mystery ailment--ideas

For the last 6 months, I have been plagued by overly-frequent bowel movements, anywhere from 5-15/day. After being treated three times with cipro for food poisoning (the condition set in the day after eating lobster), my general doctor referred me to a wonderful gastroenterologist. The condition responded to cipro, but less so with each round, and the problem would always come back a few days or weeks later. I also experience dizziness, fatigue, extreme acid reflux (I am now taking Nexium and Zantac for that) and hot sweats. I have now had a colonoscopy, endoscopy, and a variety of other tests, including those for carcinoid tumors and parasites, and as far as my doctor and I can tell, I am healthy as a lark except that I produce 3x more stool than I should. Because of the absence of cramping, my doc doesn't think I meet the diagnostic criteria for IBS. I have no reason to think this is psychologically based as I have not experienced any recent stressors, and am generally a happy person--except that I feel like **** (no pun intended!). If anyone has ideas about other things I should ask my doctor about, I would appreciate it. This situation is really getting to be a drag...Thanks!

[reb]

Hi, what struck me about your post is the use of antibiotics. Antibiotics can have an effect on your bowels (because they kill good bacteria as well as bad). I have had quite a quite odd experience with antibiotics recently, so maybe it would give you some ideas. I was put on 5 courses of antibiotics (including cipro) within a month period, 1 week after I stopped taking the last course I developed stomach problems (odd bowel habits, cramps, gas). I started taking probiotics to replace the good bacteria and that helped with the pain, but I developed dizziness and fatigue. This gradually got better and after 2 months I stopped the probiotics and my problems started again(stomach ache, fatigue). I was put on more antibiotics (for something else) despite my fear of it doing more damage to my stomach with the antibiotics... the antibiotics (not one of the original 5 I took) actually helped with my stomach pains this time- I assume because I had an overgrowth of bad bacteria caused by the lack of good bacteria in my stomach. This time I know to take probiotics with antibiotics so hopefully I won't be stuck in the same trap.
Anyway, perhaps the cipro has become less effective against your problem because the bacteria that is left in your stomach is the cipro- resistant bacteria growing. Normally the good bacteria keeps this bad bacteria in your gut in check, but perhaps the disruption of good bacteria in your gut from the antibiotics enabled this other bacteria to flourish.

I know this all sounds really odd, but I never would have thought of it if it hadn't happened to me- even the doctor was surrised.
But anyway, if you've tested negative for food poisoning organisms, perhaps the repeated use of antibiotics is causing your problems. You could bring this up to your doctor as a possibility. All the best.

p.s. Dizziness and fatigue can also be caused by dehydration if you are going to the toilet that much (although my dizziness and fatigue wasn't caused by dehydration... so it can be caused by other things too)

[gregd64]

I agree with Reb, I had the same thing happen to me and it took months for me to get back to normal. Eat yogurt with "live" bacteria in it, thats the good stuff your intestines need. Have you tried a fiber suppliment? I used metamucil and that helped me until the bacteria got back to normal.

[hounddog]

Thanks for the ideas. My only question is if this could be a chronic problem with long periods of being OK inbetween. After the first round of cipro, I was 100% healthy for at least a month, and then I was sick again for no apparent reason. Maybe something I ate set off the evil bacteria again?

Also, are there are other foods you would recommend for cultivating good bacteria? Yoghurt has become one of my "trouble" foods--or maybe this is because it is infusing good bacteria and I should keep eating it even if it is making me sick?

[reb]

Hi, about the being "100% healthy for at least a month, and then I was sick again for no apparent reason"..... as I said, I wasn't ill until I stopped takling the antibiotics- sometimes it takes a period of time to let the bad bacteria grow to a level that starts causing you problems. That is what happened to me when I stopped taking the probiotics after 2 months... my stomach started hurting again until I took more antibiotics..this time I am hoping to prevent bad bacteria from overgrowing by continuing to take the probiotics.
If you have trouble eating yoghurt then stop eating it. Lactose and dairy products can be hard to digest so the benefit of the good bacteria in that form is being negated by the trouble you are having digesting milk products. If this is the case try getting the good bacteria in capsule or powder form (ie probitics: acidophilus, etc) from the health food shop.

The thing is, once I stopped taking probiotics my stomach began to hurt again- and this time the probiotics didn't help me with the pain... it took another course of antibiotics and then starting on the probiotics again.
Ask your doctor about the possibilty of bad bacteria overgrowth in your gut from all the antibiotics and ask him about potentially putting you on a different antibiotic (to kill the bacteria) followed by probiotics (to prevent a bad bacteria ovwergrowth again).

I know yeast overgrowth is also a common side effect of cipro, so maybe ask your dactor about potential yeast imbalance and being treated with anti fungals....

[hounddog]

Thanks so much for your suggestions. One more question (sorry!)--you refer to bacterial overgrowth in your most recent post. Were you tested for this, and was the test positive? My doctor is testing me for bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine this coming week, but told me it was a reach as it would be highly unusual in a young woman (late 20s) who hasn't had major surgery or radiation. Should I ask him about your suggestions even if that test comes back negative?

[reb]

Hi, no, I was not tested for bacterial overgrowth (except c. difficile- which came back negative)- I do not think there is any reliable method to test for most bacteria because a lot of bacteria usually exsists in your system anyway without causing problems. Also, I think the bacteria overgrowth is actually in the large intestine, not the small, and there are soo many different types of bacteria in your large intestine it would probably be impossible to test the levels of all of it or even know what to test for.
Your doctor says it would be highly unusual "in a young woman (late 20s) who hasn't had major surgery or radiation". I am not sure if he is refering to bacteria overgrowth in the small intestine or large. Also, I am a woman in my late 20s who hasn't had major surgery or radiation... but I have had lots of antibiotics.. which killed a lot of bacteria in my large intestine! It makes sense, because antibiotics are not specific to particular bacteria- they kill both good and bad bacteria. The good bacteria usually keeps in check the levels of bad bacteria- however, if you have low levels of good bacteria, it may not be enough to keep in check the bad bacteria... hence problems can start even though they are hard to diagnose.
Also, cipro. is known to cause yeast infections for the same reason, so your doctor should be aware of the imbalances antibiotics can cause...
Antibiotics affect different people differently- some can take antibiotics for a long time without getting gastro. problems, others suffer from it.
I was tested for the classic type of bacteria which causes problems after antibiotic use (c. difficile), but it came back negative... but there was clearly something wrong with my digestion even though I tested negative for the most obvious bacteria.

Otherwise, even if your increased amount of stool ISN'T caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteeria, it may just be your body readjusting after bouts of antibiotics because the antibiotics affect the bacteria in your instines and hence the amount of stool you pass.
Even if you don't have a "diagnosed" bacteria overgrowth, I would start taking probiotics to replace the good bacteria.... I just mentioned about another bout of antibiotics because I left it so long after taking the antibiotics before starting to take the probiotics for a second time, the probiotics didn't help. I was only prescribed antibiotics for something else, which ended up, surprisingly,helping my stomach problems, so I learned all this by chance.
I would talk to your doctor about the use of antibiotics affecting the digestive tract. I would really suggest probiotics (available from health food shops) because even if this isn't your problem, they are known to help regualte bowel movements and won't cause you any harm. I would also ask about trying out another type of antibiotics for your problem (since cipro. helped you at first with your problem last time- it may indicate that another type of antibiotics will help you again this time) BUT I would start taking probiotics while on the antibiotics this time.

I just thought I would share my situation with you because my doctors also said my situation was highly unlikely, however, it occured and I learned how to fix it by chance...
All the best

[roxnsox]

Have you been screened for Hepatitis?  I haeard of someone getting Hep B from Shellfish.

[hounddog]

I know I have had a general liver function test, which was normal. I assume if I had hepatitis, that test would have been abnormal, right? I'll ask my doctor next time we talk.

[XEMT]

hi, sorry about your problem. you need to ask your dr to do a hepatitis test pronto. check for A,B and C. check for antigen and antibodies. you could have it and your liver funtions be normal.( if it is early in the dieases.) better to be safe than sorry.

[Concerned lady]

I agree with everybody!

Also, consider the possibility of lactose (milk sugar) intolerance--causes diarrhea, cramps, bloating. Try taking LACTASE ENZYME (like "Lactaid") with any milk products, OR, avoid milk products.

I totally agree with using PRO-BIOTICS (like Acidophilus &/or Bifidus). Try some from a health food store, with as few additives as possible. I found the FOS (Fructo-oligo-saccharides) irritating to my stomach. (Get probiotics without FOS's)

You might also consider a one day trial of edible ACTIVATED CHARCOAL tablets.

Also look up ADVERSE EFFECTS of Cipro.

I'll do a "cut & paste" of some GASTRIC REFLUX TIPS (without acid blockers--to avoid NERVE DAMAGE). See these below, and follow the good advice of all the others who answered you here!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Some GASTRIC REFLUX TIPS (without acid blockers):

GER=Gastro-Esophageal Reflux. (Gastro=stomach. Esophagus=food tube.)

LPR= Laryngeal-Pharyngeal Reflux. (Larynx=voice box, containing the 2 vocal cords. Pharynx=throat, above the larynx. The larynx is above the trachea/windpipe.)

Reflux=acidic or alkaline stomach material that backs up into the esophagus (food tube), causing any of these problems: VCD/Vocal Cord Dysfunction/Laryngospasm attacks, cough, voice problems, asthma, globus (feeling of lump in throat), constant need to clear throat, worsening of sinus condition, sore throat, pre-cancerous conditions of throat &/or esophagus, etc.

SOME GER/LPR CONTROL THINGS WE DO, that we learned from the excellent book: STOMACH AILMENTS AND DIGESTIVE DISTURBANCES, by Michael T. Murray, N.D. See page 9, References, in my website: http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com   and, also see GER/LPR info on page 5, and on LINKS page.

PLEASE READ THIS GREAT BOOK. It may possibly be bought on-line, from Michael T. Murray

[hounddog]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be seeing my doctor tomorrow and will ask about the hep tests then. He's also starting me on yet another round of antibiotics in a few days (Augmentin?) and I will use probiotics, too. I'll keep you posted if we ever get to the bottom of this!

[XEMT]

ALSO HAVE YOUR GALLBLADDER RECHECKED. WHO KNOWS?

[hounddog]

I had a hep test done today while at the doc's, although I am pretty low risk for B or C. I am actually heading out of town, but will inquire about my gallbladder when I talk to him about my various test results next week.

Thanks again for the suggestions and ideas.