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Stomach Bug that never leaves
Around the beginning of August just after that very hot spell, I was eating some hamburger that probably was very rare.
I suddenly got this weird
I suddenly got this weird
For clarity, I never had a positive Giardia EIA test. The diagnosis was empirical. In fact, I had a half dozen negative Giardia tests, negative o&p, and negative cultures.
The doctor ALSO told me my blood tests were normal, but they were not. They clearly showed elevated ALT and AST on the comprehensive metabolic panel multiple times.
Keep in mind I was incredibly ill for 6 months and I am still recovering. Hang in there. Here are suggestions to ask your GP about:
-Blood Tests: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel with ALT & AST, Epstien-Barr Virus (Sometimes mono presents in a odd GI manner, it's worth a shot), Salmonella Agglutinins (aka Widal)
-A consultation with an infectious disease specialist.
In my case most tests were basically normal except ALT, AST, and Salmonella Aggultinins. Notably, white counts and ESR are often completely normal with Typhoid and a few other rare ones. Your GP will likely contradict this when trying to convince you to avoid the infectious disease specialist, but it's worth a shot since the scholarly literature documents this fact.
I also had an EGD and colonoscopy. These were normal and the procedure is quite easy. Really the coloscopy preparation drink is the only unpleasant part. I also had normal ultrasound, CT, and enterography.
This may be an unusual infection or a nasty virus, but based on my experience I do not think this is in your head. I do think you should see the labs yourself and you should seek personal support from anyone close to you. Your recovery is likely to be slow like mine has been. But if all of the usual illnesses are ruled out, it's incredibly likely you'll be feeling better in several months. Also, don't expect recovery to be continuous progress. Mine got better and worse many times. Sometimes it followed a 5-7 day cycle.
The doctor ALSO told me my blood tests were normal, but they were not. They clearly showed elevated ALT and AST on the comprehensive metabolic panel multiple times.
Keep in mind I was incredibly ill for 6 months and I am still recovering. Hang in there. Here are suggestions to ask your GP about:
-Blood Tests: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel with ALT & AST, Epstien-Barr Virus (Sometimes mono presents in a odd GI manner, it's worth a shot), Salmonella Agglutinins (aka Widal)
-A consultation with an infectious disease specialist.
In my case most tests were basically normal except ALT, AST, and Salmonella Aggultinins. Notably, white counts and ESR are often completely normal with Typhoid and a few other rare ones. Your GP will likely contradict this when trying to convince you to avoid the infectious disease specialist, but it's worth a shot since the scholarly literature documents this fact.
I also had an EGD and colonoscopy. These were normal and the procedure is quite easy. Really the coloscopy preparation drink is the only unpleasant part. I also had normal ultrasound, CT, and enterography.
This may be an unusual infection or a nasty virus, but based on my experience I do not think this is in your head. I do think you should see the labs yourself and you should seek personal support from anyone close to you. Your recovery is likely to be slow like mine has been. But if all of the usual illnesses are ruled out, it's incredibly likely you'll be feeling better in several months. Also, don't expect recovery to be continuous progress. Mine got better and worse many times. Sometimes it followed a 5-7 day cycle.
By the way, you're really starting to sound like a doctor with the medical terms and information you know. In fact, you know a lot more about this than any of the doctors I've been to!
Thanks for that list. I know my test did not cover Crytosporidium Parvum. I received a copy of my reports because I plan to see a Nutritionist. Fortunately they copied and mailed them no questions asked. I have 0% hope that the Nutritionist will say much I haven't already read about but I'm hoping she'll have some input on the meds the docs are prescribing. The latest is some low dose of antidepressant. I guess they've found it helpful in desensitizing the nerve endings of the gut to help relieve pain. At this point I'm not taking any prescribed meds and will be very slow to do consider any of this.
Friday was a terrible day. I felt like someone kicked me in the gut all night long. My insides felt bruised and raw. I could barely move or cough. The next day I was much better. Again, I'm never without symptoms anymore and that's what really scary. I seem to be getting worse rather than better. My chest and neck itch, the back of my hands and cheeks tingle, I've really got some bizarre stuff going on and I don't know if it's related.
They plan to do one more Giardia stool test. The better test, I've heard from a microbiologist, is the one that initially diagnosed me which is a stool antigen test. I don't understand the different testing procedures. I'm also currently having my pancreas levels checked.
After this, if the tests remain negative, I will begin to look more closely at Irrtitable Bowel Syndrome. I checked out some sites and it's very depressing what I read because it appears that between the Giardia and the Flagyl I may deal with IBS the rest of my life.
But as my screen name says...LIFE IS GOOD!
Friday was a terrible day. I felt like someone kicked me in the gut all night long. My insides felt bruised and raw. I could barely move or cough. The next day I was much better. Again, I'm never without symptoms anymore and that's what really scary. I seem to be getting worse rather than better. My chest and neck itch, the back of my hands and cheeks tingle, I've really got some bizarre stuff going on and I don't know if it's related.
They plan to do one more Giardia stool test. The better test, I've heard from a microbiologist, is the one that initially diagnosed me which is a stool antigen test. I don't understand the different testing procedures. I'm also currently having my pancreas levels checked.
After this, if the tests remain negative, I will begin to look more closely at Irrtitable Bowel Syndrome. I checked out some sites and it's very depressing what I read because it appears that between the Giardia and the Flagyl I may deal with IBS the rest of my life.
But as my screen name says...LIFE IS GOOD!
Life -
When I told the gastro doc that I had contracted an ordinary stomach bug that blossomed into this 'overnight', he told me "sometimes you get a virus and then it takes on a life of its own and gives you IBS".
Phooey!
I did not buy this explanation. The Flagyl did kill something but not sure what.
Giardia is hard to find so I could have had that along with some thing else, or I could just be suffering from the effects of the Giardia which I hear last a while even after it's cured.
He gave me meds and a list of foods to avoid. Prevacid, Pepcid, Levsin and Bentyl I refused to take because the first three did nothing, except the two P's gave me indigestion!
I then went ahead and ate everything on the list he told me to avoid since these are good anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic foods (cinnamon in my oatmeal, cloves, ginger, garlic, hot peppers and lots of roughage...) I actually feel better for this (even tho I reek of garlic, LOL)
I started drinking black coffee again and even at hamburg although this time well cooked and mixed with a ton of garlic and some tomato sauce made with plenty of EVOO.
I am still getting severe hunger pains and pinching sensation under the ribs and my ribcage hurts both in front and back.
The lab that tested me won't let me see the results and neither would the doctor. He said all were 'negative'. However, sometimes the microscopic parasites, even when in abundance, are not considered to be causing the problem. (For example my cousin was Dxed with Crypto and yet they gave her no anti-biotics for it!)
On the 21st Nov I will see a GP and I will:
1- demand to see my actual test results
2 - have a test for HPylori, the ulcer bug, which I don't think was in that other test
3 - tell her she'd better start exploring the anti-biotic that will help me or I'm going to put a gun to my head because I've never had a stomach ache/headache in my life, let alone for 4 months like this
I am also going to have a colonscopy and upper endoscopy in January and I will ask that they take a biopsy of where it still hurts up top.
Yes, the nausea and kicked in the belly feeling isn't as bad. But I still know I am 'sick' and don't feel right.
Bowel movements are regular, and bulky and the right color.
But I still have 'something' and am confined to home until I am sure I won't have an attack while out.
I am not sure if oatmeal or Metamucil will help you -- you just have to experiment like I did. Maybe I am feeling better in general and therefore I can eat most anything now. I never thought this was related to food --- just that if your stomach is hurting from something else, eating in general is going to hurt! Right?
Drinking water can hurt if you are already in pain! D'uh. I tried to get the doctor to see this logic. He doesn't buy into the parasitic idea, but did at least not belittle me.
But like I said, I still have to demand to see the actual test numbers, which the lab will not show me! What a crock.
I hope you feel better Life......it's no fun always having a stomach ache and I never could understand how people could live like that...never thought I'd end up like this... :-(
When I told the gastro doc that I had contracted an ordinary stomach bug that blossomed into this 'overnight', he told me "sometimes you get a virus and then it takes on a life of its own and gives you IBS".
Phooey!
I did not buy this explanation. The Flagyl did kill something but not sure what.
Giardia is hard to find so I could have had that along with some thing else, or I could just be suffering from the effects of the Giardia which I hear last a while even after it's cured.
He gave me meds and a list of foods to avoid. Prevacid, Pepcid, Levsin and Bentyl I refused to take because the first three did nothing, except the two P's gave me indigestion!
I then went ahead and ate everything on the list he told me to avoid since these are good anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic foods (cinnamon in my oatmeal, cloves, ginger, garlic, hot peppers and lots of roughage...) I actually feel better for this (even tho I reek of garlic, LOL)
I started drinking black coffee again and even at hamburg although this time well cooked and mixed with a ton of garlic and some tomato sauce made with plenty of EVOO.
I am still getting severe hunger pains and pinching sensation under the ribs and my ribcage hurts both in front and back.
The lab that tested me won't let me see the results and neither would the doctor. He said all were 'negative'. However, sometimes the microscopic parasites, even when in abundance, are not considered to be causing the problem. (For example my cousin was Dxed with Crypto and yet they gave her no anti-biotics for it!)
On the 21st Nov I will see a GP and I will:
1- demand to see my actual test results
2 - have a test for HPylori, the ulcer bug, which I don't think was in that other test
3 - tell her she'd better start exploring the anti-biotic that will help me or I'm going to put a gun to my head because I've never had a stomach ache/headache in my life, let alone for 4 months like this
I am also going to have a colonscopy and upper endoscopy in January and I will ask that they take a biopsy of where it still hurts up top.
Yes, the nausea and kicked in the belly feeling isn't as bad. But I still know I am 'sick' and don't feel right.
Bowel movements are regular, and bulky and the right color.
But I still have 'something' and am confined to home until I am sure I won't have an attack while out.
I am not sure if oatmeal or Metamucil will help you -- you just have to experiment like I did. Maybe I am feeling better in general and therefore I can eat most anything now. I never thought this was related to food --- just that if your stomach is hurting from something else, eating in general is going to hurt! Right?
Drinking water can hurt if you are already in pain! D'uh. I tried to get the doctor to see this logic. He doesn't buy into the parasitic idea, but did at least not belittle me.
But like I said, I still have to demand to see the actual test numbers, which the lab will not show me! What a crock.
I hope you feel better Life......it's no fun always having a stomach ache and I never could understand how people could live like that...never thought I'd end up like this... :-(
These are the things that can come back high on tests, but which doctors often refuse to treat because they don't feel they are the cause of your symptoms:
Microscopic parasitic infections that are often found to have caused Crohn
Microscopic parasitic infections that are often found to have caused Crohn
Isn't it so awesome when you have a good day. When I read your entry about having two good days, I was a bit envious. I use to have good days and bad days. I no longer have one whole good day. I now have good hours or a good 5 minutes. I cherish those good moments. I just wish they could last longer.
Ever hear of Xifaxan? That's the latest med they want to try. The thought is that my bowel is not working properly and I have a back up of bacteria which is causing the gas, fluttering, pain, etc... This antibiotic does not absorb into the bloodstream but stays and works only in the gut.
I really hate taking meds. The Bentyl, for instance, I feel lousy for 3 days while I'm on it and then I feel lousy for another 2 days as I wait for it to work itself out of my system. I feel like such a guinea pig!
Ever hear of Xifaxan? That's the latest med they want to try. The thought is that my bowel is not working properly and I have a back up of bacteria which is causing the gas, fluttering, pain, etc... This antibiotic does not absorb into the bloodstream but stays and works only in the gut.
I really hate taking meds. The Bentyl, for instance, I feel lousy for 3 days while I'm on it and then I feel lousy for another 2 days as I wait for it to work itself out of my system. I feel like such a guinea pig!
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