Beaver Fever Support Group

I just wanted to get some conversation started on this issue. Mine is a long story.

I was diagnosed with IBS in March 2007 after a horrible two-week bout with diarrhea. It didn't seem like IBS - day five or so, I realized it didn't matter what I ate or didn't eat, it still happened. And, it was happening only in the morning. I had no stress, life was fine, no big shifts or adjustments. But I would wake up around 6 am - no matter what time I went to bed or how much sleep I'd had - and it would start with a sick feeling in my stomach.

And it would ROAR out of me. It was slimy, stringy, smelled terrible, and looked like nothing that had ever come out of me before. After a few hours, it would pass and I would start my day and for the rest of it, I didn't feel too bad. So, after two weeks, I went to my doctor.

"Classic IBS - take some Metamucil every night, cut chocolate out, cut out herbal tea" (the chocolate and herbal tea were the only thing in my diet that my doctor thought I should try to avoid).

My doctor figured that should do the trick. Had I eaten anything different? I thought maybe I'd picked up a bug from a take-out salad or something.

After another two weeks, the only thing that changed was that now I was very nauseous when this would happen in the morning, and I would dry heave. If there was anything in my stomach, I would throw up. Bad abdominal cramps, nausea, some lower back pain, and diarrhea. I was very tired after a month of waking up at 6 am. My doctor ordered a stool sample and blood test for celiac sprue. Both came back negative. So began the series of appointments for different tests to find out what was causing this.

At almost the two-month period, I thought back and remembered some oral-anal contact with my husband. My doctor said not a chance, we'd been together too long.

THEN I discovered that the water cooler I'd been drinking out of smelled funny, In the glass, the water smelled a bit mossy, even moldy. I asked the doctor and he said not a chance. I bought a new water cooler anyway and kept living with the morning nightmare, which was getting worse as symptoms were piling up (some of which I suspect were a result of malabsorption) and I became more miserable.

Barium enema, scan, specialist. I kept a diary, time I woke up, bowel movement times, texture, and consistency, food I ate through the day. The specialist was not interested in seeing it. He just asked a series of questions that I had already answered a hundred times.

I was getting frustrated and started looking online - "morning diarrhea", "six am diarrhea" "morning diarrhea and nausea". IBS came up quite often and I STILL didn't believe I had it. Then I came across Giardiasis and couldn't believe the similarities between what I was reading and what I was experiencing.

Then I started talking to people who'd gone through the same thing. I'd had two doctors (people I know) say based on my symptoms "it sounds like giardia". So I read more about it and the list lined up with me:

Bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, low back pain, lactose intolerance, greasy/fatty food intolerance, itchy skin, itchy anus and nose, bad smelling burps, bad breath, greasy looking hair, teeth grinding... hot/cold in the mornings, feverish, constantly blowing my nose... and all slowly leading to forgetfulness, foggy thinking, apathy and slight depression. I went to my doctor and mentioned what I'd read, and the medication we could try. He told me he would not give medication without a diagnosis, and to get off the internet.

Around the seven month mark, I was like the walking dead. Taking vitamins, never sure what to eat, trying every herbal remedy I'd read about. Nothing changed and I was getting desperate. Two mornings in a row, I went to emergency. I was waking up in pain, crying, dry heaving, diarrhea, from 6 am until closer to 2 pm. The 'morning sickness' was lasting longer into the day. I was exhausted and felt terrible, unlike myself at all. Like I was slowly being taken over. A total zombie.

My second day at emergency, they thought they'd try a shot in the dark, they said, and prescribed Flagyl. I knew it was the antibiotic that might work. And, it did. Day three I woke up, no diarrhea. Day four, I thought I would die - horrible nausea and pain in my stomach and back. I went to my doctor and told him I couldn't take any more. He prescribed Apo-Chlorax and said "I'm going to cure you.".

After a horrific night of chills, teeth chattering, nonstop crying (a side effect of the antibiotic, I've since learned) I settled into the Apo-Chlorax and started feeling better. I'd get slight cramping when it was time for my medication. Severely weakened, as if I'd been hit by a truck, I limped back into my life as I knew it. I still would only "go" in the morning but it didn't wake me up anymore. It felt amazing to be able to sleep in again. I remained lactose intolerant. By this time, I'd lost forty pounds. The diarrhea was gone.

Over the course of the next two months, the lactose intolerance declined, but I noticed some joint pain. Even my jeans rubbing against my hipbones bothered me. It was a symptom I'd read, increased chance of arthritis, which runs in my family anyway. But this subsided as well. The Apo-Chlorax was becoming inconsequential - I wasn't getting cramps much anymore, and so started weaning myself off it.

I went for a followup appt. with my doctor late last September and he wanted me off them entirely, I told him I was working towards that. I asked him what he thought I had in the end, and he smiled. He said the antibiotics "had a placebo effect". I asked incredulously "all those symptoms? You think all those symptoms were just something I invented?" He said the mind is a powerful thing, and the main thing is that I was feeling better. I agreed. But...

I was infuriated. I let it go. He wasn't able to figure out what was wrong with me, and he didn't "cure" me, so I guess he probably chalked it up to me being stressed or depressed (which I was, after seven months of diarrhea with no known cause!).

I started regaining weight! The lactose intolerance all but vanished! My mornings were mine again.

We will never truly know what made me sick for so long, but I know what it was. It was giardiasis, not for wishful thinking, but for a few reasons:

Anal-oral contact about two weeks before onset (my husband was lactose intolerant as a baby, self-resolved - but he has what he's always called "rotten guts")

Contaminated water possibly for months

All the symptoms. It was almost textbook, what I was reading. It didn't line up with anything else.

The insane thing was my doctor not believing I could come into contact with this unless I'd left the country. Does giardiasis recognize borders? Does he really believe it can't possibly happen to anyone in North America?

This "shot in the dark" they took at the hospital could have been taken in March or April. I hated that I was left sick for so long. I understand the constraints on prescribing, but I was a very, very sick person and antibiotics should have been given long before the seven month mark, I think, just as an attempt.

At any rate, a year later, and no IBS symptoms whatsoever... so I guess we can rule that out. I am still very happy to sleep in, I think I will always have an appreciation for that, and never take it for granted. The support I was looking for back then was not around. Every forum is full of people asking questions and wanting confirmation, and a lot of them are IBS forums. I think a lot of people who have giardiasis are being misdiagnosed with IBS - and they aren't getting any better. And they're suffering, sometimes for years. I can't imagine still suffering the way I did. I would have had to have been hospitalized. I was really reaching the end of my rope.

Hopefully this spurs on some exchange between some of us. I don't know if sharing my story is helpful to anyone, it helps me to talk about. I just hope someone can relate to what I've been through and has been able to find some comfort in that, or has newfound information that may lead to some help. If I'd been given antibiotics sooner, I would have been well sooner. If this were all in my mind, the Grapefruit seed extract, the anti-parasitics, the vitamins, the Metamucil all might have made a difference. It was the Flagyl that did it - and halfway through those I started thinking they didn't work. They still did. I am insulted that my doctor would insinuate that I imagined all of those symptoms.

I'd love to hear someone share their story, and even more so if it has a happy ending (like mine).

Hell, any ending to something this awful is happy!

Cheers

Ladyfinger

hi lady finger my story is long too bare with me....

,

I am new to this website and thought I’d give it a go as I’m desperate to hear from anyone else with a similar experience?! I am 24 years old female living in Sydney Australia.

4 yrs ago I was diagnosed with ibs-d- I did many tests blood work/colonoscopy/endoscopy to test for chrons and celiac and all were negative (that was 2 yrs ago in march 2009). So I have learnt to manage it but it’s a DAILY problem and affects my work, social life and mental state. I even started my own company just so I could control the stress, where my toilet was and everything! It’s a cycle because the ibs creates the anxiety which adds to the ibs and makes it worse and I know it does- my nerves create diarrhea but my nerves are created by the stress of having the runs its a losing battle!

I have seen many doctors;

- General practitioner- "you have ibs"....that’s all they can say and it’s frustrating I know!!

- gastroenterologist- put me on 20mg endep which is a anti depressant that is known to slow the bowel down- ive been on that for 3 years but most recently have now gone down the codeine route- which is not recommended- I take 8-16mgs of panadine a night which seems to be working well- I do not take it on weekends.

- psychiatrist- who also agreed with the endep for slowing bowel down and anxiety combination- so I’m up to 50mg a night

- natural therapy- nothing that I could say has helped although I’m taking "iberogast" which is a natural remedy for easing symptoms you put it in water 3 times a day it tastes awful but haven’t been taking it long enough to tell you if it works, and have just started on a probiotic inner health plus for the good bacteria...

- have tried hypnotists- they put you to sleep tell you how to calm yourself seems to work for a week but in this day with the stresses of life and on top of that the ibs-d- forget it! And it’s expensive...

- Self medicating with anti-diarrhea medication - I use LOMOTIL and lots of it, lots! Sometimes a combination of lomotil and Imodium advanced with mintec- peppermint capsules. with the lomotil I can only go to one chemist to get huge amounts of it as hes the only one who understands! sometimes I can take up to 6 tablets a day- on an occasion like a wedding or event that I know I can’t afford to have the runs I usually take 3 the night before and then take up to 6 the day of which usually stops my bowel from having any movement at all- which I don’t recommend but it’s my way of coping id rather that then having to run to the bathroom up to 10 times!!!!!!

Diet- my diet is as bland as it gets I don’t have spices, curry, peppers, garlic, onion; I am as bland as it gets! I avoid it just in case- I am overweight but not incredibly for my height.

so in total on a normal day I would take 2 panadine, 50mg endep, mintec, iberogast, and lots of lomotil when needed. *I am not a doctor- I am only giving my experience.

I am now about to embark on working in an office- I want this job and have worked hard for this job the ONLY thing standing in my way is my ibs.

I have turned down jobs that would have been perfect in the past purely based on the toilet situation! one place had only one toilet for about 30 people and it seemed to be in the middle of the office so if you did a smelly it was bound to be known- I checked it out it out when I went for the interview, needless to say I had the runs although I prepared with lomotil- in extreme nervous situations nothing can stop me- and needless to say that experience proved that this office was not the place for me as I wouldn’t survive and the stress of it would get the better of me. the new office situation is not ideal but not terrible- the ladies have a small room with 2 toilets close together if you’re in there by yourself perfect if not it’s a little stressful but I find bringing things like matches or toilet sprays and leaving them in there can make you more comfortable- IS THIS SOUNDNG CRAZY OR DO YOU HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE?the only people who know I have this are my doctors, my mother and my father (divorced) my father only knows because of my excessive medical costs- especially those of the lomotil and trips to the gastro lady. To tell other friends I dont know if they would understand and I wouldn’t want them knowing and talking about it- you know what people can be like! I am hoping that by writing my experience here others will tell me if they have similar experiences/medicines/advice.

Apart from all that ibs-d stuff I know has a new problem to worry about...

3 weeks ago I returned home from a trip o/s- I was in Europe and during my trip I noticed that some of my runs had a strong sulfur smell to it....didn’t think anything of it and them on the way home I went through Hong Kong- stupidly had a prawn won tong soup and hopped on the plane. the last 3 hrs to Sydney I woke with STABBING PAINS/GAS FOLLOWED BY 2,3,4,5,6....8...TRIPS TO THE BATHROOM I had the runs. I quickly took as much lomotil as I thought possible as I had no option I was on a flight with 300 ppl. I managed to stop it before landing and had to tell customs who took my details etc....went home and for 3 days was fine (probably because I clogged myself up). I went to the doctor for my prescriptions and while I was there I told her about my experience and she gave me ZITHROMAX (to treat bacteria). So I took that and that night I had severe cramping- the kind where you just want to scream out loud really horrible and diarrhea after eating. I took the second dose the next day and the same thing. I went back to the doctor a few days later still having the symptoms - CRAMPING, WIND, SULFUR SMELLING POO, EXPLOSIVE DIAREEAH, YOU NAME IT! She did blood work which excluded chrons/celiac and no gluten intolerance- she was reluctant to give me flagyl as I have had so many antibiotics she didn’t think it was necessary. I also did many stool samples over a few days- 9 stool samples in total all came back negative (keep in mind I did that after the zithromax) so I was devastated as I had no answer but still having severe cramping etc! one day it was so bad I went to the toilet 19 times (I was recording everything) so I went back to the doctors but this time saw someone else who specialized in gasto upsets. she said for sure I have GIARDIA!!! as giardia is only picked up in 30% of stool samples so she have me a strong hit of flagyl (4 tabs at once single dose)(which took away the cramps but not the diarrhea/mushy stools) on Monday and she said if I wasn’t feeling better by Wednesday take NOROXIN for 3 days twice a day.

here’s where it gets interesting....I was taking the noroxin and on the thursday I woke up with acute chest pain (they think it was reflux from all the acid and upsets in my body) which I went straight to the nurse and the doc and they seemed confused......after begging them to put me on a drip they agreed- I had spent 2 weeks with acute diarrhea and was completely washed out- emotionally exhausted and just over it.

They gave me the drip and pethadine for the chest pain- I was high as a kite- all the pain went away and they sent me home told me I have turned a corner and will make a full recovery. That was on Thursday. Friday, sat. sun I was feeling ok- no cramping or gas but still loose stools- not explosive diarrhea but Friday was def mushy/diarrhea. Saturday I had semi formed stools and Sunday had mushy semi formed stools.

then- Sunday night- I had had my plain chicken and rice (for 2 weeks had a bland diet of rice, cracker, soup and bread, mashed potatoes etc) was sitting on the couch when suddenly had severe cramping and then run- as fast as I could to the toilet- 3 bouts of diarrhea like liquid (one of the signs of giardia is fatty floating diarrhea) and I though $$$$$$! ITS BACK- HAD A SEVERE PANIC ATTACK AS I WAS DUE TO START MY JOB IN 2 DAYS! My mum calmed me down and the next morning I was again at the doctors at 730 am who gave me a week’s course of flagyl. I will keep you updated on how that goes- work was really understanding and gave me a week off to recover- considering this is week 3 of giardia I am praying this works but have googled experiences of giardia that last up to 6 weeks sometimes longer with it permanently damaging you. My gastroentologist has said if im not better in 2 weeks I need to have a colonoscopy and rule out any other problems which I hope I wont have to go down that path as thats not pleasant.... so I will let you know what happens on the weeks course of flagyl- first day of taking it again im pretty wipped out it’s a strong drug- still cramping and diarrhea.

Im really down and exhausted- this giardia on top of my existing problems had knocked all the confidence I had out of me, like many others here I am desperate and sometimes would rather not live than have this. if you have any of the above symptoms ibs=d or giardia please tell me your experience and what worked and didn’t work for you-

in my case i think my ibs-d and giardia are not related however im sure my giardia is worse as my gastro area is not very strong- it did get me thinking about HOW MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH IBS-D AND IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE GIARDIA!? just a thought...

ladyfinger- how long were you on the flagyl and what dose and wha did you go on after that that worked? and what was the dose and length/ if it worked for you hopefully it will work for me?

andhow have you been since the giardia?

please reply xox

hi lady finger my story is long too bare with me....

,

I am new to this website and thought I’d give it a go as I’m desperate to hear from anyone else with a similar experience?! I am 24 years old female living in Sydney Australia.

4 yrs ago I was diagnosed with ibs-d- I did many tests blood work/colonoscopy/endoscopy to test for chrons and celiac and all were negative (that was 2 yrs ago in march 2009). So I have learnt to manage it but it’s a DAILY problem and affects my work, social life and mental state. I even started my own company just so I could control the stress, where my toilet was and everything! It’s a cycle because the ibs creates the anxiety which adds to the ibs and makes it worse and I know it does- my nerves create diarrhea but my nerves are created by the stress of having the runs its a losing battle!

I have seen many doctors;

- General practitioner- "you have ibs"....that’s all they can say and it’s frustrating I know!!

- gastroenterologist- put me on 20mg endep which is a anti depressant that is known to slow the bowel down- ive been on that for 3 years but most recently have now gone down the codeine route- which is not recommended- I take 8-16mgs of panadine a night which seems to be working well- I do not take it on weekends.

- psychiatrist- who also agreed with the endep for slowing bowel down and anxiety combination- so I’m up to 50mg a night

- natural therapy- nothing that I could say has helped although I’m taking "iberogast" which is a natural remedy for easing symptoms you put it in water 3 times a day it tastes awful but haven’t been taking it long enough to tell you if it works, and have just started on a probiotic inner health plus for the good bacteria...

- have tried hypnotists- they put you to sleep tell you how to calm yourself seems to work for a week but in this day with the stresses of life and on top of that the ibs-d- forget it! And it’s expensive...

- Self medicating with anti-diarrhea medication - I use LOMOTIL and lots of it, lots! Sometimes a combination of lomotil and Imodium advanced with mintec- peppermint capsules. with the lomotil I can only go to one chemist to get huge amounts of it as hes the only one who understands! sometimes I can take up to 6 tablets a day- on an occasion like a wedding or event that I know I can’t afford to have the runs I usually take 3 the night before and then take up to 6 the day of which usually stops my bowel from having any movement at all- which I don’t recommend but it’s my way of coping id rather that then having to run to the bathroom up to 10 times!!!!!!

Diet- my diet is as bland as it gets I don’t have spices, curry, peppers, garlic, onion; I am as bland as it gets! I avoid it just in case- I am overweight but not incredibly for my height.

so in total on a normal day I would take 2 panadine, 50mg endep, mintec, iberogast, and lots of lomotil when needed. *I am not a doctor- I am only giving my experience.

I am now about to embark on working in an office- I want this job and have worked hard for this job the ONLY thing standing in my way is my ibs.

I have turned down jobs that would have been perfect in the past purely based on the toilet situation! one place had only one toilet for about 30 people and it seemed to be in the middle of the office so if you did a smelly it was bound to be known- I checked it out it out when I went for the interview, needless to say I had the runs although I prepared with lomotil- in extreme nervous situations nothing can stop me- and needless to say that experience proved that this office was not the place for me as I wouldn’t survive and the stress of it would get the better of me. the new office situation is not ideal but not terrible- the ladies have a small room with 2 toilets close together if you’re in there by yourself perfect if not it’s a little stressful but I find bringing things like matches or toilet sprays and leaving them in there can make you more comfortable- IS THIS SOUNDNG CRAZY OR DO YOU HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE?the only people who know I have this are my doctors, my mother and my father (divorced) my father only knows because of my excessive medical costs- especially those of the lomotil and trips to the gastro lady. To tell other friends I dont know if they would understand and I wouldn’t want them knowing and talking about it- you know what people can be like! I am hoping that by writing my experience here others will tell me if they have similar experiences/medicines/advice.

Apart from all that ibs-d stuff I know has a new problem to worry about...

3 weeks ago I returned home from a trip o/s- I was in Europe and during my trip I noticed that some of my runs had a strong sulfur smell to it....didn’t think anything of it and them on the way home I went through Hong Kong- stupidly had a prawn won tong soup and hopped on the plane. the last 3 hrs to Sydney I woke with STABBING PAINS/GAS FOLLOWED BY 2,3,4,5,6....8...TRIPS TO THE BATHROOM I had the runs. I quickly took as much lomotil as I thought possible as I had no option I was on a flight with 300 ppl. I managed to stop it before landing and had to tell customs who took my details etc....went home and for 3 days was fine (probably because I clogged myself up). I went to the doctor for my prescriptions and while I was there I told her about my experience and she gave me ZITHROMAX (to treat bacteria). So I took that and that night I had severe cramping- the kind where you just want to scream out loud really horrible and diarrhea after eating. I took the second dose the next day and the same thing. I went back to the doctor a few days later still having the symptoms - CRAMPING, WIND, SULFUR SMELLING POO, EXPLOSIVE DIAREEAH, YOU NAME IT! She did blood work which excluded chrons/celiac and no gluten intolerance- she was reluctant to give me flagyl as I have had so many antibiotics she didn’t think it was necessary. I also did many stool samples over a few days- 9 stool samples in total all came back negative (keep in mind I did that after the zithromax) so I was devastated as I had no answer but still having severe cramping etc! one day it was so bad I went to the toilet 19 times (I was recording everything) so I went back to the doctors but this time saw someone else who specialized in gasto upsets. she said for sure I have GIARDIA!!! as giardia is only picked up in 30% of stool samples so she have me a strong hit of flagyl (4 tabs at once single dose)(which took away the cramps but not the diarrhea/mushy stools) on Monday and she said if I wasn’t feeling better by Wednesday take NOROXIN for 3 days twice a day.

here’s where it gets interesting....I was taking the noroxin and on the thursday I woke up with acute chest pain (they think it was reflux from all the acid and upsets in my body) which I went straight to the nurse and the doc and they seemed confused......after begging them to put me on a drip they agreed- I had spent 2 weeks with acute diarrhea and was completely washed out- emotionally exhausted and just over it.

They gave me the drip and pethadine for the chest pain- I was high as a kite- all the pain went away and they sent me home told me I have turned a corner and will make a full recovery. That was on Thursday. Friday, sat. sun I was feeling ok- no cramping or gas but still loose stools- not explosive diarrhea but Friday was def mushy/diarrhea. Saturday I had semi formed stools and Sunday had mushy semi formed stools.

then- Sunday night- I had had my plain chicken and rice (for 2 weeks had a bland diet of rice, cracker, soup and bread, mashed potatoes etc) was sitting on the couch when suddenly had severe cramping and then run- as fast as I could to the toilet- 3 bouts of diarrhea like liquid (one of the signs of giardia is fatty floating diarrhea) and I though $$$$$$! ITS BACK- HAD A SEVERE PANIC ATTACK AS I WAS DUE TO START MY JOB IN 2 DAYS! My mum calmed me down and the next morning I was again at the doctors at 730 am who gave me a week’s course of flagyl. I will keep you updated on how that goes- work was really understanding and gave me a week off to recover- considering this is week 3 of giardia I am praying this works but have googled experiences of giardia that last up to 6 weeks sometimes longer with it permanently damaging you. My gastroentologist has said if im not better in 2 weeks I need to have a colonoscopy and rule out any other problems which I hope I wont have to go down that path as thats not pleasant.... so I will let you know what happens on the weeks course of flagyl- first day of taking it again im pretty wipped out it’s a strong drug- still cramping and diarrhea.

Im really down and exhausted- this giardia on top of my existing problems had knocked all the confidence I had out of me, like many others here I am desperate and sometimes would rather not live than have this. if you have any of the above symptoms ibs=d or giardia please tell me your experience and what worked and didn’t work for you-

in my case i think my ibs-d and giardia are not related however im sure my giardia is worse as my gastro area is not very strong- it did get me thinking about HOW MANY PEOPLE OUT THERE HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH IBS-D AND IT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE GIARDIA!? just a thought...

ladyfinger- how long were you on the flagyl and what dose and wha did you go on after that that worked? and what was the dose and length/ if it worked for you hopefully it will work for me?

andhow have you been since the giardia?

please reply xox

Hello Sydneygirl

I am so sorry you've been going through this for so long. It really is soul-crushing. It sounds like you've been dealing with a lot this past four years - no wonder you're stressed out and anxious! It's so frustrating to be told one thing is causing the other, when you know it's actually the opposite of what you're being told. I believe in the mind-body connection - I just don't believe diarrhea happens for no reason at all in the average, healthy, emotionally healthy person. Telling anyone "you must be emotionally unhealthy, then, because we can't find a physical cause" can be so disempowering. Then you think it's your fault, then you follow Dr.s orders and nothing changes. They say you must not be taking care of yourself emotionally. And, since emotionally you're so exhausted from fighting with your mind and body, and not absorbing nutrients... you might break down when you hear something like that, because you're emotionally fragile. Then there's "the proof" a doctor needs... to say, see? You are an emotional wreck! It MUST be what's causing the diarrhea!

Our stories aren't exactly the same but the frustration sounds like it is. And you've been dealing with this a very long time so your recovery might be longer or may have resulted in some long-term aftereffects. I hope not.

After I finished the Flagyl, it took some time for my body to fully recover. I continued to lose weight. No more diarrhea after the 2nd day of dosage, but... mentally, I wasn't all there. And it had taken a pretty big toll on my body to be so sick for so long. I found the Flagyl very hard to take. I was on a seven day dose and I made it through six. I know I should have finished, but my body and mind felt like they were on fire.

I started eating more and managed to get my weight back on. But when all was said and done I had lost 40 lbs. So it took I would say from July to about Nov. to get close to where I was before that all started.

About eight months after the Flagyl I had what I thought was a flare-up - same sort of waking patterns, 6 am. The diarrhea was definitely not like it had been, but the urgency was the same, and I would usually dry heave and/or vomit. Then after about 2-3 days of that, my period would start.

Then, every month, that was my PMS pattern (until I got pregnant last August). Diarrhea early in the morning, sick and fluish in the mornings, drained in the afternoon. I deduced on my own that maybe it was some sort of blood sugar or hormonal thing, but the doctor said they found nothing - and offered me antidepressants.

I did/do not want to take antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds. That was not my issue! I wonder if the illness had some effect on my uterine lining. Giardia is a parasite and can give you Leaky Gut Syndrome, which causes small perforations in the stomach. Also can cause those perforations in other organs.

I think these are things I might never know for sure. All I can do is keep an eye on things, take my vitamins, exercise, eat well, get proper rest. I'm not a stressed-out person but I try to keep it that way

Sydneygirl, you are on a lot of medication and I think that's a terrible way to spend your days. Especially worrying about work and social functions. So much pre-planning. And your body is obviously not meant to be on all those meds, but if it's your only source of relief, then you do whatever you can.

It is 4 years for me since this all started. I will never forget it and I have been very stressed at times since - but it never came back. That, to me, speaks very highly to the fact that I DO NOT HAVE IBS. My diarrhea came seemingly out of nowhere, I was sick like that from Feb/March until July, the Flagyl really helped, then it was all recovery to get my weight back on and get my vitamin intake uploaded (when you have severe diarrhea you will become depleted - I think this is what affects the mood so much).

I would say start yourself on a good course of vitamins if you haven't - all the Bs, C to help process the B, and D to give you a little sunshine

If you're on Flagyl, stick with it - hopefully it will whack out the giardia. Then the rest is just building your physical and emotional strength back up.

I feel so bad for you and what you're going through. Four years is a long time. I am rooting for you and hoping the best for you. Huge hugs, keep us posted!

Cheers,

Ladyfinger

Hi Ladyfinger,

I just wrote a long reply to your initial post and it was somehow lost! I will try again here. Thank you for your post, I just read it as I was googling "giardiasis stories". I found I could relate on so many levels to your story, although my saga hasn't lasted as long as yours did. Here is my story:

3 months ago I went to Mexico with my husband. Had a fabulous time at a high-end resort. They told us we wouldn't have a problem using the tap water from the hotel for brushing our teeth, so I thought nothing of it. I also ate salads at the resort. Anyhow, 2 weeks after we returned home I started feeling nauseous and had diarrhea for 2 days. I didn't think much of it, b/c I've had a bit of traveler's diarrhea before and figured it would pass and it did. However, my nausea remained for 2.5 weeks which was accompanied by abdominal bloating. I decided to call my primary Dr. and made an appt. Once I got in to see him ( a few days later) my nausea had subsided, but I thought I should go see him still. He felt my stomach and tapped on it and said he didn't really know what it was, and thought it had nothing to do with Mexico since I didn't have symptoms right when I got home. He told me if my nausea came back to call him. I had an ob-gyn visit the following week b/c I was due for my annual appointment. I talked to my OB Dr. about my distention in my stomach and asked if I could have a pelvic ultrasound done. My mother had encouraged me to ask for this since she had a recent friend die from ovarian cancer and her only symptom had been abdominal bloating. He agreed to it, but the results came back negative. He also ordered a thyroid lab, but it was negative for any thyroid condition. At this point my symptoms included bloating, change in stools - more foul smelling, and looked strange, and sometimes they would be thin, then they'd be bigger again, then I wouldn't go for 4 days, etc., also gas, some belching (not any foul ones though), and not being able to eat big meals - I would be full very quickly, fatigue, headaches, and slight dull lower back pain, and depression. I began to realize I had to eat several small meals throughout the day. I then started researching online about my symptoms. I started to wonder if I had IBS, or if I had some food intolerance. I began to try different diets. I drove my husband crazy with all different ideas as to what I could have. I would stare at food every time I looked at it wondering if I could eat it, or if it would make me more bloated or contribute to my symptoms. I was driving myself crazy too. I began avoiding gluten and dairy to see if things got better. They did a very tiny bit, but I was mostly still experiencing the same symptoms. I ended up calling my primary Dr. again (a month had passed), and telling him I was feeling the same still (if not worse) and wondered if there were any tests he recommended. He told me he wanted to scan my gallbladder. I went in for the scan and it came back negative. He then called me and told me three options. #1 I could have IBS. Even though this isn't a fatal condition, I really didn't want to have this. Seems like any kind of treatment or diet is very vague and varies dynamically from individual to individual. I didn't want to have to deal with this the rest of my life!! #2 He thought I could just have constipation. He told me to take a daily dose of Miralax. #3 He told me I could do stool studies if I really wanted him to. But, he said he really didn't think this had to do with Mexico since I didn't get sick right away when I got home. I hung up the phone and didn't know what to think. I started taking Miralax since that was an easy thing to do. I took it for 5 days and really didn't notice any changes. I then scheduled an appt. with my plastic surgeon. (I had abdominal surgery 9 months ago b/c I had major separation of my ab muscles after the birth of my 3rd child.) Anyways, I thought maybe I had torn them again and that was what was possibly causing this distention and uncomfortable feeling (I was desperate for any answer!!). I saw him today and he thought my abdomen was fine in regards to the surgery he did 9 months ago. He did note my distention and told me I had a TON of gas built up in my abdomen. After I told him my other symptoms, out of nowhere he said, "Have you been out of the country lately?" I said "YES"! He right away said that my symptoms matched up very very closely with Giardiasis and that he was quite familiar with it since his wife had it a few years back after travel to Mexico. He wrote me a script for Flagyl and I already took one tonight. I am hoping and praying this is my answer and as I've researched a tiny bit online tonight it does look like it is likely this is what I have. I am nervous, though, as it looks like some people take awhile to recover and may be lactose intolerant forever. Thanks for your story. It was nice to finally read something that was similiar (in symptoms) to what I've been dealing with. I thought I was going crazy with everything! The fatigue and depression I was experiencing made me wonder if I really did have some mental issue! I have never had any medical problems aside from my seperated abdominal muscles, so I was really concerned what this was (cancer? etc.) Thanks again for your story!

Hi Kellybell

After reading your post, it almost sounds identical to my experience.

I went to Mexico 2 years ago and drank the tap water in the bathroom and on the holiday bars!

I have always had good health until then.

I looked after some puppies for a friend up to going on the holiday to Mexico for 3 months and they had yellow poo when they came, I thought the colour was strange but the puppies were only 7 weeks old so I thought it was from the mother milk, they had terrible diarrhea, I non stop cleaned it up, not knowing anything about giardia until they were tested positive for giardia.

Anyway I started getting all these symptoms, I have since read about match giardia, I never new what was going on, bloated stomach, burps, wind, yellow diarrhear, weight loss of 2 stone, pain in the middle of my chest hard to breath, heart racing, funny muzzy head,can't think straight or quick, pains around and above navel, flu like symptoms, you can not sleep and then you go anorexic you can not face eating food.

I went to the doctor he said he thought I could have cancer of the bowl, which half scared me to death. I went to the other doctor with my racing heart, he said he thought I had angina and needed beater blockers. I was sent for 2 ECG both normal and blood tests. I had ultrasound, stomach ex-ray, blood tests and faecel tests all came back normal, so obviously there was nothing wrong with me health wise. I then thought about the puppies having giardia and yellow motion, I thought I would do some research on the internet, sure enough the symptoms match chronic giardiasis, I thought thank goodness as by this time I was looking like a skeleton sitting in the bath 6 stone 10lbs. I went back to the doctor and told him, he said nonsence you have not got parasites rubbish and would not even listen, so I went to the other doctor who thought it was my heart and told him I thought it could be giardia so he gave me metro 14 days, I took 9 days and I had to give up, the side effects were awful. I felt better for awhile but then it came back not as bad though, I took all kinds of herbal stuff and I started to feel a lot better and gained a stone in weight back.

This is 2 years on of feeling up and down and almost cured then guess what all the symptoms have started up again, either I have got re-infected or they have laid dormant. I am trying MSM again, been on it for 3 days so I will have to wait and see, if this does not work then I am going to take Tinidazole 2g, this scares me to take this because it is a very high dose and I never got on well with Metronidazole and they are similar drugs.

Nobody understands how you feel or what this is like unless they get it! To be fair I would have been the same if someone had told me all this because it sounds bizzar that a tinny parasite could make you feel this ill and take over your life like this because it does and there is so little help given. I read it is very had to get a positive test result on giardia because the cysts are intermittent shedding and can be missed easily.

This parasite has taken 2 years of my life so far and I am not a weak person but this parasite has brought me to my knees.

The worst thing is the doctors do not want to know or even listen, some doctors seem to think it is all in your head and will not acknowledge that it is even possible in the UK! I would not wish this on my worst enemy but maybe if they had it they might understand just how ill it can make you feel. In my words this could be your worst nightmare believe me!

I had Giardia Lambia for 2 1/2 years before it was diagnosed. Get Ova and Parasite stool samples done (at least 3 but push for more if they are negative).

Read my story if more info:

http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/beaver-fever-discussions/ introductions-personal-stories/3381181-my-story-of- giardia#3381181

I have been fighting giardia for over 2 years now, and this last flare up is total hell. I had gotten way better on some herbals I tried, but about three weeks after stopping them everything returned again. I have the same issues with doctors believing that is what it is. Even with positive testings I keep getting the same lines, you were treated it should be gone. Gone? if it is gone why am I so constipated i have no movements for nearly a week then can't step away from my toilet for a week. If it hasn't gone systemic why does every part of me hurt so bad I can't move. If anyone finds a fast easy cure please let me know. This last bout has me so depressed and wiped out I don't know what to do. I have never felt like this before and it is scaring me to think I may have to live like this for the rest of my life, with no one even believing that I am in pain.

I'm still fight the IBS after giardia. I'm on Elavil currently and it's helping. Still have to watch what I eat and get extreme gas but it's better than before. Tramadol also helps with the pain.