My stomach REALLY hurts...

[sassafras]

Hi, I'm on day 15 and my stomach really hurts. I caught a 'bug' of some sort earlier this week, and am wondering if anyone has any advise on how to get through this without a visit to the doctor (and a recommendation of antibiotics). Here is my 'diary':

I was gassy and lethargic all day Sunday, so kept low key all day assuming it would pass and was part of the program.

Monday I felt ok.

Tuesday I started getting the chills late morning. They didn't go away until late evening, when my body started aching. I ate chicken w/ ginger soup (yum!), and could only stomach eating an orange that evening. I had NO appetite (presumable because I was fighting a 'bug').

Wednesday the chills were gone. I had major stiffness in neck and shoulders. My digestive system felt very raw and I was hesitant to eat anything that would require it to work much, so I had a fruit and coconut milk smoothie for a late breakfast. For lunch I forced myself to eat brisket and steamed greens (which went down much better than I had anticipated), and for dinner a giant sweet potato loaded with butter and some sea salt.

Today, Thursday, my intestines feel inflamed. I am having a hard time staying seated at my desk and feel miserable. I had sweet potato and brisket for breakfast, and am in so much pain I do NOT want to eat anything else.

I feel like I am working through some intestinal 'sloughing', but I feel like it is worsened by a germ I picked up, and I do not know what to do about it.

Any helpful home remedies would be most appreciated!!

[Xandra]

For mild stomach upset, I drink chamomile tea and take probiotics. I'll take pink bismuth, too, but that's not a natural remedy.

What you are describing sounds worse, and it's either a bug that needs to work itself out (a virus can take 10-14 days to be completely gone), or it's something worse that should be seen. I can't diagnose you from here and hope that you will seek medical attention if it's warranted.

I do note that a sweet potato loaded with butter is not Whole30 and I wonder if your tummy didn't like the butter.

[Keri W.]

I was also fighting a stomach bug. I ended up getting a jar of sauerkraut salad and ate a fair amount of it. Fermented foods are supposed to be good. I felt pretty terrific the next day. Xandra is right...no butter. Uh oh! You can have ghee (clarified butter), but that's it. I hope you're feeling better!

[hojo]

Did you give up coffee? My hubby had severe withdrawals like that when he stopped coffee.....chills, aches, flu like symptoms

[sassafras]

Thank you for your feedback!

Hojo, I drink coffee occasionally, so I don't think it's that; but good to know if I can get my husband to give Whole30 a try. He REALLY loves caffeine.

I will try the tea and fermented foods, and if it gets any worse will make a call to the doctor.

Thanks Ladies!

[Alana in Canada]

Sorry you're not feeling well. I was down for about four days with a tummy upset at the end of my whole30. Bone broth was wonderful, as was a couple of teaspoons of grated ginger steeped in hot water. When I felt like eating again, I had a boiled sweet potato (we call them yams, here) and later, some home made chicken soup. (Fry a cut up chicken breast with onion and garlic and add to bone broth. Cut up a carrot and toss it in the broth, heat together for about ten to 15 minutes.)

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[Robin Strathdee]

A heating pad on your stomach can also help relax some of the cramping and general soreness. Hope you're feeling better soon!!