S**t Happens 

As careful as we’ve all been, the dreaded stomach virus (not Covid) has struck at my daughter’s house. Maybe the children brought it home from day care. Maybe one of us was next to an unmasked person who had it. Who knows? You know what concerns me… and you. Our kidneys in relation to this. 

Of course, stomach virus has a medical name: gastroenteritis. According to MedlinePlus, 

“Gastroenteritis is an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines. The main symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. It is usually not serious in healthy people, but it can sometimes lead to dehydration or cause severe symptoms.” 

How the heck does that happen? Mount Sinai tells us, 

“Gastroenteritis can affect one person or a group of people who all ate the same food or drank the same water. The germs may get into your system in many ways: 

Directly from food or water 

By way of objects such as plates and eating utensils 

Passed from person to person by way of close contact” 

Hmm, the only food I shared at their house was the coffee my son-in-law made for me. But that can’t be it because he had some and didn’t get sick. I’d even drunk only from my own water bottle in since I think it’s a bad idea to leave it in a hot car. 

I turned to WebMD for the symptoms, just in case I’d missed any. 

“With gastroenteritis, the main symptoms you probably have are watery diarrhea and vomiting. You might also have stomach pain, cramping, fever, nausea, and a headache. 

Because of diarrhea and vomiting, you also can become dehydrated. Watch for signs of dehydration, such as dry skin and a dry mouth, feeling lightheaded, and being really thirsty.” 

After a despicable 24 hours in the bathroom and another 24 in bed, I still feel drained and light headed.

Healthline had quite a bit of information about how to deal with gastroenteritis, 

“Most of the time you can treat your stomach bug symptoms at home. The best remedy is just to allow yourself time to rest and recover from the virus. However, if symptoms persist for more than a few days, you may need to seek medical attention. 

Drink plenty of fluids. Adults can drink sports drinks with electrolytes, and children can also drink fluid replacement solutions such as Pedialyte. These drinks, coupled with water, will help restore the body’s hydration balance. For best results, drink a few sips every half hour to an hour. 

Limit sugary drinks or sodas, as these liquids don’t replace lost electrolytes. Coconut water is a great natural source of electrolytes as well, plus it’s much lower on sugar. 

Once you feel ready to eat again, give your stomach a break by slowly introducing bland foods into your diet. These may include: 

cereals 

whole grains 

breads 

potatoes 

bananas 

vegetables 

fresh apples 

plain yogurt 

bananas [sic]

Avoid dairy, alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods, and fried foods that might upset your stomach.” 

As I munch my dry Cheerios, I want to get into what I consider the important part of today’s blog: how does the stomach flu affect our kidneys? 

Thank you to Everyday Health for the following information: 

“Dehydration is the most common complication of gastroenteritis…. It happens because your body loses fluids and electrolytes that aren’t replaced when you vomit or have diarrhea. 

Being dehydrated is especially dangerous for small children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. 

If you have severe dehydration, you might have to go to the hospital to have fluids delivered intravenously (through an IV). 

Dehydration can lead to more serious problems, such as: 

Heat Injury If you don’t have enough fluids while you’re physically active, you could have a life-threatening heatstroke. 

Urinary and Kidney Issues A long or repeated episode of dehydration can trigger kidney stones, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or kidney failure. [Gail here: my bolding] 

Seizures When your electrolytes are out of whack, you could develop seizures. 

Hypovolemic Shock This life-threatening condition happens when low blood volume causes a drop in blood pressure and the amount of oxygen in your body…. 

You may be able to prevent dehydration by drinking extra fluids, and in some cases, taking an oral rehydration solution….” 

Let’s not panic. Keep yourself hydrated should you suffer from stomach virus. I found that difficult and would have pushed the hydration more had I researched before becoming ill. I wish I had. 

Oh, I am – make that was – diligently working on the index for SlowItDownCKD 2022 before I became ill. I intend to give myself one more day of rest before returning to that. Just to be safe, let’s say the print version of the book will be out next week on Amazon.com. In the meantime, the digital version is available on Amazon. 

Thank you for listening to my tale of woe. 

Until next week, 

Keep living your life!