New type of IBS attack + Lyme freak out

[trob25]

So it seems I can never cross an anniversary without encountering some type of new problem soon thereafter. June 16 was nine months C-Diff free for me, I was on a vacation at a Yoga retreat in the mountains that day, very nice time and IBS had been gone for over a month at that point.

However, I return and one week later I have a new type of IBS attack, then something to freak me out about Lyme disease (Lyme was what led me to C-DIff after a year and a half of antibiotics), but maybe it's a post C-diff/IBS thing, not sure?

Anyway, Friday after work I developed a very sick stomach, thought I was going to throw up, but that subsided and I just lost my appetite. Then I had a few IBS attacks. Never felt that sick with IBS, usually just a little acidy, but this was really bad. The next day I felt the same on and off, the severe upset stomach/nausea would strike, then soon after IBS, happened twice, not bad, but I never had it happen like this in these 9 months. Today, upset stomach gone and IBS subsided completely, things ok, but last night I had something develop that freaked me out even more and has continued today.

I developed aching all around my hands around ten p.m. last night (Saturday, one day after first IBS attack) and my arms felt tired and then today the aching continued (albeit mild) all around my hands and arms, not non stop but on and off. This was exactly how my Lyme started last time, hence the terror. I check myself for ticks every single day, so I'd be amazed if one actually bit me and I didn't notice.

Now, when I was on Flagyl and had C-Diff I had bad joint pains (100 times worse than these little aches) so I know they can go together. But I haven't had aches since last September. Only thing I did was help lift a kinda heavy tent thing at work, I'm 26 and have lifted heavier things in these past months, so I'm wondering if somehow I strained something there. But how would it ache in my left and right arm and both hands, strains hit one muscle group usually.

So I ask this, anyone who had muscle/joint pain early on with C-Diff or IBS have it go away for months then come back in small bouts out of nowhere? Is this something anyone has had or should I continue being terrified about Lyme disease?

Also don't think its a Flu, no fever, no cold symptoms, IBS even subsided today, just the aches now.

[beth22]

I have had the aches like you describe in my hands, in fact recently, and just two days ago had D* and very bad episode of IBS symptoms. Maybe it is some type of virus - doesn't have to be a flu, just some bug. However, it would probably be a good idea to be checked out for Lyme disease to make sure it isn't that. I know that people who have SIBO, which is a type of IBS, suffer from fibromyalgia often too. I also have problems with my neck - and that can sometimes affect my hands. Maybe you strained your neck and not your hands and are just feeling it there.

[trob25]

Thanks for both of you, you know I didn't even think of a food poisoning or a bug! I eat lunch out every day at work (same two safe, healthy food places) but still, food can become contaminated anywhere. Tough to distinguish between IBS and a bug at this point really, but the IBS or bug has subsided at this point, so good there.

Today the aches in my arms and hands have declined from yesterday, but I'm still having them. At this point it has been 36 hours since they started, so I'm going to wait at least through today and tomorrow morning to see if it gets worse or shows no improvement before heading to the doctor. I hope to god it's a strain from carrying that heavy tent thing or a bug that has made my muscles ache a bit and not Lyme again.

I'm so crazy with the Lyme fear I've treated my shoes with Permethrin, a tick repellent that is applied to clothing and actually kills ticks on contact! So again, if I somehow got bitten, it will be from a tick with the backing of magic, mystical forces lol.

[trob25]

I have another theory here, just came to me in the last few hours and a checked it out to back up my thinking. Note I am not trying to "self diagnose" and will go to a doctor if this continues this week.

Anyway, I had a potassium deficiency in December 08 which was causing my heart to pound violently and go into extra beats more frequently (condition I have that was mostly corrected with surgery). It was caused due to a loss of potassium from my C-Diff and ensuing IBS for 4 months. Well, I went on potassium pills for a month, heart stopped acting up and all was fine. While my IBS has lessened, when I get hit by it, it can last a week or two. I had a good month until Friday, but suffered two weeks of IBS prior to that month, now this bout may have cleared or may be at the beginning and I'm wondering if I've perhaps got a potassium deficiency again from 6 months of on an off IBS attacks. I had the worst bout of IBS yet in April, months after I went of potassium and I gather this sort of thing builds over time. Coupled with the fact I've not been keeping up on potassium rich foods.

When I checked out Potassium deficiency symptoms it was pounding heart (which I had the first time), muscle spasms, cramps (which I'm having) and poor/lack of sleep, which I've been suffering for 8 days straight now. Lyme disease comes with a temperature and ultimately joint pain so bad I can't move, for me anyway, and without those symptoms appearing, at least yet, I may have to have the doc test my potassium again considering my history.

[beth22]

You might want to ask the doctor to check your vitamin D and calcium levels too. Thinking back, I remember having pains in my arms and legs when I had a vitamin D deficiency a few months ago because of the IBS and having to modify my diet so much.

Beth

[trob25]

You might want to ask the doctor to check your vitamin D and calcium levels too. Thinking back, I remember having pains in my arms and legs when I had a vitamin D deficiency a few months ago because of the IBS and having to modify my diet so much.

Beth

Good tip, thank you, I will ask him for a full run down of my main Vitamin levels, he did it once before so it's not an odd test for me to ask for. This thing makes you alter your normal diet so much, no wonder we get deficiencies where we had none before. I know the doc will be mad at me though, he wanted me on a multi-vitamin in January to prevent this sort of thing, but I was getting IBS attacks after taking them so I discontinued. 6 months later, maybe I can tolerate them now as I can tolerate several types of food I couldn't then.

[beth22]

I had the same problem with the vitamins, but I found that I can tolerate One a Day Essential more or less. However, they only contain vitamins, not minerals, so no calcium, but does have vitamin D. They are small pills and easier to take. When I take them, I do it with my largest meal and most of the time I do ok.

[trob25]

Ok, I don't want to speak to soon, but my doctor was on vacation this week so there is no one in the office anyway. On Monday, after recalling my potassium deficiency and posting here, I started to double down on eating banana's, drinking my fruit V8 juice (full serving of vegetables and fruits in one 8 ounce glass) and taking my multi-vitamin with my largest meal as you recommended Beth and to my surprise, the muscle joint aches began to subside. Yesterday I went most of the day without them until nightfall when they returned, today I woke up again with no aches, so it is possible this was a vitamin deficiency from the last six months of on and off IBS + my most recent attack coupled with my not eating many/any fruits or vegetables over the last month.

I'm still not going to stop fearing that this is Lyme disease returned, last time I had aches for over a week before it turned into night sweats and fever, and I'm not even at a week since this started. But the turn around in the aches is a good sign so far.

[beth22]

That's great Trob. I hope it isn't Lyme Disease. When your doctor gets back, you might want to ask him though, especially since you've had it before. Are there many ticks where you live? I wish I could tolerate V8 juice. I've gone for about a month or so without fruit and veggies too, except in very small amounts every now and then. Now, I'm getting all of these bruises which happen when I don't get enough vitamin C. This post-c diff stuff is the worst!

[trob25]

That's great Trob. I hope it isn't Lyme Disease. When your doctor gets back, you might want to ask him though, especially since you've had it before. Are there many ticks where you live? I wish I could tolerate V8 juice. I've gone for about a month or so without fruit and veggies too, except in very small amounts every now and then. Now, I'm getting all of these bruises which happen when I don't get enough vitamin C. This post-c diff stuff is the worst!

Yes, I live in one of the state's with the highest populations of Lyme ticks in the country and to top it off, my region of the state has the highest lyme tick population within the state and a 54% increase in Lyme ticks has occurred this year!

I'm sorry to hear about your bruising, I couldn't tolerate V8 until about 2 months ago, but then I kinda stopped drinking it for a while until now. Hopefully you will be c-diff/IBS free after your infusion and can go back to eating and drinking what you need to!

[beth22]

Thanks, Trob. Yes, I hope the infusion helps. At least it will help to restore some of my flora which has been depleted with the Xifaxan I had to take for the SIBO and now the Cipro I'm on. I'm not counting on a miracle,but will be glad if I can eat a few more things.

My IBS also started after stopping meds. My relapses usually took a few weeks, and I would have the IBS symptoms in between, but when I stopped vanco for good then they got really bad, partly because of the SIBO, I guess, because my bacterial levels were so high. Funny, I never really had the symptoms when I was on vanco. I have to start that today in preparation for the infusion, so it will be interesting to see if it helps now and I will be glad to stop the Cipro.

Good luck with the Lyme Disease. Hopefully it isn't that. If you've had it before do you get any type of immunity to it or does it start all over as a new infection? Don't know much about it - only know of people who have hiked that got it. We have West Nile cases here now, dead birds found not far from where I live. Always something!

[trob25]

Good luck with the Lyme Disease. Hopefully it isn't that. If you've had it before do you get any type of immunity to it or does it start all over as a new infection? Don't know much about it - only know of people who have hiked that got it. We have West Nile cases here now, dead birds found not far from where I live. Always something!

Unfortunately, as the last ID who cleared me of Lyme disease stated to me "you can get lyme disease a 1,000 times over." Unfortunately you never develop an immunity to it, you can get it again every time you are bitten. I think there is some research that needs to be done though, and that is cats do not get lyme disease, why? Cats are somewhat structurally similar to our bodies (believe it or not), hence why they are dissected by medical students at lower levels. What is it about them that makes them Lyme resistant? Is that the path to a vaccine?

On top of that, we also get West Nile or EEE every now and then, but I think our winters wipe out mosquitoes pretty good and some years we have no cases of West Nile or EEE. Thank god, because having all three of these things in abundance would be like living in the jungle lol.

[trob25]

Please stay on topic.
This forum is about C.diff
Freeform is for this type of post

Sorry Roy didn't mean to veer off topic, but taking antibiotics for lyme disease is what caused my C-Diff, so I don't mean to discuss lyme disease, but the two are directly related in my case.

Anyway, apparently my doctor is back today for half a day only, I got attacked by a bout of sweats last night accompanied with IBS and called the office on a whim, so thankfully I am able to see him today. Here's hoping for a diagnosis that doesn't require lengthy antibiotics. If I require anything, I will see if a Z-Pack will suffice and I'll double up on Florastor to prevent a C-Diff relapse.

[Nancy1]

About V8, that is one of the few things with vegetables that I was able to have during cdiff. I learned about it on this site. I was initially afraid that it might have too much fiber for me, but it never caused me any problems.

[trob25]

Ok, so I went to to doctor today, told him what was going on and he ordered several blood tests, vitamin deficiency, lyme, babesios, ehrlichia + typical viral/white count tests.

Here's the scary part. He's afraid that it could be lyme again (because I told him it's acting similarly) so he gave me a scrip for 10 days of amoxicillin but I don't have to fill it or take it unless I get worse. He indicated Amoxicillin is safer, which I also know from reading here, but I'm terrified to fill and take this. It's 500mg tablets, and he said with probiotics I should be fine, but oh my god, I don't know if I can actually swallow a pill from fear.

I think I'm going to wait this out and see what the blood tests come back as. If I start sweating and having horrible pain all day, I will take the amox.

Any advice from those of you who have taken abs after 9 months C-Diff free? I'm to scared, I just don't know if I can do it. My mind is even doing things like saying "maybe it's better to get lyme and die then take abs again." Yeah, insane I know, but that's the kind of fear I have of C-Diff.