Flu bug?

December 6, 2011 9:06 PM

Husband down with a flu bug from Mexico

We came back from Mexico city last Sunday. My husband has had the following symptoms and I am curious if there is something we dont know about and hence broadening the audience. By the way, we did go to a doctor but frankly i need to see if anyone else has experienced this

he first had diarrhea with a little fever
fthis was followed by pain in the left leg
then it was shoulder pain
now is he feeling under the weather and was dizzy earlier

all of this in 9 days after our visit. Hopefully there isnt something that we are missing and it is just a simple flu/bug that he picked up (wierdly he had got his Flu vaccine a month before we left for our visit)

Thanks in advance.

posted by pakora1 to health & fitness (3 answers total)

Almost certainly just turista or a simple flu bug. Other than bed rest and proper hydration, he may just have to wait it out. In other words, I don't think he's got any parasites or anything like that.
posted by Gilbert at 9:11 PM on December 6, 2011

simple flu/bug that he picked up (wierdly he had got his Flu vaccine a month before we left for our visit)

Just as a side note, in case you're worried that the vaccine may have either not worked, or contributed to his getting ill: the seasonal flu vaccine is designed to guard against specific strains of respiratory influenza. It doesn't protect against the more intestinal-related bugs, etc. that are picked up while traveling. So the shot he got last month wouldn't make a difference either way in terms of whatever he came down with in Mexico.

Hope he's feeling better soon.
posted by scody at 9:50 PM on December 6, 2011

Stomach "flu" isn't generally influenza, it's some variety of gastroenteritis, norovirus, or food poisoning. Whatever it is, he should avoid taking Immodium (or anything else that stops him up - you want it out, not in), and if he's still got the runs you should go to the ER for some fluids (he will feel SO MUCH BETTER you don't even know; dehydration is both serious and easily reversible) and a fecal test to make sure he doesn't have something else nasty.

Flu shot doesn't really signify here, so don't not get treatment on those grounds.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:18 PM on December 6, 2011