[Un Fatigued]

Hi all!Sure have missed you guys! I have been really busy since I have been feeling good again.Just had my final appt with my GI. He said that because we never did the C. Diff test (and he doubts I had it) my diagnosis was antibiotic associated colitis (you don't necessarily have to have D to have an antibiotic problem, so I guess I had AAC, not AAD)We talked about several things... lactobacillus and how he is becoming a firm believer in it. IBS and how there is no way I should ever have been diagnosed with in the first place. The few minor and occasional residual symptoms I have that he says that even normal people have (I just never did have a single problem before) We talked about things I have been worried about: gallbladder, he offered to pursue past symptoms I had, but said that unless I am having the symptoms now I should not worry about. Pancreas... I would still be having problems, carcinoid syndrome, same thing.He gave me a clean bill of health, told me to keep taking lactobacillus and call him if I ever have problems again. He is a wonderful Doctor.Monday I have an appt with the "neurologist from h*ll". I am going in to insist he remove his "mental case" diagnosis from my records. Also am writing a letter to my old GI Doc who misdiagnosed me.Life is really, really good

I think of all of you often and what you are going through. All of you have permanently touched my life and while I certainly wish we had "met" under better circumstances, I wish the best for all of you every day.

 

[scottyswotty]

That's cool I am happy for you. Give the old neurologist a "one,two.."

ScottySwotty

 

[Guest]

Your letter interested me. I too never had a problem until last year after five weeks of antibiotics. Please tell me more about your treatment with lactobacillus. I do take a probiotic in the morning that includes lactobacillus. How much did you take? Did you do other things to cure yourself? Are there things that still bother you? I am getting ready to take a vacation with my husband. I am getting a little nervous because as long as I stick to my diet I am fine; but that will be almost impossible for the next ten days.

 

[Un Fatigued]

Thanks scottyswotty

lauriesite, I also took Flagyl for 5 weeks, that was the real cure for me. The probiotics alone would not have fixed me by the point I had come to. If I had taken the lactobacillus with the first antibiotics, chances are I would not have gotten sick in the first place.Have you read the posts over in the AAD and C.Diff board? Good info about all of this over there.

 

[moldie]

Yah! You go girl! (At least I think you are a girl, or a woman hear you roar!

Perhaps I shouldn't assume you are a "girl." I have stuck my foot in my mouth in the past!).I'm glad you said the part about the diarrhea not necessarily being a part of it. I guess it is how you define the word. If it means only watery, loose stools, then I didn't have those. If it can mean frequent soft stooling (a min. of six in a couple hours, then that was me. I kind of thought, however, that C. Difficle would be more watery, loose stools, however, from it's discription. I think a lot of doctors identify it as that as well and forget to ask about the frequent soft stooling, bloating, and abdominal discomfort (and often chalk that up as one's IBS). Were you perhaps a slow transit type person before this all began UF?I too, wish the doctors could identify this in a more expedient manner, stop the antibiotic and do the proper stool testing to define the critter for the appropriate treatment. Did you see in the news (it was in our paper today) stating the CDC has been trying to educate more patients and physicians in a campaign since 1995 (the year I got my infection post antibiotic therapy) about antibiotics- when they are and are not appropriate, and explain to them the risks of developing more virulent infections because they destroy the good bacteria in the internal environment and the more aggressive strains take over? A little too late for so many people, but at least the word is getting out. I think that it is also worth noting that for normal healthy people like you apparently were, it is possible to rid those bad strains from the body more readily and return to health more quickly. For those with underlying disorders that are perhaps autoimmune in nature, it will most likely take a longer period of time to return to one's previous health status.Continued good health to you in staying "Un fatigued and check in from time to time. Let us know what that 'ol neurologist has to say. (I wouldn't expect too much if he is the arrogant type, but it's worth a shot!) I have been ruminating about doing the same myself. Especially to the disability doctor from the same clinic who failed to diagnose me as AAC (he was appointed by S.S. and said that FMS, CFS, and Candida were all fad illnesses). Since then I have been given a favorable decision by the Administrative Law Judge for my closed period of disability, in which another disability doctor at a large medical college agreed with my allergist who diagnosed and sucessfully treated my candidiasis with proctalgia post antibiotic therapy. There is hope for some of us with these complications! It takes education (sometimes through one's own ingenuity), and a lot of perserverence in seeking out a physician who is up on these things.

 

[wanderingstar]

Hi UnF, so glad you have now been given and clean bill of health. May it long continue. I think it's great you're writing to your old docs and setting them straight. Good for you.

Susan