Egyptian Tummy - Antinal

[Phil Mauer]

Hi,

Whislt in Egypt earlier this year I took Antinal to stop stomach cramps - they worked great. I have tried to purchase Antinal on the internet but cannot find a source. Has anyone located a source to purchase these tablets - otherewise I'll have to wait until I go back to Egypt and source them in a Chemist.

Thanks

Phil

[Woz]

I'm off with Janos to the Red Sea soon-ish so any hints so I don't sh1t myself inside out would be appreciated, not only by me but by my cabin chum. Usually have the constitution of an ox, mind.

[Phil Mauer]

Buy Antinal (small yellow tablets) from the chemists in Egypt when you get there. If its a live-aboard they may have some on board.

[steveharriss]

I've always stuck with immodium and it's not let me down yet. In fairness I've never suffered on a liveaboard though, only on land where the conditions in which the food is prepared can be variable.

I'm no doctor but I'd have thought that taking an antibaterial in the first instance wasn't the best medically if you've just got the plain squits!

You can get anything over the counter in an Egyptian pharmacy but I'd hesitate without suitable medical advice. Any doctors here?

Just found this: Quote


The paradox with Nifuroxazide is that the claimed indication is bacterial
diarrhea but with a warning that it should not be used in invasive
bacterial diarrhoea. It is therefore reserved for diarrhea for which
there is no evidence of the advantage of any antibacterial drug.
Side-effects do not seem to be a big concern, but it should be
remembered that the products are not marketed in the countries with
the most effective adverse drug reactions surveillance systems.

A 1993 review of Nifuroxazide (revue Prescrire 1993; 13(132):442) stated
that Nifuroxazide has no place in the rational treatment of diarrhoea.
In September 1997, the members of MaLAM (Medical Lobby for
Appropriate Marketing) sent a letter to Smith Kline Beecham, criticizing
a leaflet distributed in Ivory Coast for the promotion of Ambatrol
(Nifuroxazide). The illustration on the leaflet illustrated a possible
action against dehydration and mainly used the slogan of "neutralizing
germs". It even suggested a possible action against shigellosis. To my
knowledge, SKB did not answer MaLAM critics, nor stopped distributing
the leaflet.

[BJ]

An Inconvenient Truth (Lavatories in Egypt)

[Phil Mauer]

Thanks I've done several live-aboards now and never thought about doing your suggestion - I will in future.

[Mal Bridgeman]

Originally Posted by Woz

I'm off with Janos to the Red Sea soon-ish so any hints so I don't sh1t myself inside out would be appreciated, not only by me but by my cabin chum. Usually have the constitution of an ox, mind.

Eat only a little of most of what's on offer ... taking a huge portion of one offering is a game of Russian Roulette.

Take some "english" food e,g, biscuits, chocolate etc.

Drink loads of hydrating fluid (beer does not count ) and always make sure the first bottle of water of the day contains re-hydration powders.

Have an egg ommlette for breakfast and make sure it's cooked through.

Go to the Red Sea a lot to build resistance.

Wash hands before eating.

Bore your boatmates with renditions of Womack and Womack's "Solid as a Rock" whilst they strain to retain their innards on the inside.

I don't know if any of this has scientific basis but it works for me.


HTH
Mal

[principia]

Make the most of it and use it as an opportunity to loose a bit of weight.

J.

[Timbo]

Whenever I have been due to go anywhere with questionable food, I have dosed myself daily with live yoghurt a week or two beforehand,,
Not the well advertised stuff in little pot,s but the big tubs that are classed as bio-yoghurts with lots of live bacto-silly stuff in them,,,
Luckilly I have never had loose poo's in 10 years of adventuring,, whilst some other members of the party have had dysentry !!(not nice)..
Usually a week in sharm has most people staying within range of a bog by the 4th day !

[G man]

I dont think it helps when everyone has a crap just before they have a dive, as when you jump in its all floating past you.

So my tip is to keep your reg in and your gob shut when you jump off the boat.