Cronic diarrhoea from drinking tank water?

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.

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  

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 ! 

Hi renee99289

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

Thank you! I hope so too!

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....

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.

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!

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

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!!!

 

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...

I went to my doctor, he referred me to hospital. I came to hospital and they admitted me 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 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

Thank you 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.

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)

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).

 

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!