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Well, I had an intestinal staph infection (overgrowth) that was finally diagnosed in October or November. I wasn't 100 percent sure all my symptoms were gone when I finished 10 days of antibiotics even though the D left after 5 days. I hoped it was just a matter of my gut settling down.
Well, yesterday the D started again. I'm delaying heading off to work this morning to see if I even will be able to do the 45 minute drive. Guess I'll call the doc too and see if I can get in around the holiday this week. Same symptoms as before...guggling as all that water sifts on through, bloating, back pain, irritability, muscle aches. If I hadn't had the staph thing, I'd chock this up to holiday indulgence, but I have been good (although there are always those "maybes" when eating at others homes, out etc.). And in the past while gluten makes me "less normal" it doesn't result in immediate D like so many of you. Maybe all the excess sugar helped feed the bad bugs again.
Katy
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kate_ce1995
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MaggieRedwings
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Morning Katy,
Sure hope you can get a doctor's appointment and figure out what is going on. Just seems sometimes that these problems with staph infections are so hard to shake. Kind of a lurking illness. Sure hope you are feeling better soon.
Love, Maggie
Sure hope you can get a doctor's appointment and figure out what is going on. Just seems sometimes that these problems with staph infections are so hard to shake. Kind of a lurking illness. Sure hope you are feeling better soon.
Love, Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
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Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
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barbaranoela
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Hiya Kate-----
sure hope U get to feelig better--how about a big wish for the New Year--soon to arrive--
and that be wishing !! FEELING LIKE A MILLION BUCKS!! AND SHOO AWAY ALL OTHER ISSUES THAT KINDA GET u DOWN!!even the ones that Maggie worded as LURKING!!Those Lurkers are sneaky devils~~~~~~
Dont think thats to much to ask for!!
Happy New Year Kate---may wellness start ya year in the right direction
luve Barbara
sure hope U get to feelig better--how about a big wish for the New Year--soon to arrive--
and that be wishing !! FEELING LIKE A MILLION BUCKS!! AND SHOO AWAY ALL OTHER ISSUES THAT KINDA GET u DOWN!!even the ones that Maggie worded as LURKING!!Those Lurkers are sneaky devils~~~~~~
Dont think thats to much to ask for!!
Happy New Year Kate---may wellness start ya year in the right direction
luve Barbara
the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control
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kate_ce1995
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Well, it took almost a week to get the test results back because of the holiday...thank goodness I'm not REALLY sick...and they came back negative, so now I have D of unknown origin. The doc thinks I'm "developing IBS". And thinks it might be time for me to see a GI, although it can take 1 to 2 months to get an appointment...again, glad I'm not REALLY sick.
What else can cause D? She has not done any other tests. No blood work. Nothing. I am glad I'm not "sick" but I want answers too. I may need to persue additional food sensitivity stuff, but I have not changed anything significant in my diet.
GRRRRR.
Katy
What else can cause D? She has not done any other tests. No blood work. Nothing. I am glad I'm not "sick" but I want answers too. I may need to persue additional food sensitivity stuff, but I have not changed anything significant in my diet.
GRRRRR.
Katy
Katy,
I don't know what to think. Like you, I just sorta assumed it might be the staph infection starting up again. There are a zillion things that can cause D, but most of them either get better or worse, with time. Vancomycin is a a broad-spectrum antibiotic, so it should have taken care of all sort of infections, (except, of course, for Vancomycin-resistant bacteria).
I seriously doubt that you are "developing IBS". Not only is it impossible for a GI doc to diagnose IBS, (except by default), but they don't know how to treat it, anyway, (if it even exists).
If you haven't been passing any blood, I doubt that you're developing UC. The gurgling is unique to the IBDs, (that by itself rules out IBS), so it's very likely that you're just having a persistent MC episode. I've lost track - are you eating casein and/or soy these days?
Tex
I don't know what to think. Like you, I just sorta assumed it might be the staph infection starting up again. There are a zillion things that can cause D, but most of them either get better or worse, with time. Vancomycin is a a broad-spectrum antibiotic, so it should have taken care of all sort of infections, (except, of course, for Vancomycin-resistant bacteria).
I seriously doubt that you are "developing IBS". Not only is it impossible for a GI doc to diagnose IBS, (except by default), but they don't know how to treat it, anyway, (if it even exists).
If you haven't been passing any blood, I doubt that you're developing UC. The gurgling is unique to the IBDs, (that by itself rules out IBS), so it's very likely that you're just having a persistent MC episode. I've lost track - are you eating casein and/or soy these days?
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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kate_ce1995
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Yes, Tex, I guess my sarcasm was lost in the text but the "developing IBS" really ticked me off. I got this input via phone. they also suggested fiber. I whined that it was hard to stay hydrated as I've been wicked thirsty since this started, but then I've had a head cold the last half of this latest flare and it's winter here in the northland so the air is VERY VERY DRY, so it may be more that than the loss of fluid with the D. She sounded surprised...she asked if I couldn't drink water because it went right through me. Duh! I can drink it, but I'm pooping 10 times a day (I'm not counting...but its a lot) so I can't possibly be keeping hydrated as easily as when I'm healthy! DUH! Why does it take an engineer to figure these things out?
I'm also thinking to myself that when I developed MC the first time, I had to endure upper and lower GI barium series and that SUCKED and I don't want to go through that again. When I asked the doc about the lower GI and only a sigmoidoscopy when if either showed something, what I had read suggested a full colonoscopy would likely be performed his answer was he couldn't order a colonoscopy if blood wasn't present. I think I, the patient, suffered more for having the 2 "lesser" tests.
I am still eating everything but gluten. But then why would constant D between July and October get better after 5 days on vancomycin only to return in late December (about 6 weeks after the end of the antibiotic treatment). I don't think the inflamation ever truely went away as my poop never got completely normal again.
I'm just frustrated. I want answers and it doesn't seem like anyone is in a big hurry to find any. And I got more interested in researching summer vacation options than researching diarrhea this evening to look for my own answers. Now it's bedtime and I have to put away laundry before I can get in bed because I dumped the basket this morning trying to find something to wear to work.
Katy
I'm also thinking to myself that when I developed MC the first time, I had to endure upper and lower GI barium series and that SUCKED and I don't want to go through that again. When I asked the doc about the lower GI and only a sigmoidoscopy when if either showed something, what I had read suggested a full colonoscopy would likely be performed his answer was he couldn't order a colonoscopy if blood wasn't present. I think I, the patient, suffered more for having the 2 "lesser" tests.
I am still eating everything but gluten. But then why would constant D between July and October get better after 5 days on vancomycin only to return in late December (about 6 weeks after the end of the antibiotic treatment). I don't think the inflamation ever truely went away as my poop never got completely normal again.
I'm just frustrated. I want answers and it doesn't seem like anyone is in a big hurry to find any. And I got more interested in researching summer vacation options than researching diarrhea this evening to look for my own answers. Now it's bedtime and I have to put away laundry before I can get in bed because I dumped the basket this morning trying to find something to wear to work.
Katy
Maybe your insurance won't pay for a colonoscopy without the presence of blood, but I don't believe that any law dictates that policy. Most of the members of this board were diagnosed by means of a colonoscopy exam, (and MC does not involve any blood in the stool). That may simply be your doctor's policy.
I believe you're right - your symptoms improved after the vanco treatment, but I recall you mentioning that you felt as though you were still "not out of the woods", at the time.
Doctors seem to get bored, when they can't figure out what's wrong with us, and they start looking around for possible "default" diagnoses, such as IBS.
I wish I knew what to tell you, but the best I can come up with is to try cutting out casein and soy. Unlike gluten, if one or both of them are the problem, (and you haven't been getting any accidental gluten in your diet during the past few months), a week or so should be sufficient to determine the outcome. (IOW, it shouldn't take months to see any improvement).
Tex
I believe you're right - your symptoms improved after the vanco treatment, but I recall you mentioning that you felt as though you were still "not out of the woods", at the time.
Doctors seem to get bored, when they can't figure out what's wrong with us, and they start looking around for possible "default" diagnoses, such as IBS.
I wish I knew what to tell you, but the best I can come up with is to try cutting out casein and soy. Unlike gluten, if one or both of them are the problem, (and you haven't been getting any accidental gluten in your diet during the past few months), a week or so should be sufficient to determine the outcome. (IOW, it shouldn't take months to see any improvement).
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Kate sorry to hear about the staph...infection..persistent little buggers..Try a dose of echinchea herbal supplement to boost your immune system to fight the staph...I hope you start to feel better soon
I have to agree with tex...when i get those stomach gurgles usually its an mc flare up...
I have to agree with tex...when i get those stomach gurgles usually its an mc flare up...
Angy ;)