Did anyone feel sick after eating oysters?
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jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
No ...
Addie
Chef Extraordinaire
I have had them both raw and cooked. Oyster Stew is one of my favorite foods. But I have never become sick.
Did you buy some? Or did you eat them at a restaurant? If you bought them, did you put them in the fridge as soon as you got them home? Or did you put them in cold water from the tap? If so, they were probably on their way to becoming deceased. You have to put them in heavily salty water. Like sea water. I know it sounds crazy, but any shell fish has to be kept in salt water and not tap. They drown in tap water. Or the last possible reason is that you have developed an allergy to shell fish. Some people are allergic to Iodine, and shell fish are very high with this element.
People who have hypo or hyper-thyroidism need to stay away from shell fish since they can be very high with Iodine. And if you are on medication for a thyroid, it is a good idea to avoid them also. Oysters and Scallops are the two that have the most Iodine in them. I will be eating scallops and doing just fine and take a bite of the next one. I can taste the Iodine immediately and will spit it out real fast. This the end of that meal. I have hypo-thyroidism and am on medication for my lazy thyroid.
If you ate them at a restaurant, you need to let your health department know immediately so they can investigate. And let the restaurant know also. It could be that the restaurant does not store them properly.
Did you buy some? Or did you eat them at a restaurant? If you bought them, did you put them in the fridge as soon as you got them home? Or did you put them in cold water from the tap? If so, they were probably on their way to becoming deceased. You have to put them in heavily salty water. Like sea water. I know it sounds crazy, but any shell fish has to be kept in salt water and not tap. They drown in tap water. Or the last possible reason is that you have developed an allergy to shell fish. Some people are allergic to Iodine, and shell fish are very high with this element.
People who have hypo or hyper-thyroidism need to stay away from shell fish since they can be very high with Iodine. And if you are on medication for a thyroid, it is a good idea to avoid them also. Oysters and Scallops are the two that have the most Iodine in them. I will be eating scallops and doing just fine and take a bite of the next one. I can taste the Iodine immediately and will spit it out real fast. This the end of that meal. I have hypo-thyroidism and am on medication for my lazy thyroid.
If you ate them at a restaurant, you need to let your health department know immediately so they can investigate. And let the restaurant know also. It could be that the restaurant does not store them properly.
GotGarlic
Chef Extraordinaire
Hm. I've been on levothyroxine for several years and none of my doctors has told me to avoid iodine. From what I've read, there is not enough iodine in seafood to cause a problem, unless you have a sensitivity or allergy.
To the OP: I have never become ill from eating oysters, but my MIL was hospitalized because of it. It can definitely be a serious problem.
Dawgluver
Chef Extraordinaire
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I got sick after sharing an order of raw oysters in New Orleans many years ago. My friend didn't get sick, so it was probably one bad oyster.
roadfix
Chef Extraordinaire
No, never. I just had a few raw oysters at a Japanese restaurant over the weekend.
Yes, as well as other seafood from time to time. That's why we very rarely eat seafood in a restaurant, don't buy Asian seafood at all, buy only farmed oysters, clams and mussels from reputable North American places, and only buy wild caught shrimp, fish, etc. otherwise. But, we are lucky because we live in a place where we can always get fresh wild caught seafood.
Not sure how it is in England, but in the States seafood has to be labeled with point of origin and date caught. The store has to keep a log of that and when it came in, so I always ask. We also try to go on delivery days.
The reason we stopped eating seafood in restaurants was because I ordered a clam pasta at a mid-level national chain with the initials MG. Quite a few of my clams were served still closed, so I sent it back. The clams were brought back open, but upon inspection, there were pieces of shell that had broken off when they forced them open. Needless to say, dish got sent back and I filled up on bread and picked at DH's plate. Didn't want to order something else there. The other time, and the one that clinched the no eating seafood in restaurants rule was at a fine dining establishment with a chef we knew. I had ordered a multi-seafood pasta dish and it was great. The chef came out after dinner service had slowed down and sat down to chit-chat for a few. After complimenting him on the meal, told him about the MG incident. He came back with something along the lines of "well, I'll just open them before they go out." Being kind of flabbergasted, either I or DH said something about the rule that if they don't open you toss them. He came back with "they are nearly always alright so I serve them." That did it for me. We did continue to go to that restaurant but didn't order seafood there again.
As to levothyroxine and iodine allergy, I've been on the med for the better part of my life and I do have an allergy to iodine. None of my doctors have ever told me to avoid seafood. Only twice have I had a reaction to seafood, once in Italy where I was eating fresh fried anchovies and I swear I could taste the iodine in them, but I ate them anyway (stupid, but I was in my early 20's on vacation in Europe for the first time, what can you say) and I ended up with a blinding migraine. The second time was at a local chain restaurant and it was some kind of crab. No iodine taste but I got hit again with a fortunately quick this time blinding migraine. Course that time could have also been because I was having dinner with my mother and she was being her usual "loving"
self.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I eat LOTS of raw oysters.
My friend and I can put away 8 dozen at a sitting and do it maybe every 6 weeks.
I love them!
Never been sick, but then I only eat them from reputable sources.
My friend and I can put away 8 dozen at a sitting and do it maybe every 6 weeks.
I love them!
Never been sick, but then I only eat them from reputable sources.
Steve Kroll
Wine Guy
That's so funny Jennyema. We have Oysterfest every year in St. Paul. It's an all-you-can-eat event. A friend of mine had 108 this last year. I guess he just likes to get his money's worth.
Me... I don't know about 8 dozen in a sitting, but there have been times I've eaten so many in a single sitting that I've lost count.
And no, I've never been sick from eating them, either. I do know people who have, though.
Me... I don't know about 8 dozen in a sitting, but there have been times I've eaten so many in a single sitting that I've lost count.
And no, I've never been sick from eating them, either. I do know people who have, though.
CraigC
Master Chef
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Once, when I was at a trade show in NOLA. One of my co-workers and I hit the Acme Oyster House. I think we did 10 to 12 dozen each. More than likely it was a result of a number of Hurricanes that we each had at Pat O'Brian's prior to hitting Acme. 
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tenspeed
Executive Chef
Anthony Bourdain, who will eat just about anything, won't eat mussels in a restaurant unless he knows the owner. He doubts that a typical restaurant cook will take the time to sort through and pick out the opened ones. We eat mussels fairly regularly, and generally get them from a high quality seafood store. There are almost always a few that get tossed prior to cooking. They might not have been dead long enough to make us sick, but I won't take the chance. If you've ever had food poisoning you would give almost any amount of money to make it go away.
LizStreithorst
Senior Cook
I used to eat them by the dozen when I lived on the gulf coast. I never got sick. I only eat them occasionally now that I live 90 miles inland. Only one place has unwashed oysters and opens them there. They're only good if they haven't been washed. But the place is 50 miles round trip so I only eat there if I have a huge desire for raw oysters or am in town for something else.
Dawgluver
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Once, when I was at a trade show in NOLA. One of my co-workers and I hit the Acme Oyster House. I think we did 10 to 12 dozen each. More than likely it was a result of a number of Hurricanes that we each had at Pat O'Brian's prior to hitting Acme.
Acme was where we had oysters. Luck of the draw, I guess. And we didn't overdo it on Hurricanes at Pat O's prior,
CraigC
Master Chef
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Acme was where we had oysters. Luck of the draw, I guess. And we didn't overdo it on Hurricanes at Pat O's prior,
We really didn't get sick, just over indulged. You know that feeling like you want to "be sick", but are not. K-Paul's was packed with a line out the door and a 2 hour wait time. Guess we should of gone to Mulate's. They have really good Boudin, crab au gratin and live Cajun music! Welcome to the Fais Do-Do.
Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
So far, we are the third and fourth people here taking thyroid meds who have never heard of needing to avoid seafood. Strange...
We both love oysters on the half shell.
We both love oysters on the half shell.
Roll_Bones
Master Chef
I have never gotten sick from raw or cooked oysters. I love them.
But. I would never eat so many as to feel over full on them. Why ruin a good thing?
I want to continue to love them, so I only eat moderate portions.
But. I would never eat so many as to feel over full on them. Why ruin a good thing?
I want to continue to love them, so I only eat moderate portions.
Cheryl J
Chef Extraordinaire
My favorite way to have oysters is drizzled with a little jalapeno butter and grilled on the half shell. Not for long, maybe 4 or 5 minutes on the grill. LOVE them this way!
I've never gotten sick from eating oysters.
I've never gotten sick from eating oysters.
roadfix
Chef Extraordinaire
Back in the day my wife used to tell me to eat oysters, as many as I can, every day...
