'I think I’m about to have a seizure': Becky had suspected methanol poisoning in Bali. This is what happened.

Becky Coy's trip to Bali was meant to be a family getaway to "recharge and re-energise". Think cocktails by the pool, afternoon shopping and the odd night out.

But things took a dire turn just two days in.

After enjoying the sunshine and a few cocktails, Becky, her mum, sister and cousins all went to dinner at an Italian restaurant her cousins had visited several times.

"It was supposed to be quite a reputable place," she told Mamamia's The Quicky podcast.

Listen to this episode of The Quicky. Post continues below.

Becky was excited for dinner and ordered a coke with vodka, a drink she knew she could handle well.

"I had probably half a short glass of drink and, I hadn't even started my food which I'd been starving to eat, and I instantly felt really strange, really nauseous. I didn't want to eat any food," she said.

She told her mum, who thought she might be coming down with Bali belly. And fair enough, many of us who have been to Bali before would likely say the same.

It wasn't until later she realised she had methanol poisoning.

"I stuck out the rest of the night and we went straight back to the hotel. It was four hours of constantly throwing up," Becky said.

"I didn't drink that much — two cocktails throughout the day and the vodka coke. This was definitely the culprit looking back."

The small amount of alcohol she had rocked her. Becky would slip between a deep sleep and feeling incredibly nauseous.

"I didn't feel that lucid. I didn't really understand what was happening," she said.

She spent the entire next day sleeping.

"I have no memory of it whatsoever," she said.

Becky after she had methanol poisoning. Image: Supplied.

The following morning, Becky thought she'd turned a corner and decided to head out shopping with her family when she was hit with waves of nausea and dizzy spells.

"I said, 'I think I'm about to have a seizure.' My head was scrambled… like someone had put a wooden spoon inside my brain and gone for gold."

From there, she was bedbound. Her family called a doctor to visit, who gave her two IV drips to help rehydrate her. Becky's concerned sister grew more alarmed when she Googled her symptoms.

"Everything I was saying was ticking the boxes of methanol poisoning. My sister saw the symptoms and what it was and she went white because the next symptoms were seizure, blindness, coma, death.

"We had to decide, do we go to the hospital or do we fly home?"

The next day they booked a flight back home to Australia and headed to hospital, where doctors said it was likely Becky had methanol poisoning but was through the worst of it.

She counts her blessings she didn't drink the full glass.

"If we had been going out that night, I definitely don't think I'd be here talking to you right now."

Watch warning to tourists as sixth traveller dies in Laos. Post continues below.

What is methanol poisoning? And what does it do to you?

Methanol is extremely poisonous. Sometimes even as little as a shot can be fatal.

The alcohol is odourless, colourless and flammable, similar to ethanol, only it's not safe for drinking.

Six tourists, including two Australian teenagers, have died in a suspected mass methanol poisoning in the town of Vang Vieng in Laos.

Melbourne best friends Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, died in Thai hospitals this week, while a further four tourists from Denmark, the UK and the US have also died.

Dr Brad McKay told The Quicky that methanol poisoning initially presents as similar to a hangover, making it difficult to pick up on.

"Often if you've had a night out drinking, your body ends up metabolising all the alcohol first. Your liver takes on ethanol in preference… once that has been used up then your body starts to move on to metabolising methanol," he said.

This could be several hours after drinking, so the following day you could feel a lot worse.

Methanol is so toxic because of how our body metabolises it.

While ethanol is metabolised into a toxic compound called acetaldehyde, it rapidly converts to acetate (which is found in common vinegar and is something the body can use for several purposes).

However, methanol breaks down into other compounds that are far more hazardous.

Methanol is metabolised into formaldehyde (a chemical used for embalming corpses) and formic acid (the chemical that gives ant bites their sting), Dr McKay said.

"You do only need that small amount to cause a problem. It's highly poisonous," he said.

Methanol poisoning can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Blindness is common and often permanent too, as is organ damage.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, were travelling Laos when they died from methanol poisoning. Image: Facebook.

Symptoms of methanol poisoning.

Becky's methanol scare hasn't deterred her from travelling, but she wants others to be aware of the dangers of methanol poisoning.

In its early stages, methanol poisoning may just seem like you're drunk. Pay attention to if your intoxication levels feel disproportionate to how much alcohol you have consumed.

Severe symptoms do not usually occur until 12 to 24 hours after consumption.

Methanol poisoning symptoms can include:

• abdominal pain

• nausea

• vomiting

• breathing difficulty

• vision problems (blindness, dilated pupils, flashes of light, tunnel vision, changes in colour perception, blurred vision)

• seizures

• and/or comas

Smartraveller urges Australians to be alert to drink origins and spiking, particularly with spirit-based drinks, including cocktails.

Contaminated drinks could include local home-brewed spirits, spirit-based drinks and brand-name alcohol, as labels on bottles aren't always accurate.

To protect yourself from drink poisoning, Smartraveller says:

• consider the risks when drinking alcoholic beverages

• be careful drinking cocktails and drinks made with spirits

• drink only at reputable licensed premises

• and avoid homemade alcoholic drinks

A fundraiser has been started to support the families of Bianca and Holly and help them raise awareness about methanol poisoning. To donate, visit here.

Feature image: Getty.