Sick for over two months - please help

About 9 weeks ago I was in Nigeria for a few days and I came down with what looked like a bad case of food poisoning (I ate chicken & rice and later sushi). By the evening I had the following sudden symptoms:

- Intense vomiting
- Intense diarrhea
- Fever
- Back pains

For the next few days I felt very weak and nauseous and from that point on I did not recover. Since that time I have had the following symptoms

- Burning sensation in lower abdomen (first few weeks)
- Constant churning in stomach/gut
- Irregular/loose stools
- Flatulence
- Bloating
- Pains in lymph nodes (stomach, neck, under arms)
- A specific and repeating pain on the far right side of lower abdomen
- Sore penis
- Dry mouth/metallic taste

During this period I had my blood checked and I had the following irregularities

18 Dec 2009
- white cell count 15.61 (neutrophilis 75.3%  11.75)
MCHC  35.8
Alanine transferase   54
LDH   493
CK   347

05 Jan  2010
Alanine transferase   67
CK   256
Total protein 86
Haemoglobin 17.7
MCHC 35.7

18 Jan 2010
- white cell count 10.92
- neutrophilis 73%   7.97
Haemoglobin  17.4

My stools were tested twice for bateria and parasites and came back negative.
I was also given a tropical screen and this also came back negative.
I was also given two full STD screens (including HIV Duo tests - one at six weeks) - negative.
Urine was tested twice with a dip stick and once for proteins/bacterial cultures - all clear
End December I was given a five day course of Cipro in case of lingering bacterial infection
Mid January I was given a 10 day course of Doxycycline in case of tropical illnesses.

Though they are currently lighter than before, I am still suffering from most of the same symptoms

The only thing my doctor can suggest is IBS after gastroenteritis.

Please can I ask for your opinion of this - does that diagnosis fit with my history and symptoms?

Is there anything else this could be? What do you suggest I do next?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Erik,

Intense vomiting & diarrhea, Fever, Back pains are common after eating uncooked foods like sushi which can cause food poisoning.   It is uncommon for this to lead to 2 months of
- Burning sensation in lower abdomen
- Constant churning in stomach/gut
- Irregular/loose stools
- Flatulence
- Bloating
- Pains in lymph nodes (stomach, neck, under arms)
- A specific and repeating pain on the far right side of lower abdomen
- Sore penis
- Dry mouth/metallic taste

Oral antibiotics can lead to loose stools which can be concerning for clostridium difficile which can be treated with an oral antibiotic, and the rest of the symptoms can be a complication of that problem.  It's reasonable to go back to your doctor and ask about the possibility of this problem, and since they are amenable to presumptive treatment, ask for treatment while you wait for the cultures for c diff to come back.

Enoch Choi, MD

[Erik904]

I am male, mid thirties and normally in good health.

[idkwia]

Hi Erik, I have been suffering from chronic digestive problem for 18 months. My symptoms are different from yours but over the last 18 months I have seen 9 different GI doctors and have learned a lot. Your symptoms seem to many to be IBS. Also, for some of the doctors I have seen they asked me if I had metallic taste in my mouth and whether I had pain in the glands. I don't know why they were asking this but I am here to suggest that you see a new GI doctor, maybe someone with vast experience.
By the way, normally 3 stool tests are considered as proof that no pathogens or parasites exist.
I have also read about a similar condition with a sore penis. I know that me not remembering what is was doesn't help at this stage but it might help knowing that something like this exists.
I assume you are in the US, is that correct?

[yoshi]

A related discussion, nigeria was started.

[tinkleivories]

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