Dodgy crew food..GI problems in the cruise.

[RoyHudd]

Any good qualified advice on the pills/medication one should carry in the flight bag? Problem is acute and violent diarrhoea accompanied by n & v, 1 hour after consuming re-heated crew meal.

(Yes, easy to say one should not eat crew food, but on long-haul out of tropical destinations, this advice is impractical, I think)

[Bealzebub]

Roy,

With the greatest respect the symptoms you are describing are at best debilitating and at worst incapacitating. You shouldn't really be operating as a crewmember in this condition. In addition you should not normally be re-heating foods that are unsuitable for the purpose.

Crewmeals are usually subject to safeguards to prevent food poisoning and the potentially disasterous effects of multiple occurrence. I know this is fine in theory and may be suspect in reality, but if you know of a bad source it should be a cause for an urgent air safety report to your company and the relevant authority.

Common sense would suggest you could arm yourself with some safer provisions if you suspect a supplier, and not rely on pills to avoid or alleviate the symptoms of food poisioning. Those reactions are a natural body defence and it is rather too late by then.

[got caught]

Most GI infections are self limiting, and shouldn't really need any (medical) treatment, other than advice to avoid and monitor dehydration.

As Beazlebub says, avoidance should be the key.

For occasional use, loperamiide, an anti-motility drug is less toxic than most, but seek advice in someone specialising in aviation medicine.

[ATIS]

I always carry a pack of Immodium Plus. (over the counter medicine)

Have spent many nights in Delhi and as soon as my stomach starts its spin cycle, popping a couple of these has drasticlly improved the situation. However I doubt that this will prevent vomitting, it just seems to plug the plumbing for a few hours.