16 months later...strep!

[ImScared]

Hey Guys! It’s been a while. I’ve been free and clear for 16 months after 1 course Flagyl for cdiff from Augmentin they gave me for a sinus infection. Sat night I found out my 5 year old had a strange rash around his anus. Monday morning his pediatrician tested him for Strep A and it was positive. He started 10 days of Keflex and I went into panic since I’ve had a sore throat since Sat.
We to my PCP and got a rapid test positive for strep also. We discussed risks/benefits and sending out a culture but of course it was past pickup time so the culture just went out at 2:30 today. After communicating with him, he wrote me a RX for zpack(5days). He said I could wait on it if I needed to but stressed the importance of treating the bacteria before things got worse. My sore throat was entirely manageable but I was having headaches and chills during the night(no fever). I took 2 florastor at dinner to prep my body just in case I needed meds. This morning I caved and started the Zpack and took another 2 Florastors. I took 4 florastors per day when on flagyl along with Culturelle and never had a problem. 4 hours later I had watery D!
Do you think 4 hours is too early to be a reaction to the Zpack? I’ve heard upset stomach/D can also be a strep symptom so I’m not sure where to go with this.
Also, if that culture comes back negative(it may be unlikely according to the Dr), is it bad to stop the antibiotic? I’ve heard mixed things about continuing to take the rest of the script.
Thanks for any input. If y’all remember me from last time I appreciate all you’ve done for me in the past as big as a worry wart that I am.

[beth22]

I had the same scenario about a month ago. I had a very bad sore throat and went to urgent care on a Sunday where they did a rapid strep test that was positive. They sent it out for culture as well. I was given a Z pak. I decided to wait and the culture done at the lab came back negative. The sore throat developed into a sinus infection with a lot of postnasal purulent mucus coming down. It was actually pretty profuse and gross, but I never got a fever. I held off on the antibiotic and I was able to clear it without, although I did have the mucus tested and it came back positive for a bacteria - not strep. I guess my body just cleared it. I even got conjunctivitis. I was told that if the timing on the rapid test is not correct, it can be a false positive. In fact, the nurse called me back and had me repeat it and made sure it sat for the 5 minutes that it is supposed to sit and that one was negative.

You can definitely get WD from a Zpak without it being c difficile. Check with your doctor about whether to continue or not. I don't like that medication because it stays in your system for a very long time. The half life is quite long. Since I am allergic to a lot of things, I don't like to chance taking something that will stay in my system that long, but I did take it a few years ago for whooping cough and did not relapse.

[ImScared]

Thanks for your story Beth! I’m glad you beat the bug. I wish I would of waited but with my 5 years olds infection and a 3 year old in the house I was afraid of everyone getting sick.
The doctors office never called back last about my symptoms. Don’t know if I’m really surprised living in this rural area. My spouse has received orders to a bigger city so I can’t wait to have access to better medical care or at least more doctors with different opinions.
No more episodes besides the 1st. I ate half a bag of my kids goldfish crackers for lunch and white rice for dinner. I had abdominal pain and stomach grumbling all day. My Cdiff started that way so it scares me. I take my second pill this morning so I guess I’ll find out. I’m praying I hear test result back today.
I know the Zpack is a lower offender on the antibiotic scale so would I build resistance to it if I end it early? I don’t want to be stuck taking stronger meds since I ended this early and it no longer work for my body. I just looked up how long it stays in the body and I didn’t realize it stayed in the system for 15 days. I thought it was 68 hours but I must have done the math wrong.
I took 4 florastor/2 culturelle for 6 months and then took it down to 2 florastor/1culturelle for another 6 months following Flagyl so my gut stayed strong. I still actually do a daily culturelle. Looks like it’s all going to start again. I’m about to order my large packs of Costco florastor today.

[roy]

I take it a swab from your childs rash was positive for strep.
I wonder how many swabs from that area in a perfectly healthy 5yo would be positive?
It's a VERY COMMON bug that lives on skin and in our noses.
The problem with going to the Drs with very minor things is that the Dr thinks he is obliged to find a problem and then treat it.
Drs in US rarely say the best way to treat is to do NOTHING and let it resolve on it's own for fear of being taken to court.
I think the accepted odds of strep becoming a serious illness are around 2000 to 1.
I wonder what the odds are for a course of antibiotics to cause c.diff (or other side effects).

[ImScared]

Yes. I treated it for yeast Sat night after speaking with the on call nurse before I took him into the pediatrician Monday morning and they immediately swabbed it. It’s starting to improve with his oral and topical antibiotics! I have him on florastor daily also to keep his GI strong.
I see what you mean about their fear of being sued. He gave me multiple examples of recent strep cases in the area developing into heart conditions. He then proceeded to say, “you can take this antibiotic now or have to take a penicillin shot once a month when you get really sick” he laughed it off but it stuck with me all night and I fell for it. I didn’t want my other one getting sick and needing meds too.

[Musings]

Strep throat is self-limiting and antibiotics usually only cut a day or two off of the symptoms with many countries, including the UK, not providing antibiotics for treatment. Of course, you and your doctor can make your own decisions but I know personally if I got strep throat again I would take supportive measures but avoid antibiotics.

[roy]

Read this regarding strep throat.
By the time someone goes to the Dr it's already well on the way to being "cured" by our immune system.
As for treating for strep supposedly causing a sore anus, I think I would want another Drs opinion on that diagnosis!


http://www.chadhayesmd.com/infection-co ... ep-throat/

[ImScared]

Im kicking myself for taking this med. I’m eating nothing but rice and crackers but I seem to still have 1x/day watery D. Abdominal cramps and noises have gone down some. I called for culture results last night and they said they should have preliminary results back by evening and final results in the morning. This morning I called and they still don’t have preliminary results back with no time frame for final results?!?! That makes me wonder if that’s good or bad? I did tell the doctor’s office that I will hold off on my third dose of the Zpack until I hear from them by the end of the day(so taking me dose 9 hrs late). They said it’s my choice. So it’s just a waiting game now.
My husband and daughter are getting tested today also. We will see how that goes...

[LHutz]

I took zpack about 10 years ago for a sinus infection and I had horrible D while on it, but I did not develop a c. diff infection. The D went away after I finished the meds.

[ImScared]

Finally heard back from the Dr before they closed and they said my culture grew heavy amounts of strep:( I took my 3rd days dose and after an hour I was in the bathroom with D. At this point I know I need to finish the 5 day pack to avoid antibiotic resistance.
LHutz thank you for sharing your Zpack experience because it’s giving me some kind of hope.
If anybody else has their Zpack experience, it would greatly be appreciated cause right now I feel like I’m going down a rabbit hole with my thoughts. DR was no help. All he said was it’s your choice. Frustrates me.
My husband and daughter tested negative-they sent cultures also, but it’s been 5 days of exposure already and they have no symptoms so the likelihood is very slim for them.

[roy]

The FIRST "treatment for c.diff and any other antibiotic D is to stop taking the offending antibiotic!
The need to finish the 5 day pack to avoid antibiotic resistance thing is outdated.
The correct advice is to stop the offending antibiotic unless it's for a life threatening condition.
Your Dr is leaving the decision to you "just in case" but a more experianced Dr would advise you to stop.
I know that I would not press on taking a med that was causing me harm.