I started having gastrointestinal issues (abdominal cramps/pains, flatulent which was extremely painful, some urges to have bowel movement) so I went to my primary doctor. My doctor ordered a blood work, a stool sample (CAMPYLOBACTER SALMONELLA SHIGELLA YERSINIA, STOOL CULTURE), and referred me to a GI.
I saw the GI which took a couple months for him to see me and he told me that I should wait 6 months for my body to get better, adjust my diet, and gave me Omeprazole. I waited the 6 months, adjusted my diet but still had painful gastrointestinal issues, which were getting worse (abdominal cramps/pains, flatulent, rush to use the bathroom in the morning with multiple bowel movements with diarrhea, fatigue, urges to have bowel movement). When I saw the GI again I told him about this after 6 months and he ordered a colonoscopy and endoscopy which took another 2 months and came back that everything was ok. He said I had IBS and put me on Dicyclomine and said it would relieve the pain. This did not help and I just tried to make myself think it was all in my head. I started waking up 2 hours before work so I could go to the bathroom about 3 times with diarrhea towards the end and felt worn out.
A few months later (like 2 years after the start of this hell) I got body aches and a fever on top of the gastrointestinal issues. I went to the doctor and was told that it was influenza and take a week off work. I took off work for the week but still had the same problems but got Bells Palsy and went back to the doctor. I was told that I got another case of influenza and given prednisone for the palsy. A few days later I developed flushing in my face and my doctor acted like it would just go away. After a week I went to the Hospital and was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. It was stage 2 level 1 (affected my heart. I was in the hospital for 6 days and treated for a month on an intravenous antibiotic (I think it was Ceftin). The Lyme disease got better but I still have all the gastrointestinal problems.
A month after treatment for the Lyme disease I went back to my primary care doctor for a follow up and she said I was ok (still notice a slight pain in my jaw from time to time so I need to follow up with another doctor). I told her I was still having gastrointestinal problems and she said annoyingly that I could see another GI for a second opinion, which I told her I wanted.
The 2nd GI doctor seemed concerned and scheduled 2 MRIs (one with contrast) and I asked for 3 OVA and Parasite Stool Samples which he agreed to do. I did the MRIs and stools. MRIs fine but one of the stool samples tested positive for Giardia Lambia (it was great to find out the problem but I was also shocked/confused/angry that it took this long, words can’t describe it). I was put on Flagyl for 7 day 250 mg.
The first 4 days I noticed I felt a little better. Around day 5 I started getting weird stomach/cramping and still the other problems, which lasted like 5 days. After that I still had to watch what I ate and got cramps, urges to use the bathroom but it was better. I still had to go to the bathroom like 3 times in the morning with the diarrhea. I noticed things slowly improving. The cramps in the morning (awful) and constant cramps during the day weren’t as bad.
I developed a boil on my butt cheek a week after stopping the Flagyl and had to get it treated by lancing (painful) and an antibiotic Bactrim (10 days).
I’ve been on Bactrim and will be for another 7 days. I don’t know if this is helping with the gastrointestinal problems too. It still seems like I’m lactose intolerant but things seem better. This is a slow process and I just hope that I get better. I’m going to get another 3 Ova and Parasite Stool samples done after I’ve been off the Bactrim for 2 weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed because this has been awful.
I hope my story can help someone. Make sure you push your doctor(s) for all the tests possible. Definitely get Ova and Parasite Stool samples done (at least 3 but don’t stop if you don’t feel better).
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