Cronic diarrhoea from drinking tank water?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Hey guys,

I'm a 24 year old female living in Australia.

My mum purchased a new house which is 7 acres in the bush and running off tank water. The house hadn't been occupied for about 3 months so the water was probably disgusting. We were drinking bottled water but a few times I filled a bottle up and drank it from the tap.

I'm now home (family is still up at the property) and I've had cronic diarrhea for 4 days. I haven't eaten, I'm struggling to drink. I had a temp yesterday of 38.8 c. I am basically pooping out everything I drink in under 5 mins. My tummy is so sore and I'm really worried. I haven't moved from bed for 2 days and I'm dizzy and have a headache constantly.

I've never had diarrhea before. I've never felt like this before. I'm scared if I go to the Dr's I'll basically poo myself on the way there so I've just been laying here. Does anyone know if this is normal for diarrhea ? Will it go away on its own or do I need medical help?

Thanks sad

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

  • Posted

    Are your eyes seriously sunken in your head, and does your skin when you pinch the back of hand stay pinched up, or does it bounce back to flat.

    If it stays pinched up you are seriously de-hydrated, and may need help.

    If you are in queensland ring for an ambulance, you are covered for the costs, and tell them what is happening, and how sick you are, and how long you have been sick, and why you became sick, they can test you for various infections and bacteria.

    Regards tank water, you may be sensitive to foreign water or it may be contaminated, when we bought our property the first before we stayed there was clean, flush, and re-fill tank with fresh town water, and have since re-filled with town water, we know its clean.

    • Posted

      Hey Lyn,

      My skin bounces back straight away so that's a plus. I've been trying to keep on top of fluids with Gatorade and water etc. I think the thing that's scaring me is I've been going to the toilet 20+ times a day and it's just water. I haven't eaten and I don't understand how there's anything left to come out. Sorry if it's tmi but I can't deal with this any longer!

      I'm in NSW, my mum actually purchased property up on the border near Lismore (if you're from aus) and the property had 2 houses-2 tanks. One house had water which was fine. The second house the water smelt bad and had a yellow tinge to it. I didn't realize until after I had brushed my teeth with it then thought it smelt funky. The next day I woke up extremely sick. I slept the entire day, no diarrhea though just hot cold sweats etc. The next day I was fine. I drove back home to the central coast (7 hours) and when I got out of the car I was running to the bathroom. Has only become worse since then and there's no sign of it stopping. My mum is on her way back now but is this something I should be getting looked at or should I keep my fluids up and hope it goes away ? I've never had diarrhea before I don't know if this is normal or if this is extreme and I have no idea what I should be doing. It just seems like whatever I drink is coming out in 5 mins. My tummy is constantly bubbling inside. I wouldn't wish this upon anyone!

      Thanks for your reply.

  • Posted

    Hi renee99289

    You have definitely ingested bacteria from the tank water. You need to see a medical professional as soon as you can before you become seriously dehydrated and very ill....

    • Posted

      Hey! 

      The diarrhea stopped temporarily. About 5 hours I had nothing but extreme stomach pain. It just came back and is now bright green water rolleyes 

      ive felt a bit better since it stopped earlier but maybe because I've been drinking a lot and keeping fluids in. But the pains are intense! My mum is back home now so I've got her helping but it's 9.30pm here so I plan on heading to the drs in the morning. 

      I'm never drinking tank water again! 

      Thanks for your reply ! 

    • Posted

      Hi renee99289

      Good!! Hope everything turns out well for you and you are feeling good very soon...best wishes ...

    • Posted

      Hi renee99289

      Yes, still go to the doc and get it checked even though you are feeling a bit better....perhaps you could suggest a blood test incase a parasite has got into your blood stream and you don't want all your previous symptoms or other symptoms to rear its ugly head further down the line.....make sure your mum doesn't take your keys again!!......best wishes....

  • Posted

    Of course you can, Australia has lovely parasites giardia, cryptosporidium despite bacteria and viri.....

    you do need a stool test. 

    Most of them are self limiting, some of them need treatment also depending how well your body fights them. (I half died with giardia, others do not even notice it)

    Keep yourself very, very well hydrated with not contaminated water and electrolyte mixes (not more than said on package).

    All the best!

    • Posted

      I was planning on going to the doctors today but my mum accidently took my car keys to work with her so that didn't happen..

      I'm a bit stuck on what to do tomorrow. I've been drinking yakult, eating bananas and I have felt a lot better today. I haven't had diarrhea as such. I'm not going multiple times a day but today I had to and it's still water. It's just like I'm constipated with water ? Was strange.

      Anyway the issue is my stomach is in knots. I have these sharp pains everywhere that are making me unable to walk or move in general.

      Do I continue on with doctors? I'm in so much pain but since the diarrhea has stopped and I'm not lethargic or dizzy anymore I'm not sure if it's still urgent or if maybe parasites have passed and my stomach needs to just settle after the nightmare it's been through.

      To be honest I'll probably go anyway because this is really sore but I just don't want to go in and be turned away or told it's nothing. And it's kind of difficult standing as it is lol

      Thank you to everyone for the replies! Really appreciate it.

    • Posted

      Water tank water is fine, if you keep the tank clean (from leaves, bird droppings, cleaning out the sludge every now and then) AND use a good water filter.

      I cannot stress enough how important a water filter is for any non treated water if it is not from a spring, that has 1000s of year old water being filtered through a stone/mountain system naturally for centuries.

      Stay well hydrated. Rice, oat meal soup could be easier to digest (?), but again you feel what is good for you. (Uncooked fruit is usually not that great to start with).

      You see how you feel. 

      'Normal' few days of diarrhea and pain/fever never worry me and yes, many gastrointestinal infections do heal on their own, but if it goes on for longer, then pls get checked.

      Take good care, take it easy!

    • Posted

      Guys does anyone know if all of this constant diarrhea could cause appendicitis? I've started to have a dull pain on my right side. Been there for about 12 hours but it's not insanely painful. I'm still walking and stuff. It's just that I just started vomiting and diarrhea has become a lot worse and this pain won't go away. I've booked in for the doctors which is 5 hours away but throwing up has worried me and not sure whether to go to hospital

    • Posted

      Unfortunately no idea. By now (until having seen your post) you shall be at the docs and get manual examination, finally a stool and blood sample please and maybe some imaging.

      All the best!!!

       

    • Posted

      Hi renee99289

      See the problem has presented itself again!!...i think the pain in your side may be due to straining when vomitting...but try and relax til you see your doc..he/she will order blood test and stool test and hopefully something will transpire and then dealt with.....hope it will all be sorted soon..please keep us posted......warm thoughts and best wishes...

    • Posted

      I went to my doctor, he referred me to hospital. I came to hospital and they admitted me sad all my tests like blood pressure, sugar levels etc were way too low. Plus from what happened the past week they have isolated me and are waiting on blood cultures and other tests to figure out the problem. Could be days though they said sad maybe I should have come earlier! I thought it may go away on its own but clearly not lol Im not enjoying this hospital bed. Thanks smile

    • Posted

      Thank you smile im currently in hospital so I should be better soon! Doctor made me come here and then the hospital admitted me. They're doing lots of tests so I hope they can help me. This has been a nightmare and I don't think I'll ever drink tank water again, clean or dirty! Lol

      Thanks for all your help.

    • Posted

      Hi renee99289

      Well Renee you are in the right place so you can feel confident you will be taken care of and this awful problem will be dealt with. There are lots of bacteria and viruses that live in neglected tank water which you have probably ingested....the cultures will take a bit of time to grow..but no worries you will soon be on the road to recovery..and no never drink from tank water either way stick to the tried and trusted.......keep us posted.... very interested to know what has been the culprit....enjoy your hospital stay...have a good rest....wishing you a speedy recovery...:x)

    • Posted

      Good you get tested for cause and you shall get your nutrition and hydration supervised as a supporting, conservative measure.

      All the best!!!!!!

      please let us know if the culprit "gets a name" = is found. (if parasite or bacteria or virus).

       

    • Posted

      Depends where you live on this planet if you actually are able to never drink from a tank.

      We have areas even around my village in Australia,

      where there is ONLY tank rainwater collection available also for drinking/tap water since there are simply no water pipes with (treated) mostly surface water from dams supplied by a water company.

      (pristine clean mountain spring water is rare here. Where I come from in Europe, we are so lucky with 1000s of year old filtered mountain spring water! no treatment needed, it's crystal clear, free of parasites and nasties. It's a different story for each country, which access to which water is available as a basis for supply to start with.) 

      Since not everyone can afford to buy water from the shops for everyday drinking here (and again tap water is often better regulated than sold bottled water, again depends where you live), the people who have no main water supply via pipes from water company, do drink the water from the tanks with no problem (have friends),

      BUT after following strict guidlines.

      And that is the most important point!

      You cannot just collect in a dirty tank with leaves and birdpoo going into it and drink.

      One has to actually do on a small scale that, what big water companies do since they also provide mainly rain water collected standing dam water (where I live in Australia) or from rivers and goodness me what goes into them and can be found (I have a good insight into this topic).

      This is for tank owners please:

      https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/0D71DB86E9DA7CF1CA257BF0001CBF2F[/b]/$File/enhealth-raintank.pdf

      If worst comes to worst, I would always have a filter straw available as a backup in case tab water failed and one was forced to drink not well maintained tank water. Those filter straws really work very, very well.

      Into our dam water/water storage goes a lot of e.g. bird poo from above, constant struggle with farmers keeping a save zone of no fertilising and no animal farming around dams for a good reason not to flush in too much of 'bad', and yet we drink it. The sludge on the ground never cleaned out, and yet we drink it.

      .... it's all about treatment, filtration, minimising input, checking/monitoring in order to stay save.

      Water is very precious.

      But if you have tap water from a main major water company available, that treats, checks and regulates water, then I would prefer that for drinking (not toilet flushing) over a not maintained rainwater tank water at home. ;-) Even recycled water is much more checked.

      That lesson was learnt the hard way. Sorry that you have to go through that.

      Hope you are very well soon!!

      May you find the culprit!

    • Posted

      I'm being released from hospital today smile tests came back to say I have Campylobacter which Google says can be from food/water/farm animals. Still on antibiotics and still have a little bit of diarrhea but am feeling so much better now then what I did a few days ago. Thanks for everyone's help and replies. smile

    • Posted

      Ahh finally been following this awhile. Glad you are doing better and taking meds to get this bug out of your body. 

      Keep posting let let us know how your doing. How miserable to go thru. Tank should be treated. There are special,companies that will,come out and test the watered and treat it. 

       

    • Posted

      Thank you!

      That was probably the worst experience of my life haha glad I went to the hospital in the end. Safe to say I'm never drinking tank water again whether it's treated or not. That scarred me lol

      My mum will be getting the water treated now for when she moves up there. I don't think I want to go there again though.

      Appreciate the help smile I'm feeling much better. Back to my normal self and sleeping in my own bed tonight. Yay!

    • Posted

      So happy to hear your recovery went so well. 

      No tank water ever again sounds good to me! 

      Stay well & happy & I hope life is kind to you!

       

    • Posted

      Hi renee99289

      So glad your on the road to recovery....a lesson learned hey???....my very best wishes to you Renee.....smile..x

    • Posted

      Oh cool! Out of hospital!

      Thank you for providing the answer!!! TA!

      The good old Campylobacter (jejunii I guess).

      (I know many people who got it, in Vienna, in France...no tank water.)

      Pretty nasty gastrointestinal infection (pain, abdominal cramps, fever since inflitrating the intestine mucosa), 

      and very, very contagious

      (you just need to ingest a few numbers of bacteria, in contrary to salmonella).

      Campylobacter is usually left alone since self limiting usually, symptomatic treatment the first line very important: electrolytes, hydration.

      One also needs to take special care not to infect anyone else, high hygiene, since it is so contagious.

      (people working in hospitality are usually not allowed to work during or after infection until stool is neg. And no contact to babies or elderly!)

      If the campylobacter (jejuni) sickness takes longer than 1 week, or if one is immune suppressed or bloody stools or high fevers happen, that's when antibiotics are indicated in this case.

      Problem is just, that many campylobacter are resistant to usual antibiotics (fast treatment with fluoroquinolone) due to misuse (in farming/given to animals).

      Erythromycin is mainly used, or

      macrolids like azithromycin and clarithromycin seem to work. 

      (Tetracycline, amoxicillin, ampicillin, metronidazole, and cephalosporins hardly work anymore.)

      Good if your antibiotic works or your own immune system as it usually clears it up after a nasty week of pain, weightloss and diarrhea.

      ALL ALL THE BEST!

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