Services
Stomach Flu
Treatment
When you cannot keep anything down, a physician visit with IV fluids and anti-nausea medication breaks the cycle in a single afternoon. Walk in seven days a week, no appointment needed.
Joint Commission AccreditedThe only one in Florida
Can I walk in for stomach flu today?
Yes. TrufaMED treats viral gastroenteritis seven days a week under physician supervision, with IV fluids, ondansetron (Zofran), and on-site stool testing when indicated. The typical visit runs 60 to 90 minutes, and most patients leave tolerating sips of water with a written discharge plan.
Stomach flu, the everyday term for viral gastroenteritis, causes nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, cramping, and fatigue for 24 to 72 hours. Most cases settle at home with oral rehydration. When vomiting breaks every attempt to drink, when signs of dehydration appear, or when symptoms simply are not improving, a physician visit with IV fluids and anti-nausea medication is the fastest way to feel human again. Need fluids without the illness workup? Our IV dehydration treatment and the Food Poisoning and Stomach Flu IV are also available the same day.
Stomach flu, food poisoning, or bacterial enteritis?
All three cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, but the timing, duration, and treatment differ. A physician sorts it out from your history, the exam, and stool testing when it is warranted.
| Feature | ViralStomach flu | ToxinFood poisoning | BacterialEnteritis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onset after exposure | 12 to 48 hours | 1 to 6 hours after a meal | Often after travel or raw food |
| How long it lasts | 24 to 72 hours | 12 to 24 hours | 3 to 7 days, can be longer |
| Fever | Low-grade or absent | Often absent | Commonly present, sometimes high |
| Blood in stool | No | No | May be bloody or mucousy |
| Stool test needed | Usually not | Usually not | Often, with blood or travel |
| Treatment | Fluids, anti-nausea, rest | Fluids, anti-nausea | May need targeted antibiotics |
Viral gastroenteritis accounts for the majority of stomach-flu presentations in adults and nearly all of them in children. Norovirus is the classic winter culprit and spreads explosively through households, schools, cruise ships, and restaurants. Supportive care (fluids, rest, anti-nausea medication) is all that most cases need. Antibiotics do not help and can prolong the illness.
Food poisoning from a preformed toxin, the picnic-potato-salad kind, tends to hit hard within hours of the meal, empties itself out quickly, and is gone within a day. Bacterial enteritis is less common but more important to catch, because it can respond to targeted antibiotics and carries a longer course. Bloody stool, recent international travel, recent antibiotic use, a course beyond 72 hours, severe abdominal pain, a high fever, or a weakened immune system are the signals that move a physician toward stool testing.
When to come in, and when to stay home
Most stomach flu rides out at home with small sips, rest, and over-the-counter measures. The signs below move the situation from wait-it-out to walk-in.
- Vomiting that breaks every attempt to drink for four or more hours
- More than six loose stools in 24 hours
- Lightheadedness when you stand up
- A resting heart rate over 100 without a fever
- No urination for eight or more hours
- Dry mouth, cracked lips, or skin that tents when pinched
- Symptoms lasting beyond 72 hours
- Blood or mucus in the stool
- Severe abdominal pain, especially in one spot
- A fever over 102 degrees for more than 48 hours
- Recent international travel with symptoms
- Older or immunocompromised with severe symptoms
The most useful bedside sign of moderate-to-severe dehydration is the orthostatic vital check: a heart rate that climbs 20 beats per minute or more, or a systolic blood pressure that drops 20 points or more, when you move from sitting to standing. Reduced urine output and a fast resting heart rate are the next most telling signs. If you are not vomiting and can hold down sips of an electrolyte drink, you can usually recover safely at home. If any of the findings above apply, a physician visit, and often IV fluids, is the right call.
IV fluids and ondansetron, step by step
The workhorse combination for acute viral gastroenteritis: IV ondansetron to stop the vomiting, then IV Lactated Ringers or normal saline to restore volume. Most patients feel substantially better within the first 30 to 45 minutes.
Stop the vomiting
A 4 or 8 mg IV dose of ondansetron (Zofran) is the first move. It calms the vomiting reflex at the gut and brainstem, usually within 15 minutes, so you can start taking sips again during the same visit. For a mildly dehydrated child, a single dose of oral ondansetron often prevents an IV entirely.
Restore the fluids
Lactated Ringers is our default for gastroenteritis because it is buffered and balanced; normal saline is used for shorter infusions. Adults typically receive 1 to 2 liters over 45 to 90 minutes, adjusted to heart rate, blood pressure, and how you respond. Children are dosed by weight (a 20 mL per kg bolus, repeated as needed).
Adjuncts when needed
Magnesium for cramping or a migraine-pattern headache alongside the illness. IV potassium when labs show it has dropped, which is common after prolonged vomiting. Metoclopramide as a second-line anti-nausea option when ondansetron alone is not enough.
Re-check and discharge
After the infusion, we re-check your vitals, confirm you can hold down water or an electrolyte drink, and send you home with a written plan: how to step up your diet, contagion precautions, and the specific signs that mean you should return or go to the ER.
Clear pricing, no surprise bills
No insurance? A self-pay visit starts at $195 for a physician evaluation. If you only need rehydration, the Food Poisoning and Stomach Flu IV is a flat $295, with pricing shared up front before you are treated.
Starting prices; final cost depends on the services you need. The Food Poisoning and Stomach Flu IV can be booked on its own through IV therapy, or added to your visit.
When stool testing actually matters
Most viral gastroenteritis does not need a stool test; the diagnosis is clinical and the treatment is supportive. In specific scenarios, though, identifying a bacterial or parasitic cause changes the plan, so our physicians order stool studies selectively.
Blood in the stool
Visible blood raises concern for invasive bacteria like Shigella, Campylobacter, or certain E. coli. Stool culture and C. diff testing are indicated, and some pathogens change the treatment significantly.
Recent travel
International travel, especially where waterborne disease is common, warrants testing for bacterial pathogens and parasites such as Giardia, Entamoeba, and Cryptosporidium. Travel history changes the workup.
After antibiotics
Diarrhea during or within eight weeks of antibiotic use raises concern for C. diff. A stool toxin or PCR test is indicated, and the treatment is different from viral illness.
Weakened immune system
Patients on chemotherapy, immune-suppressing medication, after a transplant, or with untreated HIV have a broader differential and a lower threshold for stool studies.
Lasting past 72 hours
Viral gastroenteritis usually clears within three days. Diarrhea that persists past that window, especially with fever, shifts the thinking toward bacterial, parasitic, or inflammatory causes.
High fever or severe pain
A fever over 102 degrees past 48 hours, severe abdominal pain, or signs of systemic illness prompt stool studies alongside basic labs, since bacterial causes are more likely here.
Available studies include stool culture, C. diff toxin or PCR, ova and parasites, Giardia antigen, and a GI pathogen panel when appropriate. The physician chooses which to run based on your clinical picture.
Stomach flu care for kids
Children dehydrate faster than adults and respond well when treated early. Our physicians see children daily through pediatric urgent care, and the approach differs in a few important ways.
Oral rehydration first
For mild-to-moderate cases, the evidence-based first step is a single dissolvable dose of oral ondansetron to stop the vomiting, then small frequent sips of a proper oral rehydration solution like Pedialyte. Frequency is everything: a teaspoon every minute or two works, while a full cup every ten minutes often triggers more vomiting. This alone resolves most pediatric cases.
When an IV is warranted
IV fluids are used when oral rehydration has failed across several attempts, when dehydration is moderate-to-severe (lethargy, sunken eyes, poor skin turgor, dry diapers, slow capillary refill), or when losses clearly outpace what the child can drink. Pediatric fluid is dosed by weight and monitored closely.
Infants under three months
An infant under three months with any concerning symptom (fever, lethargy, poor feeding, fewer wet diapers, persistent vomiting) is evaluated promptly and often referred to pediatric emergency care when age or severity warrants it.
When to bring a child in
Come in if vomiting breaks every attempt to drink for four or more hours, there are no wet diapers for eight hours, the child is unusually drowsy, there is blood in the stool, a fever stays above 102 degrees, the child is under three months, or you are simply unsure. Pediatric evaluation is a low-threshold decision.
When stomach flu is actually something else
Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain are not always viral. Several surgical emergencies start out looking like gastroenteritis, so a physician checks every patient with this presentation for the red flags that change the plan from urgent care to the emergency department.
Appendicitis
Early appendicitis can mimic stomach flu, then declare itself over hours to days as the pain moves to the right lower abdomen, becomes localized and severe, and worsens with movement. Rebound tenderness and guarding send a patient to the ER for imaging and surgical evaluation.
Bowel obstruction
Cramping pain, inability to pass gas or stool, abdominal distention, and vomiting that turns bilious or feculent point to obstruction rather than gastroenteritis. Prior abdominal surgery or a hernia raises the odds, and imaging and surgical consultation are needed.
Gallbladder or pancreas
Right upper abdominal pain with a positive Murphy sign and fever suggests cholecystitis. Severe mid-abdominal pain radiating to the back with persistent vomiting suggests pancreatitis. Both need labs and imaging beyond the urgent care scope.
Ectopic pregnancy
Any woman of reproductive age with abdominal pain gets a pregnancy test. An ectopic pregnancy can present with vague stomach symptoms early on. A positive test plus abdominal pain is treated as ectopic until proven otherwise.
Diabetic ketoacidosis
A diabetic patient with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain may be in DKA, not gastroenteritis. Fruity breath, rapid deep breathing, and dehydration point to it. This is an emergency that needs hospital management.
How we tell them apart
A board-certified physician evaluates the exam, the location and character of the pain, and the relevant labs. When the findings point to a surgical abdomen, we escalate and arrange transfer to the emergency department, rather than treating it as a stomach bug.
Norovirus, handwashing, and keeping it from spreading
Most viral gastroenteritis, norovirus especially, is extraordinarily contagious. A single case in a household can generate several more within a day or two, so containment is part of the discharge plan.
How norovirus spreads
It travels by fecal-oral contact, airborne particles from vomiting, and contaminated surfaces. As few as 18 virus particles can make you sick, the virus survives on surfaces for days, and alcohol-based sanitizer does not kill it. Soap-and-water handwashing is required.
Isolation guidance
Stay home during active symptoms and for at least 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea. Children should stay out of school or daycare until symptoms have been gone 48 hours. Food handlers and healthcare and childcare workers follow longer exclusion periods per policy.
Around the house
Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after the bathroom and before food. Disinfect surfaces with a dilute bleach solution, wash soiled laundry on the hottest cycle, and do not share cups, utensils, towels, or bedding.
Food handling
An infected food handler is the most common source of restaurant norovirus outbreaks. Do not prepare food for others while ill or for 48 hours after recovery, wash produce well, and cook shellfish thoroughly. Raw oysters are a frequent source.
When stomach flu becomes an emergency
Most stomach flu is urgent-care level. A small share is not. The findings below mean the emergency department, not a walk-in clinic.
- Severe dehydration with confusion or altered mental state
- Signs of shock: cold clammy skin, a rapid weak pulse, low blood pressure
- Vomiting blood, or black, tarry, or bloody stool
- Severe, localized, or rigidly guarded abdominal pain
- Suspected appendicitis, obstruction, or surgical abdomen
- A diabetic patient with signs of ketoacidosis
- An infant under three months with severe symptoms or high fever
- A pregnant patient with significant abdominal pain
- An immunocompromised patient who is severe or worsening
- Symptoms after drinking possibly contaminated water
If you are unsure, come in. We triage on arrival and transfer patients to the ER when findings warrant it. For stomach flu that is classic and uncomplicated, urgent care is the right level of care, and we can break the cycle in a single visit. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Why choose TrufaMED for stomach flu
Stomach flu is one of the most common reasons adults and children walk into urgent care. The quality of the visit, a careful physician, a fast fluids-and-anti-nausea protocol, and proper screening for surgical look-alikes, is what makes the difference.
Florida’s only accredited urgent care
Joint Commission accreditation, the same body that accredits hospitals, audits our sterile technique, medication safety, infection control, and clinical protocols. We are the only accredited urgent care in Florida.
Physician-led every shift
A board-certified physician leads every shift and is involved in your care. The clinical team is led by Dr. Uri Gedalia (Chief Medical Officer) and Dr. Shane D. Naidoo (Medical Director, Emergency Medicine).
IV and Zofran on-site
IV ondansetron works in about 15 minutes and IV Lactated Ringers restores volume in 45 to 90 minutes. Most patients leave within two hours feeling substantially better and tolerating sips of water.
Labs on-site
When the picture points to bacterial enteritis, C. diff, or a parasitic infection, our on-site lab orders and collects the test the same visit, so the workup does not wait for an outside facility.
Surgical screen, every time
Appendicitis, obstruction, gallbladder disease, ectopic pregnancy, and DKA all start with nausea and vomiting. A physician distinguishes viral illness from these and escalates the moment the findings call for it.
Most insurance accepted
Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Oscar Health, and Medicare. Self-pay patients are welcome with transparent, upfront pricing, and IV fluids bill as standard urgent care treatment when indicated.
Led by board-certified physicians
Our clinical leadership brings hospital-grade training in surgery and emergency medicine to a boutique walk-in setting.
Dr. Naidoo leads the clinical team as Medical Director, board-certified in emergency medicine with deep experience in adult and pediatric emergency care, trauma, and critical care, including the dehydration and acute abdominal presentations that stomach flu can mask.
Dr. Gedalia is TrufaMED’s Chief Medical Officer and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. His surgical background is exactly what you want when a stomach bug needs to be told apart from appendicitis, obstruction, or another surgical abdomen.
Stomach flu, answered
The questions our physicians answer most often about viral gastroenteritis at urgent care.
Can I walk in for stomach flu today?
Yes. Walk in seven days a week, no appointment needed. You can also check in online ahead of time to reserve your spot and cut your wait. A board-certified physician leads every shift and can start IV fluids and ondansetron (Zofran) the same visit. Hours are Monday to Friday 9 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 11 PM, and Sunday 12 PM to 8 PM.
Is stomach flu actually the flu?
No. Stomach flu is the everyday term for viral gastroenteritis, caused by viruses like norovirus, rotavirus, or adenovirus. Influenza (the flu) is a respiratory virus that causes fever, cough, body aches, and sore throat, not vomiting and diarrhea. The two illnesses are unrelated, and the flu vaccine does not protect against stomach flu.
How is stomach flu different from food poisoning?
Food poisoning from a preformed toxin (the classic Staph aureus or Bacillus cereus type) usually hits fast, within 1 to 6 hours of the suspect meal, and clears in 12 to 24 hours. Viral stomach flu has a longer incubation of 12 to 48 hours, lasts 1 to 3 days, and often includes more systemic symptoms like fatigue and a mild fever. Treatment for both is supportive: fluids and anti-nausea medication. Bacterial enteritis is a separate category that may need antibiotics.
How long does stomach flu usually last?
Most viral gastroenteritis runs 24 to 72 hours. Norovirus is typically 24 to 48 hours; rotavirus and adenovirus can run closer to 5 to 7 days in young children. The worst symptoms, vomiting and severe cramping, usually pass within the first 24 hours, with diarrhea continuing a day or two longer. Symptoms that persist past 72 hours warrant re-evaluation.
How fast does IV treatment work?
IV ondansetron (Zofran) stops nausea and vomiting within about 15 minutes in most patients. IV fluids restore circulating volume within 30 to 60 minutes, with heart rate and blood pressure improving during the infusion. Most patients feel substantially better by the time the infusion finishes and can tolerate sips of water before discharge.
Will antibiotics help my stomach flu?
No. Antibiotics do not work on viruses and can actually prolong viral gastroenteritis by disrupting the gut microbiome. Antibiotics are reserved for confirmed bacterial enteritis, and they should be prescribed based on stool studies and the clinical picture, not guessed at.
When do I need a stool test?
Stool testing is indicated for bloody stool, recent international travel, recent antibiotic use (to check for C. diff), symptoms lasting past 72 hours, a high fever over 102 degrees past 48 hours, immunocompromised status, or severe localized abdominal pain. Most viral gastroenteritis does not need a stool test. The diagnosis is clinical and the treatment is supportive.
When should I bring my child in for stomach flu?
Bring the child in if vomiting breaks every oral attempt for four or more hours, there have been no wet diapers for eight hours, the child is unusually drowsy or hard to rouse, there is blood in the stool, a fever stays above 102 degrees, the child is under three months with any concerning symptom, or you are simply unsure. A single dose of oral ondansetron often breaks the cycle and prevents an IV.
Can I take Imodium (loperamide) for stomach flu?
In uncomplicated viral gastroenteritis in adults, a short course of loperamide is acceptable and can reduce symptom severity. Do not use loperamide if there is blood in the stool, a high fever, severe abdominal pain, or concern for bacterial dysentery or C. diff, because slowing gut motility in those cases can worsen the illness. Do not give loperamide to a child with diarrhea without a physician evaluation first.
What should I eat and drink during stomach flu?
Start with small sips of a commercial oral rehydration solution or a diluted sports drink. Avoid large amounts at once, which can trigger vomiting, and avoid plain water alone in severe cases, because it can worsen electrolyte imbalance. Once you tolerate liquids, move to bland foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, toast, and crackers for a day or two, then return to a normal diet. Avoid dairy, fatty foods, caffeine, and alcohol during the acute illness.
How contagious is norovirus?
Extremely. As few as 18 virus particles can cause illness, and an infected person sheds billions. Norovirus spreads through vomit droplets, fecal-oral contact, and contaminated surfaces for up to two weeks after symptoms resolve. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer is not effective, so you need soap-and-water handwashing. Isolate for at least 48 hours after symptoms resolve.
Does insurance cover a stomach flu visit?
Yes. A stomach flu visit (physician evaluation, IV fluids, anti-nausea medication, and stool testing when indicated) bills as a standard urgent care visit and is covered by most major plans, including Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Oscar Health, and Medicare. Self-pay patients are welcome with transparent, upfront pricing.
Same-day care for what comes with it
Dehydration, fever, and the conditions that travel alongside a stomach bug, handled in the same visit.
Walk in from Surfside and nearby communities
TrufaMED is at 9445 Harding Ave in Surfside, minutes from Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, and Aventura. Walk in seven days a week, no appointment needed.
Surfside
On-site at 9445 Harding Ave, with walk-in access during all open hours.
Bal Harbour
About 4 minutes from the Village and the Collins Avenue high-rises.
Bay Harbor Islands
About 5 minutes across the bridge from the residential islands.
Miami Beach
About 8 minutes from North Beach and Mid-Beach along Harding and Collins.
Sunny Isles Beach
About 10 minutes up Collins from the condo towers.
Aventura
About 14 minutes from the Aventura Mall area and Williams Island.
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Hours
Monday–Friday 9 AM – 9 PM
Saturday 11 AM – 11 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 8 PM
Walk in anytime during open hours, no appointment needed.
Contact
Phone (305) 537-6396
WhatsApp +1 (305) 842-9801
Email [email protected]
For a life-threatening emergency, call 911. TrufaMED is urgent care, not an emergency room.
Stomach flu? Walk in.
Physician evaluation, IV fluids, anti-nausea medication, and stool testing when indicated, in a single urgent care visit. No appointment needed. Most insurance accepted.
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Conveniently Located in Surfside, FL
TrufaMED Urgent Care is located at 9445 Harding Ave, Surfside, FL 33154, at the corner of Harding Avenue and 95th Street. We are just 2 minutes from Bal Harbour Shops, steps from the Surfside Community Center, and easily accessible via Collins Avenue from Miami Beach, Bal Harbour, and Sunny Isles Beach.
Guests at nearby hotels including the Four Seasons Surf Club, The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, and the Faena Hotel Miami Beach are just minutes away. We also serve patients from Aventura, Bay Harbor Islands, Indian Creek, and North Miami Beach.
Open 7 days a week • No appointment needed • Walk-ins welcome • (305) 537-6396