Flu or Food Poisoning?

I agree with Kristina. If it's food poisoning, it's a violent reaction. And it's not true that it always happens immediately. For instance, e.coli poisoning can take over a week for symptoms to show up, which is why it's often hard to trace. It varies significantly depending on the type of foodborne illness.

They can evaluate in the ER. I had to go in for stomach flu and I'll spare the details, but I was in horrible shape. By the time they called me in, I was laying on the floor in the ER bathroom in agony (it's that bad that you don't care if you're on the floor in a public restroom). I ultimately needed two bags of IV fluids.

Foodborne illness and stomach flu are very similar. They're both far more horrible than vomiting once. They can determine in the ER which one it is.

typically food poisoning reactions happen 4-6hrs of ingesting food. did he vomit multiple times or just once? If just once i would say more like something on(in) the burger did not agree with him. Poisoning does not get out in one vomit session, it typically takes until all is out of his system and includes some soft stool as well.

Food poisoning is usually a violent eruption from both ends at the same time...LOL. They both start about the same time and last for hours and possibly in to the next day.

It usually is so bad the person feels the need to get treatment and ends up with a bag of fluids and an ointment that they rub inside the wrist to stop the upset stomach.

The flu would make that look like a day in the park because it would also have fever, a wide range of body aches, nasal issues, chest congestion, cough, goo in lungs and nose, etc...

my doctor told me that food poisoning usually happens very soon after eating, like half an hour.

Food poisoning happens relatively soon after eating. Then passes. I'd still bet it was the burgers...since he was nauseous before dinner.

something didn't sit right with me. food or something. doesn't have to be food poisoning. Trust me, me if were the flu you'd know it, he'd know it.

Instead of the flu or food poisoning, it could just be a quick stomach virus. Typically, these are airborne (hence, very easy to catch just from someone at the game). My mom always says you need to totally rest your stomach/digestive tract when this happens: only some flat cola or gingerale (1 oz every hour), assuming you can keep it down. Once the wretching has stopped for a few hours, it's time for the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce or toast -- without butter or peanut butter). Keep fats to a minimum for 24 hours.

Poor guy -- and poor you!

Sounds like some bad sliders to me. Food poisoning usually hits anywhere from 2-10 hours after ingestion. For me, it is typically about 5 hours after whatever it was. I've had "bad" chicken out, "bad" seafood, and "bad" ribs... all on separate occasions. I always wake up feeling like there is a ROCK in my gut... and within an hour am vomiting. If it hit him quickly, he may have gotten it all out of his system before it got deep into his intestinal tract... (or so it has always seemed to me). The sooner I knew I had eaten something bad (spoiled or contaminated) and threw it up, the sooner I felt better and the less severe the effects. If it gets all the way into your system first, you end up with diarrhea also....

If he is fine today, be glad. :)