[IPPO]

Sorry, this is a bit of an essay/rant...Earlier this year I was put on a 8 week course of 2 different antibiotics and an infection (not gi infection) and also was on Ibroprofen for about 3/4 weeks also each day with the antibiotics..... Finished these around the beginning/mid May.. Then gradually I started getting these pains in my tummy, started with pain on the left lower side, short sharp pain.. Based on this I was sent for an abdominal untrasound, which came back normal. Then by the time of seeing my GP again after this I was still getting pains, now I was feeling them anywhere from my ribs down to my hip, all on my left side. Pain can be described as, achey, tingley, burning and sometimes crampy ish. The pain can be on the front, right on my side and also in my back. To start with this was every single day, at the time I had a full blood test done (July I think), all came back normal. Doc suggested IBS and to see how I got on... Well as time passed I started to get some good days, where I had little or no pain. At the beginning of Sept I went on a 10 day holiday and can say I really did not have any probs, maybe the odd ache for a couple of mins but that was pretty much it.... So got back from that feeling great, particually as I get engaged while away. But then out of the blue I woke up one day with a nasty rash, by the end of the day I was covered and fance was a little puffy. After a late night out of hours visit and trip to my GP the next day I was given some really strong antihistimines, this cleard it up within a few days. Took the pills for 5 days in total. But come the end of this period I started with the pains etc again, a few days of pain, the odd day without and so on. So went back to the docs prob the mid/end of Oct.. He said he was also thinking IBS and said to take some Buscopan when in pain. I did this a few times and am unsure if it helped or not... But again as time went on I was having some good times and some not so good... So went back last Thursday, was given a prescription of mebeverine and also asked to do a stool test, called for results today and all were ok. To be honest up until yesterday I was feeling great, had a nice weekend and little if no pain really. But yesterday I got the odd session of pain, and again today I had a spell this morning where I had the pain for about an hour I guess and for the last 30mins or so it has come back... Also I have noticed since taking the mebeverine I see to be having less bms.. normally i was pretty much sure to have 3/4 a day, but since friday perhpas 2/3, not a massive change I know but nonetheless..... Typically I have a bm within an hour or so of being up, soft/bitty/oddly formed etc...So, really I am just putting this out there as mood has dipped today based on the pain after feeling good. I do worry about what it may be etc.. I am 28, male with no family history of anything, other than my dad having some ibs issues...Oh also I had a few days on a couple of occasions where my tummy felt all over sore and churney... Felt like I needed to loo all day!!So really it is the pain that is a PAIN!!!!!!!!! hate it...Any thoughts or anyone relate to this?Thanks,

 

[overitnow]

The thing that stands out as the causative factor would be the antibiotics, presumably without a course of probiotics to follow. Logically, it would seem that another course of antibiotics, to clear out whatever has grown back to replace your good flora, together with some wide spectrum good bacteria, over a period long enough to get them established, would make the most sense. (And don't stop what you are doing because you are feeling better. Things have a way of rebounding.) Of course, nothing as complex as our biology will yield to simple logic. Hopefully Ian and Kathleen will have some more specific suggestions.Cheers,Mark

 

[Kathleen M.]

IBS typically starts after a GI infection.Antibiotics can sometimes further upset the GI flora, but you do not seem to have symptoms of a dysbiosis that requires prescription treatment (no severe or bloody diarrhea typical of a C. diff overgrowth)IBS usually requires about 6 weeks worth of symptoms (pain or discomfort associated with a change in bowel habit) over the course of 6 months, so you are in the time frame where it is considered IBS rather than just the normal several weeks to a few months it can take to recover from a GI infection.People often find that since they are more relaxed on vacation the IBS symptoms are a lot less. Unless vacation sets of panic attacks about not being able to find a bathroom or stress that one is preventing others from having a good time that can be more intense than the usual routine stress.A lot of the antispasmodics can have a mild constipating effect.Histamine tends to increase activity of the GI tract (part of what causes diarrhea with a GI infection) so an antihistamine sometimes calms things down for some people as IBS tends to be worse then the GI tract is more active.You sound to be on the mild/intermittent side of all possible post infections IBS cases. You don't report anything that indicates anything other than IBS (other than maybe a bit of anxiety over having the IBS symptoms that seems to be in your posts over time).Post-Infectious IBS has to last 6 months to actually be IBS rather than just normal healing up sensitivity any totally healthy human can have after a GI infection. Post-Infectious IBS more often than not resolves itself in the 2-5 year time frame. However, anxiety and depressed mood may tend to keep the IBS pattern going longer than it would otherwise. It may help to do a self-hypnosis course (see the CBT and hypnosis forum) to help break that pattern of anxiety/stress keeping things going and if you can't control the stress or low mood you might want to get treatment for those issues as they always make every illness worse so if you ever get anything else after the IBS goes away that can still be a problem. No one ever has a disease or disorder either acute or chronic where the doctor says if you'd just stress yourself out more you'd be just fine. I dunno, sometimes getting something young so you have to learn stress management and are forced to start taking care of yourself better ends up being a blessing. That way you don't get something that will seriously damage you when you are middle aged and only start taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically after a trip or two through the Intensive Care Unit.

May help you get old person problems when you are elderly rather than 40 like a lot of people who don't get any early warnings that maybe they need to take better care of themselves.

 

[IPPO]

Thanks both for your replys...The infection I had was not a GI one, it was in one of my testicals (not through any miss behaving I may add), but it took a long time to shift.... so does this make a difference as it was non gi? or can a course of any strong antibiotic be a cause??? it was ciproflaxine (sp?), which i beleive is quite strong.I take a peppermint capsuel daily and also a pro biotic drink, yakult.I can get myself in a bit of a spin sometimes that is for sure.Thanks again.

 

[IPPO]

Oh I have also had a full blood test done, all normal..So any thoughts/ideas?Thanks,

 

[Kathleen M.]

Normal blood tests point to IBS.

 

[IPPO]

hi..the doc did ask me to go back to see him in the new year to see how the mebeverine has worked... first few days seemed good, but there has been some pain the last 2 days... hope the mebeverine can work long term. just hate feeling the pain.