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I've been dealing with a headache, small fever, and abdominal discomfort plus pain in my lower left abdomin for the past several days. I thought at first that I had a virus, but when I saw I had a temperature of 100 degrees, I started thinking I might have diverticulitis again. I never get severe pain with it, but it's uncomfortable to walk, etc.
This morning my temperature was back to normal, but I still had abdominal discomfort. I have gone to the bathroom four times today when I've been only going once a day. I've had different BMs, thin and some D. Plus I had a lot of gas night a couple of nights ago with and I was up every couple of hours thinking I had to go to the bathroom.
I finally called my GI today when I realized it could have been diverticulitis. This GI has never treated me for it and even told me that he's not sure that I've ever had it because he's never treated me for it.
His nurse called me - he never saw me today - and I told her that I was feeling better and my fever was gone. She talked to the doctor and just called me back and prescribed Cipro and Flagyl for two weeks. She wants me to call back on Friday and then he'll see me two weeks from Friday. I told her that the last time I took a double dose of antibiotics, I had diarrhea for 5 1/2 weeks (4 months later I had MC). I have no problem with Cipro, but Flagyl is what put me over the edge the last time. I took Levaquin and Cipro before without a problem.
I'm feeling almost back to normal and don't want to take these antibiotics for 2 weeks, given I have MC. I suppose the doctor is covering the possibility that a sac burst and I could have an infection spreading in my cavity. I've taken Cipro before for Diverticulits. I just took Cipro four weeks ago for a UTI and I'm not anxious to take another antibiotic so soon.
Isn't it odd that he didn't even look at me and he's apparently agreeing that I have diverticulitis? Especially after telling me that he wasn't sure that I've ever had it before because he never treated me.
What do you think I should do? I called back to get a prescription for a probiotic, but the nurse was gone already.
Gloria
Double-dose of Antibiotics
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Double-dose of Antibiotics
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
I just went to Walgreens to pick up the Cipro. I told the pharmacist that I don't want to take the Flagyl because I had D for over 5 weeks the last time I took that combo. I said I would call the Dr. to see if he'd prescribe Levaquin instead and she said he wouldn't because it's the same type of drug as Cipro.
My Cipro dosage even seems quite high - 500 mg 2X a day for 2 weeks. When I took it for the UTI, I took 1 500 mg pill for 3 days.
I think I'm going to just take the Cipro. I think it's just to protect me in the event the sac burst. I'm feeling fine right now. I'll need to drive to Whole Foods to get a two week's supply of Ricera yogurt. I take a daily probiotic, but who knows how active the cultures are?
I'm a little irritated because this GI made quite a stink about not knowing if I had a history of diverticulitis because he hadn't ever treated me for it. I gave him a lab report of a scan that was done during one attack which clearly showed the inflammation, but he told me he needed to see blood work, etc. This is the first time he's treated me for diverticulits. He diagnosed me through his nurse, over the phone and gave a pretty potent prescription to kill all the bacteria in my fragile intestines.
Gloria
My Cipro dosage even seems quite high - 500 mg 2X a day for 2 weeks. When I took it for the UTI, I took 1 500 mg pill for 3 days.
I think I'm going to just take the Cipro. I think it's just to protect me in the event the sac burst. I'm feeling fine right now. I'll need to drive to Whole Foods to get a two week's supply of Ricera yogurt. I take a daily probiotic, but who knows how active the cultures are?
I'm a little irritated because this GI made quite a stink about not knowing if I had a history of diverticulitis because he hadn't ever treated me for it. I gave him a lab report of a scan that was done during one attack which clearly showed the inflammation, but he told me he needed to see blood work, etc. This is the first time he's treated me for diverticulits. He diagnosed me through his nurse, over the phone and gave a pretty potent prescription to kill all the bacteria in my fragile intestines.
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
His "about face" is very puzzling, to say the least. Cipro is a pretty broad spectrum antibiotic. I really don't see why you would need Flagyl along with it, unless you were gunning for C. diff, and if that were the case, vancomycin would be a much better choice. I'm no doctor, but I believe that if you actually were to have a colon wall rupture, you would need surgery, not just an antibiotic, and you would be in a lot of pain.
I believe that 500mg of Cipro, two times per day, for two weeks, is what was prescribed to me, after I had the first lab tests, and they couldn't find any reason for the uncontrollable diarrhea. IOW, it was given, just in case I had an infection in my gut. By the time of my followup visit, the D was back, so the GI doc gave me another two week prescription, again for Cipro.
By the way, is this the forum you intended to post this topic in? If you want it moved, just tell me where you want it.
Tex
I believe that 500mg of Cipro, two times per day, for two weeks, is what was prescribed to me, after I had the first lab tests, and they couldn't find any reason for the uncontrollable diarrhea. IOW, it was given, just in case I had an infection in my gut. By the time of my followup visit, the D was back, so the GI doc gave me another two week prescription, again for Cipro.
By the way, is this the forum you intended to post this topic in? If you want it moved, just tell me where you want it.
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.
No, I mistakenly put it here. Please move it for me - thank you for noticing.
I've been looking over my history of diverticulitis. One time I went to an acute care center after I no longer had the fever, similar to my present situation. The doctor told me then that since I didn't have a fever, he wouldn't prescribe an antibiotic because he couldn't see that I had active diverticulitis. Ie., the infected sac probably released its contents and the infection was no longer an issue. I think I'm in the same situation and will be fine even if I don't take the antibiotic.
I agree that if I had a pouch that burst, I'd be in a great deal of pain and I probably would have a fever due to the infection. I think the time for the antibiotic has passed. Now I have to think about how to explain this to my GI. <Sigh>
Gloria
I've been looking over my history of diverticulitis. One time I went to an acute care center after I no longer had the fever, similar to my present situation. The doctor told me then that since I didn't have a fever, he wouldn't prescribe an antibiotic because he couldn't see that I had active diverticulitis. Ie., the infected sac probably released its contents and the infection was no longer an issue. I think I'm in the same situation and will be fine even if I don't take the antibiotic.
I agree that if I had a pouch that burst, I'd be in a great deal of pain and I probably would have a fever due to the infection. I think the time for the antibiotic has passed. Now I have to think about how to explain this to my GI. <Sigh>
Gloria
You never know what you can do until you have to do it.
I agree that you probably don't need the antibiotic at this point, FWIW. Heck, I'd just call the office and tell them that the symptoms are gone, so you don't think you need an antibiotic any more.
Tex
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.
Hi Gloria,
I agree with both you and Tex. If you are better, you may not need the Cipro. Plus you don't want to risk developing resistant bugs to Cipro, since that is often the best antibiotic for us MCers. A while back I had to take antibiotics multiple times for sinus infections - the staph bug I had last time had become resistant to azithromycin (Z-Pak) but luckily was still sensitive to Cipro. I would not want to use Cipro again unless absolutely certain I needed it.
Hey, don't even think twice about what to tell your doc. It's YOUR body and YOU are in charge (HAH - now if we could only wave a magic wand and get the GIs to see it that way!).
Love,
Polly
I agree with both you and Tex. If you are better, you may not need the Cipro. Plus you don't want to risk developing resistant bugs to Cipro, since that is often the best antibiotic for us MCers. A while back I had to take antibiotics multiple times for sinus infections - the staph bug I had last time had become resistant to azithromycin (Z-Pak) but luckily was still sensitive to Cipro. I would not want to use Cipro again unless absolutely certain I needed it.
Hey, don't even think twice about what to tell your doc. It's YOUR body and YOU are in charge (HAH - now if we could only wave a magic wand and get the GIs to see it that way!).
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.