Please help!

[Barbara Stewart]

I'm not sure if this belongs on this thread, but I'm sure Ross will make sure it goes to the right place. So good to have you back, Ross.
My blood pressure is up and has been for weeks. Of course, when I went to the cardio for a check up two weeks ago it was great (first thing in the AM).
When I had my first surgery in May, '05 I had the MRSA infection and developed sepsis. I've been told I'm lucky to be alive. Anyway, I had to have intravenous Vancomycin for 6-8 weeks. I don't remember much of it, so I'm not clear on how many weeks. I developed the C-Diff infection from the antibiotics which made me really sick, too.
Since then, my bowels have been cyclical, constipation and diahrrea and these cycles make me exhausted. When I go to bed my heart pounds in my head. I honestly don't know where to turn. I know my cardio can give me more medicine for my BP, but I don't know where to turn for the other. I've had a colonoscopy and it didn't find anything.
I guess my question is, has anyone else here had this problem and were there any lasting effects? The infection started out in my incision. This has been going on for a year and I'm getting so frustrated and depressed, not to mention lonely! Does anyone know where I can information?
I'm starting to feel like an invalid and I don't like it one darn bit!
Barbara

 

[RandyL]

Sorry to hear your having such a tough time Barbara. Maybe you have some sort of intestine infection. I know I was sick after coming home and couldn't eat and had diarhea and was throwing up with terrible pains in my stomach. They did a C Scan I believe and it turned out to be divertculitis. They gave me some antibiotics and it got better in a week. This was really bad I was hospitalized for it. I think you need to see your PCP and see what he thinks you should do. Good Luck

 

[bvdr]

Barbara, a couple of years ago I had a bout of "transient ischemic colitis" that was blamed on a probable clot from my valve. One of the disorders they ruled out was the pseudo-membraneous colitis. At the time I was doing a lot of reading about types of colitis. All the different types can affect you for a long time but there are some things that might help. I was on a drug called "Asacol" that really helped. It is an anti-inflammatory drug that is specific for the intestines. I think it would be in order for you to ask you GI doctor if it would be worth a try anyhow. A gut that isn't functioning well can affect everything else. It affects your electrolytes (particularily sodium and potasium) and your fluid balance. Pretty large amounts of fluid can shift from other tissues and your blood vessels into your gut. I'm sure this can affect your blood pressure and how you feel. I don't know what is going on with you but you sound like you are more than fed up with it. Maybe Asacol would help you feel better. Have they given you anything else to try like maybe Zelnorm?

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Sorry you are having a rough time Barbara.

Anti-biotics kill the good bacteria in colon which can cause Yeast to multiply and produce toxins. I always start taking ACIDOPHILUS supplements to help restore the needed bacteria whenever I am put on anti-biotics.

There is a good book on the subject of YEAST and it's effects on the body entitled "The Yeast Connection" by Dr. William G. Crook. You can find sources for either new or used copies by doing a Google Search for "The Yeast Connection" along with some helpful websites.

Hope this helps.

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Nancy]

Joe has had C-diff and it took him forever to get rid of it. It came back several times. He was under the care of a good GI doc. They finally gave him a medication (name escapes me) which coated his intestines, and that cleared it up. But it did interfere with many of his meds.

Are you absolutely sure the C-diff has gone away??? Have they tested you again?

Now, Joe has bouts of diarrhea which come and go. When it is present. it is debilitating. No one has been able to track down just what is causing it, and has chalked it up to just another one of his mystery problems.

I've watched it carefully, and have found that it is bad when he has fluid retention with ascites (fluid in the abdominal area). Once the fluid is under control, the diarrhea subsides. I can't prove it, but that is what it seems to be.

Just thought I'd mention that. None of Joe's doctors have mentioned it. It is just my own observation.

Another reason to be extra vigilant with his fluid.

 

[aussigal]

I agree with AL., start with the Acidophilus and get your good bacteria in balance again...all those antibiotics would have wiped your system clean of them. Its worth a try and much friendlier to your body than another dose of anti-b's...
I hope you are feeling better soon

 

[tobagotwo]

I don't know if you've had other surgeries, but there can also be "adhesions" from prior surgeries or intestinal infections that can develop months or years later, blocking or partially blocking the intestines. It happened to someone in our family, and it started in a not dissimilar way to what you are experiencing. Of course, it's very difficult to tell from a posting, no matter how eloquent you may be, Barbara.

If we were to rule out physical blockage, I agree with the acidophilus in principle, but I believe it's really not nearly enough. Get permission from your doctor to go out and get a good probiotic, one with eight or more bacterial organisms to bring balance back to your insides. If you want to take it with active culture yogurt, that's fine. Then you can have the acidophilus, too. But yogurt and acidophilus alone are not enough once your system's flora have been damaged by heavy antibiotic use.

I developed lactose intolerance from having to take too many prophylactic doses of antibiotics during a two-week period of three dentist visits for a couple of fillings. Since then, I've learned that you don't need prophylaxis before fillings.

I didn't know what it was at first, but it hurt so much that it would wake me up at night. I happened to read an article on lactose intolerance, and the symptoms were uncannily like my own. Me? Ridiculous! I've eaten dairy all my life with no pain or problems ever!

As the big workaround was supposed to be to chew lactase tablets (which are quite inexpensive) when ingesting dairy products, I gave it a try. To my chargrin, it worked.

I found I had to use chewable lactase tablets with any kind of dairy (including active culture yogurt), and ice cream was a killer. I did that for a while before I finally decided to take a shot at probiotics. After about two months of probiotics, I had enough bacteria back so I didn't have to use the lactase anymore. And after a couple months more, the horrible heartburn I had been suffering dissipated as well. The bad bacteria had survived because they were less susceptible than the useful bacteria. Now, the good bugs have taken back their territory from the bad bugs through sheer numbers over time.

There are a good number of brands, and most of them have one or more different beneficial bacteria from the others, so I tend to switch around.

Best wishes,

 

[Nan]

Hi , I also agree with Al and Ton, it is definitely worth a try to get some acidophilus into your system and see if it helps. And some of the medications mentioned might be worth looking into if the acidophilus doesn't help.

Good luck and feel better soon,

 

[Barbara Stewart]

Help

Help

Thank you all so much! I am lactose intolerant and I have been taking probiotics for months and I am still having trouble. I am seeing my PCP on Friday and I will ask him about Asacol. I've never heard of that. I'm convinced that GI docs don't really want to hear about these mystery afflictions. I really am fed up. I'll keep you posted if there is any news or if I get any relief.
Thanks again. I really appreciate you all.
Barbara