Prolonged ANTIBIOTIC Use as CHILD

[bentheredonethat]

Hello To All:

When I was a newborn, I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis because I have very bad respiratory disorders.  I was kept alive on incubators and fed a hefty and steady dose of both antibiotics and steroids, according to my mother.  She also told me that for the first 12 - 13 years of my life, I was issued and continued to take multiple broad spectrum antibiotics and was given a steroidal nebulizer / inhalers for my asthma.  

When I got into middle school / high school I no longer had many symptoms of asthma.  

Fast forward to when I was about 21 (I am 24 now)... I began having debilitating digestive issues.  I took a course of amoxycilin and doxycycline for an upper respiratory infection that I had gotten when I was about 21 - 22 years old while in college.  Pretty much ever since then, October of 2009, my digestive sytem is more or less non-functioning.  

I have motility disorders and sore throat from it
I have acid reflux badly
I have irregular bowel movements and spastic colon / small intestine
gassy
my stomach feels inflammed and very sore all the time
I feel toxic
headaches / brain fog / et cetera
overall naseau
overall mailaise / fatigue

Just the list of common "undiagnosed chronic illness" symptoms.

Am I totally screwed?????  I dunno what to do about 12 yeras of antibiotic use... I am pretty sure I am just goign to be messed up the rest of my life cuz of it, which at this point, is not seeming like it will last long.. haha.  

ANY IDEAS / SIMILAR EXPRIENCES???

[patient915]

I think you need to see a doctor that specializes in CF and figure out for sure whether or not you have CF.

[bentheredonethat]

Hi and thanks for your response:

Well the fact is that when I was a newborn, I was kept alive on incubators and such.  When I was around 2 or 3 years old, my mother recalls me just getting better overnight.  Like... one day I was sluggish and had a hard time breathing... and the next day I was runing around normally.

The doctors then did some more diagnostic tests for CF and all of my chloride levels had apparently gone to normal levels.  The doctors eventually decided that the CF diagnosis was a mis-diagnosis as a child, but I continued to have asthmatic problems... hence the steroidal nebulizer and continued antibiotic use.  

So what I am saying is that I had a very traumatic experience as a newborn... I was given steroidal nebulizers for the next 13 years, and once I got into middle school and high school, I was feeling pretty normal.

Then I went to college, got an upper respiratory infection, and took some broad spectrum antibiotics (I hadn't taken any medication from about 13 - 21 or 22).  After that episode, my digestive system is extremely out of whack.

I recently had a very comprehensive blood analysis and stool sample analysis.  I had a leuckocyte test and it was normal... I had ttIgA test normal, I had parasite routine normal, I had vitamin b12 436, I had hpylori antigen stool negative, I had Giardia antigen test negative, thyroid stimulating hormone normal, Ferritin normal, hepatic fuction panel normal (except 2.2 total bilirubin), basic metabolic panel NORMAL, ESR (inflammation) was normal, blood sugar level was normal, Urinalysis was normal (EXCEPT MUCOUS IN URINE... ibs ??), and Complete blood count was normal.

All of that is good news...there is no major malnutrition going on.  

I don't have too many respiratory symptoms, but I can certainly feel that when I smoke a cigar or something... my throat is very sore and my esophagus tightens up... naturally.  But I am active... I am a singer in a band and my breathe is very taxed during those sessions, and I don't have much breating problems.  I jog and I don't feel super tired as as far as breathing is concerned.

However, when I jog... I can feel my digetive system being a source of energy deficiency.  My digestive system is the main cause of my continuing poor feeling.

I wonder if maybe I have an atypical CF??  I mean... I was diagnosed for god's sake, but since I "got better overnight" the doctors I guess thought it OK to stop monitoring my condition... meaning... I don't have a condition.

Fact is... I've been chronically ill for over 2 years now with digestive issues...

But again... my recent blood work showed normal chlorine levels.  NOt sure if that is diagnositc for CF or not, or if maybe I should have a blood test.

So... no, I "do not have CF" according to doctors right now.  CF is a DEBILITATING disease that affects the respiratory system.  My respiration seems pretty normal for the most part, sometimes I still get asthmatic episodes, but my digestive system is out of whack... which I understand is totally a CF symptom.

I had elevated total bilirubin levels... which could mean a bile deficiency or something.  ANd I get gastritis all the time, and that could have something to do with bile production and an inability to pass it thru a bile duct (CF).  

So yeah...

I've taken the blood work tests.... everything is normal.  I still have digestive issues.  Next step is to see a gastro doctor and maybe do an endoscopy.

Wonder if I should get some genetic testing done for CF or maybe Celiac (I've got an aunt with diagnosed celiac thru multiple biopsy at the Mayo).  

Thanks for  your input !

[patient915]

Welcome to the gastroenterology community!  You have cystic fibrosis and digestive problems are very common in CF patients.  The antibiotic use for CF in your childhood is very common and is what kept you alive until how.  Have you been checked for C Diff?  Have you talked to your CF doctor about your problems?