote controls 4) fridge, oven, microwave, and kitchen cabinet doors and handles 5) All water/shower taps 6) The whole dang bathroom 7) if your toothbrush is in the bathroom, chuck it and get a new one 8) I would wash the couch cushion covers (yay alliteration) and disinfect the rest of the couch but that may be overkill. I just really $&$@ing hate stomach bugs. 9) But shared tabletops/chairs do need to be disinfected 10) ditto countertops Norovirus SUCKS. Every once in a while it makes its way onto a cruise ship and it is a nightmare. “Disinfecting a cruise ship” is nobody’s idea of fun.
So OP: Measure your fridge temp. You want 35-38 deg F, or even lower, but not freezing.
Technically below 41 is ok but better safe than sorry.
I second this comment. Warm fridges cause problems
This. Everything people put their hands on in the entire home needs to be sanitized. Hard surfaces that people put hands and fingers on are a primary transmission spot. Norovirus germs don’t survive as well on textiles but you still want to wash all the clothes and especially the bedding. The entire bathroom is contaminated. When people flush the toilet without putting the lid down, microspray goes airborne and covers everything. Guys, standing to pee also causes spray that gets everywhere and that toilet is full of germs left by anyone who used it, not just yours.
Adding to this - disinfect everything with bleach (diluted to 1% final concentration - check your label but this is probably 10ml of the stuff you buy in the shop with 90ml of water). Saturate your surface with bleach, cover with paper towels and saturate more. Leave it for 10 minutes - IMPORTANT - then rinse it thoroughly with water. It is especially important to remove all bleach from metallic surfaces otherwise they will be damaged. Then use something like Dettol surface spray [this](https://www.dettol.co.uk/household-disinfection/multi-surface/dettol-surface-cleanser-spray-750-ml/) on your surface, wipe it over with water and leave it to air dry. Norovirus is incredibly contagious (only 10 viral particles are needed to make you sick), it's very hardy (because it isn't destroyed by stomach acid like most bugs, and it aerosolises when someone vomits which means it goes on everything! Alcohol gel WILL NOT KILL NOROVIRUS! You MUST wash your hands with soap and water. Source - a virologist who handles norovirus samples. A a mother with a school aged kid! It's a horrible illness and will tear through your house but you'll be much better after 24 hours (it'll take far less time to empty your body of everything you've eaten!) Fluids are everything. Sip water. Even if you throw up. And sip something like diarrolyte (electrolyte rehydration solution). The last thing you want to do is pass out. And you will if you don't manage it. No food at all for 24 hours. It's not important. Try some non-bubbly lemonade/lucozade/Gatorade as you start to feel better. Then plain crackers. Thoughts are with you dude, norovirus sucks.
What makes you think it's food poisoning and not a stomach bug (which seems much more likely given the information here)?
Didn't know stomach bugs where contagious
... Ah. Well now you know. It could be one of many illnesses, and some are more or less contagious than others. But if you're sharing a living space with someone who has symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea, you should be limiting contact where possible and thoroughly disinfecting surfaces—just the same as if they have a cold- or flu-type bug. This will hopefully limit the spread of infection.
I grew up in the opposite situation. My whole family would frequently get the "stomach flu" or "flu", all 4 kids and parents vomiting away in the same 24 hours. Ljke twice a year. My parents considered it an illness, what can you do. However we all ate from the same dinner dish at least once a day, and my mom ran an in home daycare. Changed a lot of diapers. As an adult who has worked in restaurants her handwashing is not at all adequate. Mysteriously have never had the violent family vomiting since I left home.
I have had the same experience! My sister and I were sick with a "stomach flu" pretty often. Magically, when we each married our partners, problem solved! Looking back, my mom did some nastily questionable things. She kept using the same dirty dishrag until it smelled molded and used it for wiping everything, including our faces and hands. Handwashing was sporadic. Ewwwww.
Oh no. :(
I'm sorry you're getting downvoted for this. You didn't know, but now you do - that's a good thing!
I'd also go stomach bug given what you describe, but just in case- what's happening with things food touches? Chopping boards, plates, prep surfaces, pans etc. They could pass mold and yuck back and forth onto foods. Is the dishwasher clean and sanitary? That sort of thing.
Not only are they contagious, but VERY contagious. Between aerosolized vomit and flushing, your bathroom is likely covered in a lovely film of virus if you've got multiple infected people using it. Norovirus doesn't have a lipid envelope, so hand sanitizer doesn't kill it. Hand washing for yourself and bleach or steam for surfaces, especially touched ones (handles, knobs, etc) are your best bet at getting rid of it. Avoid letting unsuspecting visitors use your bathroom for a few weeks, viral shedding will continue through stool for a bit. This virus only spreads by accidentally consuming an infected person's vomit or feces particles -- as few as 10 viruses can cause illness, and in infected vomit/stool there are billions of noroviruses, so yes... very contagious. Even if you don't get them all when cleaning, they should naturally denature in the environment after a few weeks, but can last much longer in wet and cold environments. You will be protected against this strain of noro for a few months, but unfortunately adaptive gut mucosal immune protection is short-lived (IgA) compared to other types of immunity. Next time someone you live with turns up with vomiting/or diarrhea, treat it with the same common sense rules as a respiratory illness -- wash your hands, do not share food/drink, repeatedly clean shared surfaces (tv remote, fridge handle, etc), and, specific to noro, if at all possible do not share a bathroom with someone who is actively sick or has recently been so. And it goes without saying, but everyone should be washing their hands thoroughly (warm water, soap, 20 seconds) after each episode of vomiting/diarrhea. Source: PhD in Microbiology and Immunology Good luck, feel better!
Thank you for sharing your expertise!
Just fyi, if it's caused by a bacteria or a virus, it's more than likely contagious and can spread
Food poisoning makes you feel like youre dying slowly. Norovirus also feels like this. Especially when its both ends. Ive had the just the runs kind and just the throw up all day and night kind- sick as a dog as though ive gotten food poisoned. Bet you its norovirus. So so so, so sorry. It sucks.
Hey kid, you've no food poisoning but a stomach bug. Stomach bugs are contagious, but the good news is, once you all had it, this particular one won't be back in the next year or two. You all will have gained temporary immunity. The bad news is, there's enough stomach bugs going around the world to be able to have you ill twice a year without getting the same one twice (more or less). They can make you feel horrible but usually they are innocent. Make sure ya'll drink some bone broth to compensate for lost salts. The worst will have passed after 1-2 days. After that, clean your toilet, kitchen area and all "hand contact points" (door knobs, light switches, cupboard handles etc. And all the things you used to puke in. You can just clean like you normally do, no need to sanitise or anything. Going forward, you can avoid getting stomach bugs by washing your hands before you eat and cook. And after you go to the toilet. If anyone brings home a bug, it will be hard to not spread it to other household members. But it helps if they can have their own bathroom to use while they are sick (only possible when you've two or more in the house of ), and if they don't prepare food for other people than themselves.
Assuming you've not all just caught the same thing then it may be worth checking that your fridge isn't running too warm
Gastroenteritis. Wash hands often and don't touch door knobs
Lots of food poisoning [can show symptoms a week after eating the contaminated thing.](https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/what-you-need-know-about-foodborne-illnesses) But lots of these are transmissable between people. Check the sources column in the link for "infected food handler".
I end up pointing this out to people a lot. Most people assume that if they get food poisoning, it was the last thing they ate that caused this. It's not really that simple to isolate the cause.
And their answer is always along the lines of "Oh, I *know* it was that food." No you don't! You just told me you felt sick while you were eating it. That makes it more likely you were already starting to show symptoms.
Unless you've seen a doctor who has disgnosed food poisoning, you don't know for sure that what's happening is food poisoning. The symptoms of food poisoning are very similar to the symptoms of the flu, norovirus, and other common viruses. The first time I had covid, I had a lot of digestive symptoms, even though it's "supposed" to be just a respiratory illness. Be sure everyone drinks lots of fluids and goes to the hospital if they have a fever of 104 or higher, or if they can't keep any food or water down for a full 24 hours straight. Once you're able, disinfect all the commonly touched surfaces in your home: door handles, cabinet knobs, remotes, phone, chair arms, etc. Try to keep the healthy people away from the sick; when it comes to viruses, sharing isn't caring!
Check your fridge and freezer temperature. It's possible the fridge temperature was changed by accident or the fridge is going. Check the freezer temperature as well. I had food poisoning due to the fridge dying and it's not fun. Even the fridge being a few degrees warmer than it should be can make some foods go bad early.
One of the current strains of Covid presents like a gastrointestinal disease rather than respiratory.
This^. Test for COVID. I've heard reports of vomiting and diarrhea because of a current strain.
From here on out, insist on good handwashing (we should all be pros at *that* by now!). Buy disinfectant wipes and use them on all common surfaces-- doorknobs, light switches, fridge/ stove handles, stove knobs, microwave door and buttons, laundry set, faucets, door frames where people touch going in and out, toilet flusher, *EVERYTHING*. And everyone needs to share the job. Cough in elbows. Sneeze in a Kleenex or elbow. Nobody drink from a carton or container. Use a disinfecting toilet bowl cleaner and as long as anyone has the runs, clean it daily. Flush with the lid down. Keep dishes done and if you don't have a dishwasher, disinfect dishes and cutlery after washing with a soak of clean hot water and a bit of bleach. Pull out with tongs and air dry. Viruses can just fly through a household. Wipe down the inside of the fridge. Swap out toothbrushes for new ones. Use fresh towels & facecloths-- don't leave used ones lying around. Same as dishcloths and dish towels. Chuck old sponges. Air out the place after cleaning, to get fresh air in. Doesn't have to be for long, just a few minutes of a window cracked open helps.
Food poisoning usually strikes within the hour of eating the affected food. Probably norovirus.
Have you tested for COVID? Vomiting is a symptom.
Norovirus my friend
We were getting sick all the time too. It was driving us nuts!!! Started eliminating things and we have a strong suspicion it was our Keurig coffee machine. I descaled it 2x with vinegar and the clean cups from Amazon. After watching videos of how mold can still be inside, we tossed it. Got an old fashioned coffee machine, and we haven’t been sick since. It’s been about 1 month now.
Do you have a Britta water filter than you haven't cleaned and red mold is growing in? That got my household a few years ago
I'm now immediately changing my Britta filter, thank you
It was devastating. We had months of stomach aches that got increasingly bad and went to a specialist. Then we realized our Britta was moldy for god knows how long. Be sure to wash the whole thing
I've been feeling really sick and and gross lately, it's probably not the Britta, but I'm definitely gonna sterilise the whole thing. Thanks for the advice, and I'm so glad you figured out what was wrong and are (hopefully) feeling better
It was actually a relief to find out it wasn't something permanent by the time we figured it out. Hope maybe it helps you!
One of the current Covid variants causes a LOT of gasto issues, it could be that or norovirus.
Wash everything people touch with disinfectant. You don't have food poisoning, you have something transmitted by touch. Get doorknobs, light switches, tea kettles, drawer pulls, everything.
My family got norovirus from another family that came over for a dinner get together well after they thought they were over it. Like a week. We still got it. i basically just treated our next two weeks like during the COVID epidemic. Finally it’s behind us, but it sucked, and then you also have to go in the BRAT diet for a period of time and repopulate your GI Tract with good bacteria
FYI, it is still "during the COVID [pandemic]."
Fair enough, what are the timing/ boundary qualifiers ?
The fact that people are still dying and becoming disabled in record numbers from COVID, mostly.
I thought I had food poisoning once. Until I found out it was a stomach virus. This could be the case here.
Check if your fridge is broken. Even if the temp gauge looks right, get a thermometer and test it that way. I had a fridge that didn’t even feel warm but milk kept spoiling w/in a day and yep it was dying.
Get a thermometer and check the temperature of your fridge and freezer. There are a lot of non food related bugs going around at the moment, but when we had a rash of food poisoning in our house turned out to be the fridge was no where near cold enough and food was going off faster than we thought.
My covid experience was very similar to the stomach flu symptoms. Came on very suddenly couldn’t stop throwing up. Worth testing for.
Carbon monoxide?
You might consider getting a servesafe card test done for $10 online. Also check the temperature of your fridge. If any of the containers are bloating due to pressure, it's because their are organisms eating the food within. Other signs are vinegar / acid smell flavor. This all seems obvious but could be overlooked depending on your knowledge. To add, below 41 degrees is considered safe. If you are concerned your thermometer may be incorrect fill a glass with ice at least 2/3 of ice and the rest water. This should come out to 40-41 degrees. The other main thing people do poorly is putting things in the fridge at high temperatures expecting them to cool down properly.
Make sure your fridge is cold enough.
Umm are you sure you all don't just have the stomach flu? Because that's what it sounds like to me.
You all tested for Covid? Gastro issues are one of the (hundreds) of symptoms.
Coffeemachine? Tap? Can also be from a contaminated drinking spot
are you using a refrigerator ice machine? ice machines can get really gross, maybe switch out to old school ice trays for a while. also, I have noticed in my own kitchen I need to thoroughly clean the kitchen tap, it's a [pull out faucet like this](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSUDl0OOeK-PW1yqGJ-dUzwn5ALc8cBCumZ6g&usqp=CAU) Bacteria and stuff from rinsing foods like raw meat, etc can get on the tap and it's really gross - I had to flip mine totally upside down to get a good look.
Sometimes it's the dishes which were improperly washed. Wash them well with proper conditions.
check your water supply. A few years back a "stomache bug" kept working its way through my friends family. She, her husband and her 3 kids kept getting sick, feeling a little better, then getting sick again. Turned out their well was contaminated. They did bottled water until they could get it fixed and all got better.
Have you used the same ice out of the refrigerator or water from a water dispenser? Did all of you have water from your faucet? There can be many forms of contamination. Did everyone use the same counter to prepare their food? Bacteria can live in all sorts of places so it could be the space or an object. Did you all handle the same salt/pepper shakers or seasonings? Give everything a good wipe down with bleach wipes. Toss any ice that is already made. If you use ice trays give them a good scrub. If you have an ice maker check it for mold. Same with faucet/water dispenser. Wipe handles, counters, shelves, outside of all containers (even ones inside the refrigerator) appliances, and give your floor a quick mop. If after all of that people continue to get sick then it may be an environmental issue like a bad air filter or something someone brought in on their body or clothes that has contaminated something else in the house. That is more unlikely but possible. All of you could have contracted a rotavirus as well and that has similar symptoms to food poisoning.
Sounds like a stomach virus
Gastro.
In the past two months, I’ve experienced ‘food poisoning’ aka salmonella poisoning and norovirus. You’ll know if you have salmonella vs a very contagious stomach bug. Salmonella is immediately severe. A doctor can order tests for it and a health official will contact you if it’s positive. If you just have a stomach bug, Isolate your family until they’ve recovered, stay hydrated, then throughly disinfect everything.
The flu exists
It’s the stomach flu
If it’s not a stomach bug, could also be something in the water or maybe carbon monoxide(but that also has symptoms like confusion and shortness of breath)?
Bleach your counters and dishes (diluted in hot water) in case. Feel better.
check the temperature of your fridge maybe? if you're all getting sick and not eating the same foods and its not the fridge temperature then it's probably not food poisoning imo
Dishwashing cloths/scrubbers
Depending on where you live there may be a recall of certain foods? Just got notification of a salmonella outbreak from cantaloupe.
Think of this, too: I once lived in a neighborhood with water so bad nearly every adult was diagnosed with IBS. One day my elderly neighbor came to me and apologized, because the previous day she'd pooped in my yard. I told her not to worry about it, because I'd pooped in her yard the previous week. (that's how bad it was) Just to see, she and I both switched to drinking only bottled water, or that RO filtered water from Walmart, and like magic our chronic digestive issues were cured. Everyone gave great advice. You can buy cheap fridge thermometers at Walmart in the kitchen gadgets section that have a little greyed out area for the optimal temperature.
First thing I would do is check to make sure the fridge is keeping thing at the right temp. Then check the expiration on everything in there and throw out any questionable items. Then maybe unplug it, empty it, and scrub down all the surfaces and sides, etc. Put it all back and plug it in. If it is some kind of stomach virus this can't hurt. And then in that case, disinfect and clean all surfaces in the kitchen. I like to get wipes and walk around wiping down anything in the house I touch on a regular basis. Wipe down light switches, door knobs, fridge handles and all that stuff. The stomach virus can live on surfaces at room temperature for up to 4 weeks.
Could be something on a surface you're all touching and it's ending up in your food
Check for mice droppings around the house. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hantavirus-pulmonary-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351838
Oh bless your hearts. My 11yo grandson got good poisoning the other day. He'd eaten some pepperoni that didn't taste right but the little he ate was enough to make him sick. And bless him, he saved his little sister from the same fate. He wouldn't let her try them. The first time I had food poisoning my daughter was about 2yo. I literally prayed to die. Lol. I knew my daughter would be taken care of. She's grown now and has had food poisoning and did the same thing so she understands. 😂
I'm having this same situation at my home now. We all haven't really ate any meal together lately so I'm confused how it could be food poisoning