[livinbloated]

I had a Colonoscopy done a few weeks ago. They found inflammation in my intestines and colon. They removed a polyp and also found bacteria in my stomach. A bad habit that I have is when I eat lunch at work, I never eat the whole meal. I cover it back up and leave it on my desk. Then I just pick at it all day without heating it up. I was recently informed that bacteria grows on food that sits out. Do you think this is the cause of the bacteria that was found in my stomach? They prescribed me a PrevPac and I'm hoping it will help. I am just curious if this may be the reason and if so, I'll start heating my food and put it in the fridge. I'm a little weird - I don't like most of my food reheated because it dries it out. However, I also recently found out that decreasing the microwave power helps, so I can put an end to this. I'm just curious if this may be the reason. I won't see my Dr again for a few weeks. And I go for the SBFT test this Friday (UGH!). I have to drink the white thick chalky stuff that everyone is telling me is horrible! And then they will take pictures every 10-15 mins as it moves through my digestive system. Then after those results, I'll have to swallow a pill with a camera in it. Good times!

 

[BQ]

I think doing what you were doing with food at work doesn't help you. I would refresh yourself with the facts about food safety. http://www.foodsafety.gov/Realize everyone's guts are full of bacteria. There are MANY different types of bacteria. Our guts like to have a particular bacterial balance. If that balance is out of whack a probiotic can sometimes restore a balance. Other times Dr would like you to try an antibiotic in an effort to balance things out. It appears your Dr's want to try that. So take the Prevpac and I hope it helps you.BTW the white chalky stuff actually isn't all that chalky or that bad. That test was way easier than I thought it would be. You'll be fine. All of these tests are non-invasive compared to the colonoscopy you already had. The more worrying one does... the more symptoms one is likely to feel. So I would try not to worry. You have been through the worst of the testing in my humble opinion.

 

[Borrellifan]

I think doing what you were doing with food at work doesn't help you. I would refresh yourself with the facts about food safety. http://www.foodsafety.gov/Realize everyone's guts are full of bacteria. There are MANY different types of bacteria. Our guts like to have a particular bacterial balance. If that balance is out of whack a probiotic can sometimes restore a balance. Other times Dr would like you to try an antibiotic in an effort to balance things out. It appears your Dr's want to try that. So take the Prevpac and I hope it helps you.BTW the white chalky stuff actually isn't all that chalky or that bad. That test was way easier than I thought it would be. You'll be fine. All of these tests are non-invasive compared to the colonoscopy you already had. The more worrying one does... the more symptoms one is likely to feel. So I would try not to worry. You have been through the worst of the testing in my humble opinion.

Flexible Sig. while conscious has to be the worst.Barium X-ray and pill cam are a piece of cake. I have to go in tommorow for another barium x-ray so i'll be drinking chalk along with you.Good luck.

 

[Kathleen M.]

H. pylori (the only bacteria that lives in the stomach proper) is not something that grows well on food or out in the environment. It is more a person to person thing, so unless someone spits in your food while it is sitting there it may not be the source.However food that sits at room temperature for a couple of hours can become filled with other bacteria that cause diarrhea and vomiting (food poisoning), so if you aren't going to eat it soon put it in the refrigerator (or get a thermos that keeps hot food hot and put left overs in there for later).

 

[livinbloated]

Thank you all so much for the information! I went to the foodsafety site and it's a bit overwhelming, but I will definitely check it out when I have a chance. I had no idea that the bacteria from leaving it out could cause food poisoning! It makes me wonder about my daughter's lunches. She's in preschool and they ask that you pack them a lunch and it can't be refrigerated or heated up. If it's a lunchable I'm sending, I throw an ice pack in there. But what about food that I heat up in the morning, she eats lunch 4 hours later and her food is at room temp. Am I causing her harm or should that be okay? Mine sits out all day so I know I'm at a larger risk. Do you have any suggestions on her lunches? I'd hate to send lunchables each day because of the sodium content, but that may be better than bacteria! Thanks again for your responses and thanks for calming my nerves about the SBFT / barium!

 

[Kathleen M.]

If it is leftovers you want to eat warm get a thermos that will keep it hot after you heat it up. Every place like Walmart has the wide mouth thermoses for hot lunches.A lot of sandwiches will be OK until lunch, but you might use mustard rather than mayo. You can put a cool pack in with the sandwich or get an insulated lunch bag if she will remember to bring it home. Fruit is usually OK from refrigerator to lunch, so are most veggies as long as the dip is packed separately and again you can use the same cold pack for anything that you'd eat right out of the refrigerator.When I've gone somewhere I can't keep food cold I bring peanut butter sandwiches as peanut butter is fine just sitting in the cupboard.

 

[IanRamsay]

HiDid they tell you what the bacteria that they found in your stomach was? also was it actually in your stomach or in your intestines (small or large)cheersIanP.S. take the probiotic!

 

[livinbloated]

No he didn't say. His words were "We did find some bacteria in your stomach so I'm going to prescribe something for that".. which was the PrevPac. I don't know much about bacteria so I didn't know to ask. I have the Colonoscopy results at home, do you think it may show it on there? I'll check it out. Take the probiotic in addition to the PrevPac?

 

[Kathleen M.]

The prevpac is to treat H. pylori which it the bacteria in the stomach. If the doctor said stomach I go with they meant the organ stomach (not anywhere in the gut like a lay person would say stomach) and really the only bacteria in the stomach is H. pylori. It takes a lot of specialization to live in the high acid conditions of the stomach.. H. pylori will not show up in a colonoscopy report. It doesn't live in the colon or cause damage there.