A British graduate was once left severely unwell and hospitalised with a parasitic an infection after taking a dip in a picturesque Fijian waterfall right through a once-in-a-lifetime volunteering commute.
Isabelle Lythgow, 23, had travelled to the far flung village of Nairukuruku in Fiji as a part of a six-week placement – however her tropical journey quickly became a nightmare when she fell violently unwell simply hours after swimming with locals.
The Salford University graduate, who now works as a psychological well being nurse, stated she started experiencing dizziness, decrease again ache and tingling limbs after attending a village bonfire that night.
Isabelle – who suffers from a serious phobia of vomiting – was once then ill each and every 30 mins right through the evening, with the indications lasting for over 12 hours.
When she in spite of everything made it to health center by way of taxi, medics instantly hooked her as much as an IV drip and advised her she will have to have are available a lot previous.
Doctors later showed she had perhaps picked up a waterborne parasite – a commonplace an infection amongst vacationers and volunteers within the space.
Despite the ‘nerve-racking’ ordeal in August 2023 and suffering for months to regain the burden she misplaced, Isabelle says it hasn’t put her off travelling to peculiar locations.
Isabelle Lythgow, 23, had travelled to the far flung village of Nairukuruku in Fiji as a part of a six-week placement

Isabelle – who suffers from a serious phobia of vomiting – was once then ill each and every 30 mins right through the evening, with the indications lasting for over 12 hours

She started experiencing dizziness, decrease again ache and tingling limbs after attending a village bonfire that night
Isabelle, from Bury, Greater Manchester, stated: ‘I’m completely frightened of being ill, I’ve emetophobia. It was once my greatest concern sooner than going.
‘I warned everybody that if it occurs, it may not be a very easy factor for me, it’s going to be nerve-racking. That evening we went to a bonfire and I felt just a little bit off however I did not assume a lot of it.
‘I went to mattress, aroused from sleep in the midst of the evening feeling in point of fact ill after which from then on it was once each and every 30 mins.
‘If I wasn’t mendacity flat on my again it might be longer but when I used to be status up it was once at the dot, each and every 30 mins for perhaps 12 hours.
‘I could not even stay water down, I needed to take the tiniest sips of water.
‘It was once in point of fact unhealthy, we had been in the midst of nowhere so it is relatively tough to get a taxi to the health center. I used to be in point of fact dizzy I might get in point of fact tingly limbs
‘I finished up getting a taxi and needed to forestall the auto two times to be ill. I were given to the health center and I were given noticed in an instant and was once placed on an IV.
‘The physician requested me why I did not come quicker however I sought after to experience my commute.. The physician stated they see this relatively so much with other people from different international locations and volunteers.
‘I used to be panicking as it was once in point of fact nerve-racking. I purposely have shyed away from the water, I used a water bottle and brushed my tooth with bottled water so I used to be in point of fact cautious.’

Doctors later showed she had perhaps picked up a waterborne parasite – a commonplace an infection amongst vacationers and volunteers within the space


When she in spite of everything made it to health center by way of taxi, medics instantly hooked her as much as an IV drip and advised her she will have to have are available a lot previous

Despite the ‘nerve-racking’ ordeal in August 2023 and suffering for months to regain the burden she misplaced, Isabelle says it hasn’t put her off travelling to peculiar locations
Isabelle stated she was once discharged after 4 hours of IV and was once advised to just drink bottled water.
The volunteer stated her abdomen had contracted and it took some time for her to realize again the burden and muscle she had misplaced, whilst she was once ‘fearful’ for the remainder days of her commute.
Despite being hospitalised, Isabelle stated she would do it in every single place once more and advises different travellers not to be scared to take a look at new reviews.
Isabelle stated: ‘My abdomen had contracted and it took a very long time for me to get my muscle mass again, I misplaced such a lot weight.
‘I used to be in point of fact panicked and concerned for the following couple of days however I were given thru it anyway.
‘I’m no longer scared, I completely love waterfalls, I do not believe it’s going to ever forestall me from having those reviews.
‘But you really can not put a worth on existence reviews and go back and forth. I might by no means say do not do one thing out of concern of having poorly, you’ll get poorly anytime.
‘Life is just too quick and if you are being concerned about that you’d by no means enjoy new issues. I might do it once more 1,000,000 occasions.’