Update still trying to get well

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pinkangel
Regular Contributor
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Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 6:20 pm

Update still trying to get well

Postby pinkangel » Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:12 pm

HI you guys. I have not been to well since I started z pack for the respiratory stuff. I took 3 days but could not handle the side effects of pain in upper stomach and anxiety attacks. It was very bad so they switched me to pen VK 500 mg 3xaday. I ended up with side effects from that too so usually did 2 a day. It helped my URI but by day 6 I woke up with D severe itching etc. They told me to stop and see how things were. I had to go to er for the symptoms. They gave me IV benadryl and some other stuff. I also started getting my sphincter of oddi attacks . I had 2 while out and they are very painful. The antibiotics triggered them. MY wbc was 17K and finally got down to 12.

My local GI wanted to do upper endoscopy and he did last week and found espohagitis ( ulcers and inflammation) where esophagus joins stomach. Also gastritis. I have gerd and hiatal hernia so I was already taking pepcid 20 mg . The burning got severe during cdiff and after with the URI so I had no choice. Well I saw the notes after egd and it says PPI 2xaday for 8 weeks. I meet him this week and he will tell me results of celiac and h pylori and I suppose anything else related to this.

I am wondering what caused this esophagitis? Was it Cdiff antibiotics or what. I now worry about the PPIs and he also wants to do a pill cam and colonoscopy to look for Chrons and UC. Both require prep so I am at a loss and worried what to do. I had a cdiff test and it was negative. I do have pain in my lower and upper stomach which varies day to day . It burns and sometimes is crampy as well . This also happens in my lower back. I have been on biok and have normal stools now just pale.

I was doing so good for a month till this URI came along. I just hope things calm down. Just need to vent a little and if anyone has any suggestions I would be glad to hear :)

AllisS
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Posts: 1889
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:52 pm

Re: Update still trying to get well

Postby AllisS » Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:32 pm

While it's true that PPIs are now suspected as being a risk factor for C. difficile, I believe it's long-term use -- years, not weeks or months -- that's the main concern. If you have esophagitis and severe GERD, the risk of not using PPIs may outweigh that of using them. Wait for the results of upper-GI tests before focusing on your PPI use. If at some point your upper-GI symptoms seem to be under control, you can revisit this issue. I took PPIs for around 15 years. I'm now on my fourth attempt to get off of them. I used a tapering regimen and substituted Zantac for awhile, then tapered the Zantac as well. Again, I don't recommend you try PPI withdrawal now. But if in future it seems safe to try withdrawal or tapering, PM me and I can describe my method in more detail. Best wishes for feeling better soon.
If your illness was preceded by use of a medication, e.g., an antibiotic, please fill out an FDA Adverse Event Report at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm

beth22
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Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Update still trying to get well

Postby beth22 » Mon Jun 30, 2014 9:25 pm

The pill cam (capsule endoscopy) doesn't require much prep - just a liquid diet the day before if I remember right. The hardest part is swallowing the camera, at least it was for me. Then you just have to make sure it comes out after a few days. Maybe you can do that first and then have the colonoscopy after since that does require prep. Wait to see what your results are first. If you have celiac or h pylori, then maybe that is what is causing your symptoms. Let us know what happens. Wishing you the best.

pinkangel
Regular Contributor
Posts: 238
Joined: Mon Aug 03, 2009 6:20 pm

Re: Update still trying to get well

Postby pinkangel » Tue Jul 01, 2014 6:54 pm

Well hopefully i can do just 8 weeks of PPI . I dont know how long this takes to heal but I suppose he will give me some idea at my appointment Thursday. I have some protonix here so started 1 a day for now. It makes me feel like rocks in my stomach. I took these for a year or more back in 2000 6 ish and then stopped and started again for a few months . I actually weaned myself off and it was hard. So your method may be better!

Oh gosh the pill cam.. He wanted complete prep and I was searching last night and these things can get stuck if you have any strictures inflammation etc. I dont think I want to go this route yet. It sounds scary. I hope that maybe the endoscopy will show celiac or something. At least that will be easy for me to manage.

Oh I was wondering if there are any cdiff spores or bacteria like a low level in there does pepto bind and flush them out?


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