Sick in Mexico?

[Anonymous]

I'm just curious how many people have traveled to Mexico and gotten sick, even when not drinking the water? I hear about it all the time, how people don't drink the water but still get sick. This happened to us in the Dominican Republic, half of our group (about 6 people) got sick while staying at a nice all-inclusive resort. We are thinking about going to Mexico as they have so many great all-inclusives, but I don't want this to happen again - especially now with my 2-year old daughter. We are considering other places as well, like Jamaica (I've been there before and loved it).

[Anonymous]

I have traveled there twice and have not gotten sick and neither has anyone in my family. We drank water, used ice, etc at the resort and were fine. We also went out to eat and were fine. We stayed only in the Hotel Zone area of Cancun where all the water is treated.

[Anonymous]

I Got sick in Mexico.... spent several days barely able to make it to the toilet, and only made it back on the plane b/c of imodium.

My dad got hepatitis (we think)... he was yellow and in terrible shape on the way home. I think they diagnosed it when he got back to the states.

Two other people on our trip also had montezuma's revenge -- I think it came from brushing our teeth with the tap water.

I also got it in St. Lucia -- stupid me -- I drank a drop of water out in nature (we were on some kind of rainforest tour)... regretted it!

I vaguely remember also getting it in Puerto Rico (one of the two times I was there).

[Anonymous]

I've travelled Mexico with my child repeatedly and have been fine. I'm careful with the water (even for brushing, I used bottle water) and avoid uncooked vegetables, raw fruit that I haven't peeled myself and iced drinks and haven't had an issue. But people who travel anywhere are susceptible to the unfamiliar germs of their new environment. That's life.

[Anonymous]

I went to Mexico and got sick by staying at an all-inclusive. Didn't drink the local water, but got exposed somehow.

If you can reasonably explain to your 2-year-old that you have a different approach (when we brush teeth, we'll use this water) to things than you do at home, then maybe it would be okay.

But honestly, it'd be easier to go somewhere where you don't have to worry about things like water.

[Anonymous]

I have never been as sick as I was in Mexico. Was so safe with bottled water for everything. DH and I ate the same meals, except one night I had a chocolate mousse dessert. We (and the dr.) thought it must have been made with unpasteurized milk. And this was at a top steak house!

DH spent a year in Mexico on business, and never got sick.

[Anonymous]

Also never got sick. I've heard that most people get caught by eating food make with uncooked water (like the delicious fresh salsa); eating drinks laden with ice made with untreated water (like frozen margaritas -- although others I know insist the tequila kills all the germs); and eating fresh fruit and vegetables that is either washed in the water, or is grown with a lot of water (like watermelons). I've done all of these things and never gotten sick, but also recognized I was rolling the dice a little.
Eat cooked foods, not salads, peel fruit and avoid the ones that are mostly water (watermelon, cucumbers, etc.).

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the responses. I'm starting to think it may not be worth it to go there with a toddler... I don't really want to have to worry about her eating fruit, accidentally drinking bath water (which she likes to try to do pretty often), etc.

[Anonymous]

Nope. Not worth it. Pass.

[Anonymous]

Got sick from the food, not water, and got really sick like i shat myself in the cancun airport- bad.

[Anonymous]

I brush my teeth with the tap water in nice hotels in Mexico City when on business, never had a problem.

[Anonymous]

Conversely, my cousin's wife went there for a stem-cell based treatment for her rheumatoid arthritis that isn't available in the US and had amazing results. Went from walking with a cane to running again.

[Anonymous]

I'm an expat living in Mexico, drink local water, give it to my kids -- have never gotten sick. That said, Mexico is a big country. Where are you talking about specifically?

[Anonymous]

I've never gotten sick in Mexico but would never take kids under 10 there. If something happens the medical care won't be good. Not worth the risk

[Anonymous]

I have gone to Puerta Vallarta many times. I always ask for bottled water, but I do brush my teeth with sink water. Have never gotten sick.

My brother told me once that people get sick from food made with unclean hands, or THEY buy food on the street and eat it without washing their hands first.