Salmonella Food Poisoning

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

Causes

Signs/Symptoms

Care

Risks

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO

• If you are taking antibiotics, continue to take them until they are all gone--even if you feel well. Always take medicine as directed. If you feel it is not helping, call your doctor. Do not quit taking it on your own.
• Rest in bed at least 3 days after your symptoms go away. You may get up to go to the bathroom. While in bed, move your legs a lot. This helps to prevent blood clots from forming.
• Use a heating pad or hot water bottle to help relieve stomach cramps.
• Drink plenty of liquids that have a lot of minerals and vitamins in them until the diarrhea stops. Then eat healthy, soft, bland foods such as bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast.
• To keep from getting another infection, cook all meat and poultry thoroughly. Do not eat dishes containing raw eggs.
• Follow directions on food labels on how to properly store and refrigerate foods known to be carriers of the salmonella bacteria.
• Wash your hands after handling uncooked foods and before handling cooked foods.

Call Your Doctor If...

• You have diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, or a headache that last longer than a few days.
• You have a dry mouth; dry, wrinkled skin; dark urine, less urine than usual; dry eyes without tears; or if you feel sleepier than usual. These are signs of the dehydration that can develop from prolonged diarrhea.
• You develop a rash, itching, or swelling of your abdomen (belly) or legs. This condition may be caused by your medicine.

Seek Care Immediately If...

• You can't drink fluids or keep food down.
• You have high temperature, yellow color to the skin or eyes, cough up blood, or worsening diarrhea.

IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE HOSPITAL...

What to Expect While You're There

• Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature, blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats), and respirations (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is taken by wrapping a cuff around your arm.
• Pulse Oximeter: While you are getting oxygen, you may be hooked up to a pulse oximeter (ox-IM-uh-ter). It is placed on your ear, finger, or toe and is connected to a machine that measures the oxygen in your blood.
• IV: A tube placed in your vein for giving medicine or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to it.
• Blood: Usually taken from a vein in your hand or from the bend in your elbow. Tests will be done on the blood.
• Antibiotic Medicines: You may need antibiotics to fight your infection. They may be given through the IV, in a shot, or by mouth.
• Stool Sample: You may be asked to save a sample of your diarrhea in a cup. Your doctor will send it to the lab. This sample will help the doctor determine the exact cause of the illness. It will also help the doctor choose the medicine you need.
• Activity: Stay in bed at least 3 days after diarrhea, fever and other symptoms go away. Don't get out of bed if you are feeling dizzy or light-headed.