Surviving a Stomach Virus with Lupus

It was that time of the year when norovirus was rampant. Since it was the holiday season, it spread like wildfire. Having lupus and other chronic illnesses, I knew dealing with a stomach virus with lupus meant I was vulnerable. I was so scared and took every precaution I could.

It was the day before my husband’s birthday, so we decided to go out and have a pre-birthday dinner. But after our meal, I started to feel sick. I had the worst stomach cramps of my life, but my period was supposed to start soon, so I thought it might be just that. But the pain soon became unbearable. Then diarrhea followed. I thought, "Oh no. I must have gotten hit with the norovirus."

A Birthday Ruined a Stomach Virus

The timing of it all was just terrible because the next day was my husband’s actual birthday and we were supposed to go out with family. Instead of celebrating, I was going back and forth from my bed to the toilet. It was just awful. That night I was in so much pain. It hurt 10x worse than regular period cramps. I had to alternate between ice packs and heating pads to calm my stomach down.

Hoping for relief, I took some Pepto Bismol thinking that would help, but that didn't do much. I was on the toilet from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. I even saw blood, and that really freaked me out. Thankfully, I was able to get some sleep from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. Then it started all over again.

Telehealth to the Rescue

My period decided to join the party too. When it rains, it really pours. I was still in so much pain that I decided to schedule a telehealth appointment. Thankfully, my insurance had this option, and I was able to talk to a doctor within an hour. I didn’t know what advice they could help with, regarding a stomach virus with lupus, but I was desperate at this point.

He suggested Imodium instead of Pepto Bismol along with lots of fluids. I needed to drink either Pedialyte or Gaterode to replenish fluids and electrolytes. Plus, no solid foods until I hadn't had diarrhea for 8 hours. He told me to also stay away from dairy and any fruits. The doctor noted it was good that I had no fever and was not vomiting. However, he concluded that he could not rule out the norovirus or if it was just food poisoning and to just keep on monitoring.

Isolation and Precaution

The upside was that it was just me that was sick. Everyone else in my household, which included my husband and parents, were all fine. From what I read online, they said norovirus was highly contagious. If one person had it, more than likely everyone in the household was going to get it. So we took all the precautions necessary to make sure that no one else got sick.  I used a separate bathroom, and I still sanitized after every use. My husband slept on the couch and would bring me food whenever I had the appetite. The feeling of isolation reminded me of when I had COVID.

A False Start on Recovery

Later that night, I was starting to feel better. I had only gone to the toilet a few times and thought this was it. I was on the mend. My appetite was also starting to come back, and my stomach cramps were not as bad. I was starting to feel relief. Dinner finally consisted of some real food specifically rice and steak. Thankfully, I was also able to sleep through the night.

A Setback and Final Healing

Sadly, I spoke too soon, and I was back on the toilet again on day 3 with the intense sharp pains. I felt defeated and just wanted this to go away. I was so over being sick. The upside was that no one else was still sick. I think I probably introduced food back into my system too quickly. So I decided for the rest of the week I would just stick to soup, toast, and tea. Thankfully, that worked.

Since it was only me that was sick, I feel like it was food poisoning. From what, I still have no idea since I ate whatever everyone else ate. But because I am immunocompromised, I feel like my body just wasn’t able to fight off a stomach virus with lupus compared to others. But who knows. Maybe all the precautions, and sanitizing, and isolation were enough to keep my family safe.