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Suggest Treatment For Abdominal Discomfort After Drinking Soup
Question: Hi. I made some homemade soup last week. One of the ingredients was a whole chicken. I didn't realize it at the time, but the chicken contained a small plastic bag full of gizzards or something. So this plastic bag ended up getting cooked in the soup, which I ate. I ate the last bit of the soup a few days ago. I noticed a slight increase in gi discomfort, but that's it. How concerned should I be about the long term health impact of having done this? Could it cause cancer or other serious problems? Thanks
Brief Answer:
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Welcome to Healthcare Magic.
I read carefully your query.
The giblet bag is clearly not intended to be cooked, however if this happens and bag remains unaltered (doesn't melt) the cooked meat will not pose an health hazard and the food can be consumed. If the packaging materials have melted,it is recommendable not to consume the food.
If you noticed the plastic bag in the soup unmelted , you don't need to worry but even if the plastic bag has melted ,it is not expected to cause any serious impact in your health and for sure won't cause cancer or other serious problems.
A single episode of accidental intake is no cause for concern.The major part of ingested plastic will be excreted out of your system and it is not likely to cause much harm to your health .
For sure you should avoid repeated exposures in future.
Hope it helps.
Let me know if you need further help.
Kind regards,
Dr.Rovena Murati
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
Welcome to Healthcare Magic.
I read carefully your query.
The giblet bag is clearly not intended to be cooked, however if this happens and bag remains unaltered (doesn't melt) the cooked meat will not pose an health hazard and the food can be consumed. If the packaging materials have melted,it is recommendable not to consume the food.
If you noticed the plastic bag in the soup unmelted , you don't need to worry but even if the plastic bag has melted ,it is not expected to cause any serious impact in your health and for sure won't cause cancer or other serious problems.
A single episode of accidental intake is no cause for concern.The major part of ingested plastic will be excreted out of your system and it is not likely to cause much harm to your health .
For sure you should avoid repeated exposures in future.
Hope it helps.
Let me know if you need further help.
Kind regards,
Dr.Rovena Murati
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you doctor. Can you recommend
anything that might help remove this
from my system faster(eg. activated charcoal, extra
water, extra fiber)?
Also, i should have mentioned: since the soup was
boiled, and then simmered for days, I'm quite sure
the cooking process had completely melted
it, and thus it entered the broth in this melted form,
which I consumed. Does this make it more dangerous?
Finally, you said "it is not likely to cause much harm to your health".
When you say "much harm", does this imply it might do some
degree of harm? If so, what kind of harm would you expect, and
any suggestions for mitigating it?
Thank you very much.
anything that might help remove this
from my system faster(eg. activated charcoal, extra
water, extra fiber)?
Also, i should have mentioned: since the soup was
boiled, and then simmered for days, I'm quite sure
the cooking process had completely melted
it, and thus it entered the broth in this melted form,
which I consumed. Does this make it more dangerous?
Finally, you said "it is not likely to cause much harm to your health".
When you say "much harm", does this imply it might do some
degree of harm? If so, what kind of harm would you expect, and
any suggestions for mitigating it?
Thank you very much.
Brief Answer:
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
There is no need to take anything to remove it quickly from your system because since you eat the last portion of the soup few days ago ,is is already out of your system.
As I said if the plastic bag has melted with the food during cooking ,it is recommendable not to eat the food.This doesn't mean that eating the food will result in serious problems for your health.
As I said , only one exposure with the compounds of the plastic bag wan't cause any harm for your health.Chronic exposure to this elements can cause in long term health problems like cancer.
The effects of an accidental exposure can include stomach upset, diarrhea, abdominal crams soon after consumption.
Try to relax and don't think anymore about this episode.It won't cause any problem for you and there aren't any evidences of any health problem that might have been related to accidental consumption of food contaminated with components of a plastic bad.
So ,considering this episode I won't expect any kind of harm for your health.
Just be careful in the future to avoid eating food contaminated with melted plastic in it.
Take care.
Dr.Rovena
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello.
There is no need to take anything to remove it quickly from your system because since you eat the last portion of the soup few days ago ,is is already out of your system.
As I said if the plastic bag has melted with the food during cooking ,it is recommendable not to eat the food.This doesn't mean that eating the food will result in serious problems for your health.
As I said , only one exposure with the compounds of the plastic bag wan't cause any harm for your health.Chronic exposure to this elements can cause in long term health problems like cancer.
The effects of an accidental exposure can include stomach upset, diarrhea, abdominal crams soon after consumption.
Try to relax and don't think anymore about this episode.It won't cause any problem for you and there aren't any evidences of any health problem that might have been related to accidental consumption of food contaminated with components of a plastic bad.
So ,considering this episode I won't expect any kind of harm for your health.
Just be careful in the future to avoid eating food contaminated with melted plastic in it.
Take care.
Dr.Rovena
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi. Thanks for your detailed answer.
This is not exactly related, but I've been having
very itchy skin the last 4-6 weeks or so. My
skin is very dry, and starting to get some
rashes. Could this be Eczema, or something
worse like liver problems? I've had some liver
tests recently. All normal, except the Prothrombin
Time and INR were just slightly above the normal
range. Kidney test results were perfect. I did have
some kind of liver inflammation about 3 years ago
as a reaction to some heart medications. What
kind of tests would you recommend I take to
try to find the root cause of this?
I hope you don't mind answering this. But,
since it's not directly related to my original
question, I understand if you choose not to
answer it.
Thanks,
XXXXXXX
This is not exactly related, but I've been having
very itchy skin the last 4-6 weeks or so. My
skin is very dry, and starting to get some
rashes. Could this be Eczema, or something
worse like liver problems? I've had some liver
tests recently. All normal, except the Prothrombin
Time and INR were just slightly above the normal
range. Kidney test results were perfect. I did have
some kind of liver inflammation about 3 years ago
as a reaction to some heart medications. What
kind of tests would you recommend I take to
try to find the root cause of this?
I hope you don't mind answering this. But,
since it's not directly related to my original
question, I understand if you choose not to
answer it.
Thanks,
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Please, you can can ask me all the questions you want .I will do my best to give you a prompt answer.
The itchy skin might be related to dry skin .Since your kidney tests and liver tests are normal ,it doesn't seem that it might be related to any condition.
It may also be related to contact dermatitis,which is a skin irritation to some allergens like a strong laundry soap or a body lotion.
So if you have changed any detergent recently ,this might be the cause.I would suggest to chose products hypoallergenic ,mild laundry.
Wear clothes made of cotton and silk and use lose clothes.
Dry air can cause dry skin and itchy skin .I would suggest to use a humidifier in your home to put moisture in the air during the winter and in dry weather.
Moisturize your skin soon after the shower and maybe 2-3 times a day.
Avoid very hot showers ,because this can dry the skin.Instead take lukewarm baths.
-Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day.
If these measures doesn't seem to help with the itchy skin ,you may need to see your doctor for a physical examination.
He may prescribe you a treatment like antihistamines (Benadryl) .
You may need to do few tests to exclude diabetes and hypothyroidism,since your liver tests and kidney tests are normal.
-Blood sugar test
-Thyroid function tests : TSH.
Hope this helps.
Please feel free to ask for every question you might have.I would be happy to help.
I wish you all the best.
Take care.
Dr.Rovena
detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
Please, you can can ask me all the questions you want .I will do my best to give you a prompt answer.
The itchy skin might be related to dry skin .Since your kidney tests and liver tests are normal ,it doesn't seem that it might be related to any condition.
It may also be related to contact dermatitis,which is a skin irritation to some allergens like a strong laundry soap or a body lotion.
So if you have changed any detergent recently ,this might be the cause.I would suggest to chose products hypoallergenic ,mild laundry.
Wear clothes made of cotton and silk and use lose clothes.
Dry air can cause dry skin and itchy skin .I would suggest to use a humidifier in your home to put moisture in the air during the winter and in dry weather.
Moisturize your skin soon after the shower and maybe 2-3 times a day.
Avoid very hot showers ,because this can dry the skin.Instead take lukewarm baths.
-Make sure to drink plenty of water during the day.
If these measures doesn't seem to help with the itchy skin ,you may need to see your doctor for a physical examination.
He may prescribe you a treatment like antihistamines (Benadryl) .
You may need to do few tests to exclude diabetes and hypothyroidism,since your liver tests and kidney tests are normal.
-Blood sugar test
-Thyroid function tests : TSH.
Hope this helps.
Please feel free to ask for every question you might have.I would be happy to help.
I wish you all the best.
Take care.
Dr.Rovena
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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