The Cream Puffs’ Guide to Surviving Your Honeymoon
August 21st, 2008 @ 4:40 pm by Mrs. Cream Puff
I would like to preface this post by saying that we did, in fact, have a very relaxing honeymoon, and the Caribbean Ocean simply cannot be beat. However, this post is not about how great our honeymoon was (that comes tomorrow). This is a post about getting really sick, and how you can avoid getting really sick yourself.
We’ve been back from our honeymoon for a week, and I have been sick for a week and a half. There’s no need to get into the details of exactly what kind of sick I am, as I’m pretty sure you can use your imagination. Mr. Cream Puff is also sick, but not quite as sick as I am. The day I got sick, we went on an excursion to Tulum. The excursion involved swimming in a cenote and zip-lining. We were not allowed to bring our own water for some reason, and they provided water for us. Their water was not bottled. I originally thought I got sick from this water, but looking back on our pictures, I already looked sick, and I remember feeling not-so-hot as we were preparing to do the zip-line. Evidence:
I am clearly unwell in this picture, which was taken prior to the actual excursion. Thus, I have concluded that I actually got sick from the water at our hotel. We talked to several other people at our hotel who were sick as well. This leads me to believe that we were not the only people who thought the water and food at our resort were safe.
Yes, that’s right. I was a fool. I laughed with the rest of the theater during the Sex and the City movie when, while in Mexico, Charlotte avoided eating anything that wasn’t pre-packaged. Midway through our trip, however, I started thinking she was on to something. I’ve become a teensy bit of an expert on food-borne illness since I got home. And because I can’t do anything but eat saltines right now, I’m going to share my tips with you. I present, my dears, The Cream Puff’s Guide to Surviving Your Honeymoon:
Part 1: How to Avoid Getting Sick on your Mexican Honeymoon
- Do not fool yourself into thinking that your fancy resort hotel will be any different than the hole-in-the-wall down the street. No matter how fancy the glass it’s served in, that water might have billions of little bacteria swimming around, ready to wreak havoc on your body. Play it safe. Our honeymoon was in a nice, fancy hotel. We thought the water was safe, and we were clearly very wrong.
- Don’t drink water unless it comes out of a bottle. This means toting around a bunch of bottled water everywhere you go, which can be a pain in the neck–rest assured, it’s worth it.
- Bring a water filter. I’ll be buying one of these or one of these. I’d rather look like a paranoid loser than be sick for 2 weeks, that’s all I have to say.
- Do not drink anything with ice in it–even if the water is bottled or the coke is canned, the ice is made from tap water.
- You might even want to avoid brushing your teeth with the water, according to my doctor.
- Do not eat any raw fruits or vegetables that you did not personally peel.
- It might be best to avoid eating any raw fruits or vegetables, period. Remember the tomato outbreak here in the US? How about the jalepeño outbreak? Those were imported from Mexico. After those outbreaks, the FDA did a bunch of research. Apparently, when a tomato/jalapeño/melon is picked from the field, the processor will sometimes run it directly through a “bath” of water to clean it off. If the bath is cold and the fruit is warm from the sun, the water can be sucked directly into the fruit or vegetable through the stem. If the water in the bath is not clean, it will contaminate the inside of the fruit which obviously cannot be washed off. This is why they were saying that raw jalapeños from Mexico were bad, but cooked or pickled were okay–once it’s cooked, the bacteria is killed. This “bath” practice is not done in the States because it’s too dangerous, but the FDA found that some farms in Mexico are doing things this way. This may have led to the outbreak. The moral to the story: be careful when eating fruits and vegetables grown in Mexico.
- Bring Pepto Bismol and Imodium (although, not to be gross, this really didn’t help us).
- Wash your hands often, and don’t forget the soap.
- Bring bug spray (this is somewhat unrelated, but still very good advice).
Part 2: What to do if You Are Already Sick
- Revert to the “BRAT” diet: Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast.
- The rice and bread must be white. All this time I’d been eating wheat toast when I was sick. It needs to be white. Seeds and grains will make it worse.
- Saltine crackers also fall under the “Toast” category.
- As a side note, this diet really sucks–it has to be made up of the most boring foods ever.
- Don’t drink anything other than cola, water (bottled, of course), 7up, or gingerale.
- Drink your pepto. I saw people on our trip drinking it straight out of the bottle.
- If you’re totally miserable and still sick when you get home, go see your doctor. You might have any of a number of nasty bacteria, some of which involve worms!
Other than that, I have no suggestions on how to make yourself feel better. I, personally, am still pretty miserable.
Anyone else got any tips?
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57 Responses to “The Cream Puffs’ Guide to Surviving Your Honeymoon”
Awww Mrs. Cream Puff I hope you (and the Mr. I don’t remember if you said he was sick too and I’m too lazy to look through your post to find out) feel better soon! Thank you for the advice 
On the bright side Bananas are full of potasium and really good for you.
oooo Mrs CP, so sorry you got so sick! We were hypersensitive when we were on spring break in Akumal, and this sounds very college spring break-like, but we drank Corona all the time to avoid this problem. We knew that it came straight from a pasteurized bottle, it didn’t need ice, and we don’t dress ours with limes. We also brought a ton of bottled water with us (back when it was okay to bring liquids on planes), but a filter is a good idea too!
I hope you get better soon!! =/
Aw man that STINKS! Hope you’re feeling better! I once ate fish tacos is Cabo and got sooo sick. It’s no fun!
If you’re already sick, make sure you stay hydrated! One of my girlfriends made the mistake of swearing off all liquids once she got ill, and landed herself in the ER when she got home because she was so dehydrated. Not fun!
yikes! hope you feel better soon! when i was tramping around India last summer, i went for three weeks, eating street food, hotel food, and drinking bottled drinks, and it wasn’t until i bought a (sadly, rancid) Cadbury Fruit & Nut bar at a street market that i got really, really sick. kind of ironic, eh?
best wishes for a speedy recovery!
That sucks. Mr PN and I both got sick on vacation once (stomach bug) and it was awful. I couldn’t imagine being sick on the honeymoon! Wishing you both a speedy recovery and return to real food!
Oh, no good! We’re going to Mexico, so this is good to know before the honeymoon! Feel better!
Depending what part of the world you’re in, eg. Thailand, you may also want to avoid any shellfish.
Your post makes me me glad we’re not considering a Mexican honeymoon. I’m so sorry for you and Mr. CP! Feel better soon!
All very good advice…
40 % of people are effected in this way.
My bf and i were in Mexcio, same area, in May and are still feeling the effects today….we drean of the pre-mexico days
omg we got sick too!!! except like, all out flu and fever sick. u poor thing, i can’t believe u guys are still sick even this long after!! but yea, my honeymoon posts are starting today, so i’ll be getting to the details on that!
Hang in there! My brother lived in Mexico for awhile in college and was sick for months after he got back. He probably didn’t go to the doctor as quickly as you did though. Hoping you both feel better soon! Worst souvenir ever.
I have two preventative measures:
1) A friend of mine went to Africa for 3 months and during the whole time, she took a low dosage of antibiotics. She had told her doctor of her travel plans and he prescribed it to her. She never got sick.
2) Another alternative is to drive pepto everyday to coat your stomach. This has not been proven by any my friends.
I would definitely recommend the first measure!
We got back from our honeymoon in Cabo 3 weeks ago and DH is still having problems with his allergies. It all started Day 3 of our trip when he played golf at a very nice and very expensive golf course in Cabo. I don’t know if it was something they use in the chemicals to keep the course nice or not. I’ve made him an appointment at my allergist to see what’s going on. No stomach problems to report from our trip to Cabo. We stayed in a really nice, expensive resort but I think we just got lucky with no stomach problems. Hope you feel better soon.
Ugh. I feel your pain. We went on our honeymoon about two months after our wedding. We went to the middle east and france. I was also in the early stages of pregnancy. I got sick in the middle east (probably from some vegetables) and then couldn’t enjoy the food of france). Of course, I was even more nervous because I was pregnant. My only other suggestion regarding water is make sure you open the bottle yourself at a restaurant. I’ve been told sometimes restaurants just fill the bottles with tap to save money.
Good luck!
I bring handi-wipe sort of things on the plane and wipe down all hard surfaces when I sit down. I also wipe down my hands at the gate, after boarding, and upon leaving the airport. It sounds totally OCD, but FI would get sick on EVERY trip we took (he has a super weak stomach and gets fevers easily) and on the last trip, he was completely healthy the whole time.
Oh no Miss CP!! That’s so terrible that you go so sick!! I hope you start feeling better soon!!
Aw, major bummer! I’m so sorry you got sick on your honeymoon.
I spent a semester in college in west Africa and had constant stomach problems (especially after getting malaria). I popped Pepto pills like they were candy. I’d also recommend bringing some all-purpose (prescribed) antibiotics, as this can be the quickest route to getting rid of a bacterial problem that’s causing you tummy trouble.
I agree with your water tips… And I think it’s ok to eat street food as long as everything’s cooked. I’d rather eat delicious local food and get sick than always be forced to eat packaged stuff while I’m traveling.
Better luck next time!
Just to encourage those who are on the fence about a Mexican trip, my fiance and I went a few years ago and were just fine. We definitely followed all the rules–the most important absolutely nothing but bottled water (even at fancy hotels, even for toothbrushing, don’t even open your mouth when you shower!) and avoiding fresh fruits and veggies if you can’t peel them yourselves–but its easy to do if you get it into your head ahead of time, and we had a wonderful trip.
As an aside, I would probably avoid any tour group that didn’t let me bring my own bottled water…
I’ve gotta say that I feel a little bit embarrased for this post… as a mexican girl i feel really bad for what happened to you here in my country… 
I know that I cannot say that it’s not true that or water it’s contaminated or not so well purified, but what I can say is that I’m sorry for that…. But also, I hope that you had enjoy the beautiful beaches and the sand in Tulum and forgot a little your sickness! I live only 5 hours from there, in Mérida, Yucatan, where Mrs. Peppermint had her honeymoon!
Oh, lord, this is my biggest fear for our honeymoon especially for FI ’cause he has a sensitive stomach.
I just got back from Mexico with my sister and I think we did the same excursion! Although we were allowed (and encouraged) to bring bottled water. We weren’t allowed to wear sunscreen or bug spray though. Burnt my nose. Sorry to hear you were ill! Next time pick up one of these babies: http://www.steripen.com/
My fiance and I went to Puerto Vallarta last year, and he got a horrible intestinal bug (he said it’s the sickest he has ever been! even worse than some bad times he had in rural China). Our advice: avoid the peanuts/munchies at the pool bar. It seems like an obvious detail, b/c those peanuts can be gross anyway…but even today my fiance is convinced he got sick from a mixture of pool water and those bar nuts. Ewww!!
Same thing happened to me in that same part of Mexico. If you are running a fever still, go to the doctor. Antibiotics will clear that up in a hurry.
Poor you! Wait–does this mean pina coladas are out?? Oh NO!
I’ve heard that if you eat Activia yogurt (or any yogurt with BL Regularis bacteria) every day for a week or more before you go, and keep eating it (if possible) while you’re there, it helps big time.
Anyone else heard this?
Aww I’m sorry you dont feel good — I too stayed in ONE of the NICED CABO SAN LUCUS 4 Star Resorts - The Esperanza - You know the one where Jennifer Aniston & Owen Wilson stay at???? I STILL GOT SICK TOO — AND i was very carfeful what I drank/eat.
Good Luck sweetie!!
We went to Mexico for our honeymoon, but luckily neither of us got sick. My husband went with the “drink a shot of tequila after every meal” to not get sick!
So sorry to hear you are sick!
We are thinking of going to Riviera Maya in a few months. I really hope you do a HM review soon! Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
We went to Cabo on our HM and we only felt slightly ill on the day after we went to downtown Cabo San Lucas. We had no problems at our resort. We ate fresh fruit every morning and had quite a bit of fresh table-side prepared salsa. Of course, the resort we stayed at has their own water purification system for the entire place (showers included!) so it eased my mind a bit. And, no one ever served us water that wasn’t from a bottle and opened at the table for us. Although we probably should have been more careful when we went in to town. Live and learn.
Thanks for the tips!
yeah, I’ve got a tip!
I was brutally illin’ on the 3rd day of a 7-day trip in freaking EASTER ISLAND! The rest of the trip was trashed, and I stayed in my room :(. Fortunately, there was a travel nurse staying in the same hostel. She recommends that not only should you drink bottled water - drink carbonated bottled water (con gas? si!). Apparently at some places in the world, the “bottled water” you will get (ie at a restaurant) is just a re-used bottle they fill with tap water (and customarily they open it too, so you’re none the wiser). If it’s carbonated/sparkling water, when they open it, you’ll know it hasn’t been tampered with.
Oh yeah, and don’t eat at any local BBQ’s on Easter Island. Those fools don’t know how to cook their sheep thoroughly!
poor Mrs. CP–I hear ya… I got food poisoning sometime while I was in the Tulum area, too, on my honeymoon, no less. But mine was definitely short-lived food poisoning, likely from something my dear hubby cooked up for us on the B&B’s barbeque one night when we were too lazy to venture out into the city for dinner. We washed the veggies with veggie-cleaning soap and purified water, but still got sick. (looking back, I should have peeled them or went without).
My Mom had heard that if you take acidophilus (get it in pill form at the store and it has to be refridgerated), it supposedly settles your stomach and prepares it for the roller-coaster of spicy food. I tried it and did eat activia almost every day (as Miss Sea Breeze mentioned), and didn’t get sick. I even drank lots of margaritas on the rocks (not even thinking!) and never got sick from one.
We did always brush our teeth and rinse our toothbrushes in purified water. And we lugged a lot of store-bought bottles around with us.
Don’t be afraid, hive. The Mayan Riviera and other parts of Mexico are awesome. Just be prepared and hydrated!
There’s been some recalls of produce (alfalfa sprouts and spinch, I think) from California, too. There are certain vegetables that are best to only eat cooked, or avoid altogether (such as alfalfa sprouts).
I echo your comments about the teeth brushing! That’s what I’ve always been told, and followed, when in areas of suspicious or unknown water (that includes camping).
i got rashes all throughout my body just walking the streets of mexico! something in the air mixed with the heat gave me heat rashes..and it didnt get any better after having my first meal there..ughh…
And this is the exact reason (and my worst nightmare) why we are honeymooning in Seattle then Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada!!
I hope you feel better soon!! If you can stomach it eventually, get some Kerns Apricot Nectar. That is our family’s little secret weapon against sick tummy issues. It has to be apricot though…that one just works. Sip it at room temp…not cold.
Aw, hope you feel better!
Oh, and I don’t know if low dose antibiotics (an idea above) will work for Mexico. No antibiotic can kill every bug - they’re specific to the type or family of bacteria. So, if you are taking something for one family of bacteria, but you get another family of bacteria, it doesn’t give you any protection. Plus, there are 3 down sides - antibiotic resistance is possible, side effects can occur, and you can become allergic with exposure. The travel clinic doctor can give preventative treatments when a specific bacteria (or parasite) is prevelant in one area, such as cholera (or malaria).
I went to Africa and drank lots of bottled water there. Before going, I heard from a friend to take some Pepto-Bismol 15 or 20 minutes, I think it was, before each meal, to coat the stomach (or intestines?) and prevent any little buggers from getting through. It seemed logical, so I tried it. I never got sick — and I know I once slipped up and had ice, and I did enjoy some of the fruit there — it was too hard to pass up.
I sure hope you two get better soon! Gatorade should help you restore your electrolytes if you are still losing a lot of fluid, if you know what I mean.
Whoa! So sorry you got sick Mrs. CP! I feel a little silly asking this, but your post has got me nervous- what about Carribean Cruises? Will we be okay because the cruiseline is from the United States? Will we only need to watch ourselves at ports? Thanks guys! And feel better Mrs. CP!
I went to Riviera Maya for my friends wedding and all the water in the hotel was safe, it is important to check when scoping out resorts they do advertise it if they do so, we still had bottled water all the time though. A few years back a co-worker went to Cabo for a party vacation with friends while, she got so sick that she passed away while still in Cabo. Sounds like some exaggeration but it so not. It is tragic. Important advice/tip is as soon as you do not feel good go to the doctor immediately.
sorry for my bad grammer and Mrs. Cream Puff feel better soon!
I got so flippin ill in Vietnam from ice — arrrgh. And I have a stomach of steeeeeeel from eating from sidewalk vendors in Hong Kong. On a side note, you still look tres adorable in your photo!!
That’s a bummer… I don’t think it helps that we go on these trips right after the most tiring planning ever when you’re all run down! My husband and I went to Cabo and although my allergies acted up pretty bad, we didn’t get sick at all digestion-wise. I wasn’t careful either, although I should have been. I definitely ate fruit and ice but no straight tap water.
I work in the travel industry and I have to say Mrs. CP’s advice is right on. No brushing your teeth with tap water. Do not forget in the shower either, it’s so common that people are relaxing in the shower and let the spray go into their mouth. Sometimes I would chew gum in the shower just to keep me aware. Finally, no ice and if it comes in a bottle make sure the seal on the top has not been cracked. I always bring powdered gatorade or electrolyte powder with me. If you have any stomach ailment, you need to make sure you are staying hydrated and at that point water just doesn’t cut it.
don’t forget anti-bacterial gel or wipes. i’ve traveled in a couple places that were far from third-world but somehow soap in public places was scarce. which is how i got a stomach bug and ended up on the BRAT diet for a week.
I know people who have gotten sick down there….I just wanted to say I have been several times, to mexico and CR….never once had a problem. I thought I would, because I have stomach issues anyway, but actually I had felt better down there than ever! My Dr. said it could be the processed foods we have here, as opposed to more natural stuff there….she also suggested I start an organic diet at home…anyway, yes, avoid the water, but resorts should be very careful about this stuff. They should only be serving bottled water. I always had drinks with ice though….and had fruits & veggies….its more the outside restaurants you should be concerned with. Don’t forget, people from there are kind of immune to this stuff. Going there is a major change to your diet. My friend got sick from a Subway shop down there, so some places definitely be careful with you don’t know how they wash there veggies and stuff. I just can’t believe so many people have gotten sick! knock on wood….I hope to go back next year!
take antibiotics with you!
cipro usually works really well if you get a sudden stomach bug, and your doctor can give you some before you leave home just in case.
here’s what the CDC says about it:
http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentDiseases.aspx#diarrhea
feel better creampuffs.
Our resort claimed to have their own water purification system on the property. I still managed to get very ill on the 2nd day and I was sick for about 2 weeks after we returned. My husband however was fine…..it was a bummer! So I completely feel your pain
wow! i’m a little nervous now about going to our honeymoon in Cancun in less than two months. I’ll be sure to follow your handy tips.
thank you!
Moe, ChicagoSarah, and Miss Creampuff: stay on top of your illness with your doctors. I got sick from my first (and only) vacation abroad (in Europe, no less!), and guess what? I am STILL SICK! THREE YEARS LATER (although the absolute worst of it was for the first year, before I learned what foods I was never allowed to eat ever again)! It can turn into IBS permanently. It is a living hell.
I hope you get better very soon! Hey, at least your new husband has already seen you at your worst and most gross (my fiance certainly has). That means you guys are truly meant to be!!
I have to agree with you on how crappy the BRAT diet is. I had the stomach flu for a few weeks and that’s all I ate (I use to love applesauce and still can’t eat it to this day). One thing I would recommend is that you drink up on Gatorade. Since you’re losing a lot of liquid when you go to the restroom, you need to replenish your electrolytes.
Oh noes! That sucks!
I’m sure Mexican food sounds like it’ll be great on your stomach tonight, too.
Take Dukoral before you go! its a vaccine against ‘traveller’s illness’ you take it two weeks before you go and then one week before or something I can’t remember. It cost about 60 dollars each and was worth every penny we didn’t get sick in Mexico at all. We were in playa del carmen the same time as you! we stayed at Aventuras Palace though.
We were told by a man that travels all over the world and eats the food that the locals eat that he takes Acidopholous to help his stomach. He said that he has never had a problem with local food in these type of countries. He is a chemist and his wife is a dr so I would think that they should know a little bit about this. I would still not eat the local vendor food or drink the water personally. Maybe this is something to at least try. I have since met people that take this daily due to stomach issues.
I feel like you and I had the SAME experience! We honeymooned in Playa del Carmen from 8/12-8/19 (I bet we were there the same time you were!) and have been sick now for a week. It has been horrible to say the least - and I’ve had a battery of tests done at the dr. which I’m getting more results from on Tuesday. Until then, I’m hoping that my Cipro does the trick. My husband is on it too (even though he doesn’t have any symptoms, the dr. said that he might still be carrying whatever it might be, so he’s taking it as a precaution so he doesn’t pass it back to me after I recover). I hope you feel better soon. And yes, next time we go to Mexico, we are not going to trust our “safe” hotel water/ice again.
I’m obviously behind in my weddingbee reading, but I hope you’re feeling better by now! For future reference, many doctors do not recommend Immodium if there’s any chance your problems are caused by bacteria, viruses, worms, etc. You end up holding all that badness inside you, where it can fester even more and cause more badness (trying to avoid being horribly disgusting here). Better to let your body do what it wants to do, which is get it out of you. Just drink lots of fluids so you don’t dehydrate in the process!
[...] Part 1, Part 2 [...]
Mrs. Cream Puff, San Francisco Bay Area
Age and Occupation: 25, Illustrator
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 31, Merchandise Planner
Engagement Date: May 27, 2007
Wedding Date: August, 2008
Blogging Since: February 7, 2008
Venue: Ceremony at Crissy Field and Reception at the Green Room
About Me: I never dreamed about my wedding as a little girl because I was too busy playing in the mud or pretending to be Martha Stewart–but now that it's here, I'm having a fabulous time DIYing everything in sight! We’re planning a very fun multicultural wedding (I'm Jewish and Mr. Cream Puff is Chinese), filled with as many personal details as I can muster.
Now you’ve made me so nervous to go to Cabo in less than 2 months!! I will definitely be taking your advice and looking into a water filter.
Do you think it was anything in particular that you think did it?
Anymore tips and tricks for the honeymoon would be great!