I'm really up the creek and I hope someone can help me.
I've been on IM bicillin for Lyme and oral Levaquin 250mg for Bart when I got hit with stomach pain.
I discontinued the Levaquin for about a month or more, but still had the pain, and soon went downhill in my Lyme treatment.
My LLMD said I had to go back on it because I'm slipping. I feel that I am.
He considered giving me the levaquin abx intravenously, but decided I should take it orally and go for a colonoscopy.
Today, I had the colonoscopy and the gastro doc said that I have an irritable colon, [thankfully nothing else gastrically wrong] and put me on a med for my stomach. THis gastro actually believes in chronic Lyme but said he didn't see anything to suggest that the gastric problems were from Lyme.
THis med is making me foggy and tired, which is compounding my Lyme neuro-fog and fatigue bigtime. Add in the fevers and other symptoms and I'm in really bad shape.
I'm wondering if I am herxing on the levaquin, because my LLMD-who is a leading Lyme doc- said you don't herx on that abx. But my symtoms got worse since I'm back on it.
I still have the stomach pain-but it's only the first day on it.
WHat do I do? How do I take abx with my stomach like this?
I'm totally depressed, to the point when they woke me up I felt like saying put me under again. It was so good not to feel anything, to just be out.
What do I do with both of these conditions? I can't take any vitamins because my entire gastric system from esophagus and stomach is out of whack.
I feel too sick to function with doing anything.
I need help badly.
Lymehead
-------------------- RI Posts: 440 | From New York | Registered: Sep 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
My LLMD ordered an ELISA/ACT test to test for food sensitivities because of GI issues I've been having. This is a completely different test than the Lyme Elisa test.
This test isn't really accepted by traditional medicine, but I've had a huge reduction in nausea since staying away from the foods I am sensitive too. And it was really random foods, including lemon, cranberry and red leaf lettuce. I now know when I've accidentally eaten lemon.
I've started working with an integrative medicine specialist to help with the results. He ordered a stool test from Great Smokies Lab, I'm waiting for the results. An integrative specialist combines traditional and alternative medicine. I haven't been impressed with gastro specialist I work with, because when he can't explain he just wants to title it Irritable Bowel Syndrome which basically means you have gastro probloems and we don't know what the reason is.
How long have you been on the medicine for the colon? It could take some time to adapt to it and then the fog may lift.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Definitely look into changing your diet. It plays a HUGE role in your illness. I can't say if the lyme, the abx or both created your gut problems, but it really doesn't matter. Fact is, you now have gut problems and your diet has got to change to help you heal.
Also you need enzymes to help digest your food, probiotics to combat the overgrowth of yeast. It is all too complicated to tackle by yourself. Find a good integrative doctor who works on nutritional issues.
Lyme reeks havoc on our gut allowing the yeast to grow. Abx and NSAIDS do damage as well. If you also enjoy a bad diet with lots of sugar, dairy, sodas, etc. Your stomach is doomed.
I couldn't believe how much my symptoms improved just by changing my diet. Now I have a doctor working to help me identify and correct the many deficencies and imbalances in my body and I am feeling sooooo much better.
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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cantgiveupyet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8165
posted
do you think it could be yeast related?
just a thought.
also Levaquin is somewhat broad spectrum, i really do think, and this is just my opinion. That you can herx on any abx that we take. Its just certain ones target the lyme bacteria better and thus cause more of a herx.
Also could the leva be hitting the bart in your stomach?
-------------------- "Say it straight simple and with a smile."
"Thus the task is, not so much to see what no one has seen yet, But to think what nobody has thought yet, About what everybody sees."
-Schopenhauer
pos babs, bart, igenex WB igm/igg Posts: 3156 | From Lyme limbo | Registered: Oct 2005
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northstar
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7911
posted
Just throwing out some more possibilities:
Along with food sensitivities, there is gluten intolerance which can contribute to inflammation of digestive and bowel systems. This includes wheat, corn, oats, barley, rye, and spelt.
Basically that means rice, potatoes, and gluten free bread. I did not know until I had a test for antigens. Went gluten free, and then binged bigtime one day, and my entire body went toxic with inflammation. I became a believer.
My llmd said bart affects mucosa in body, too.
Perhaps along with checking for sensitivities, you could adjust diet to include more veggies,, etc. There are lists on the web for acid/alkaline foods to help stomach (do a google for them), and broths/soups (homemade are the best) are gentle too.
Also, some people take over the counter meds, some will take aloe juice, and other supplements to help heal. If you have time, do a search for stomach pain, etc. on lymenet.
I am fighting the tender tummy too, with bart, and eat fairly plain foods. I do not have a consistent stomach ache , although some supplements in the past had caused stomach problems, so I switched to better brands (bad ones were from a O.D.).
Hope some of these thoughts will be of help for you. N.
Posts: 1331 | From hither and yonder | Registered: Sep 2005
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northstar
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7911
posted
There was a really good post a while back, about cranial nerves and the stomach/gastrointestinal system. If you do a search, I think it was an article by Scherr from ILADS,
Maybe your GI doc would be interested....not that it solves your problem, though, but it postulates an interesting effect/damage/dysregulation of lyme.
N.
Posts: 1331 | From hither and yonder | Registered: Sep 2005
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A nutritionist might not be a bad idea.But how can an irritable colon heal while on antibiotics?
An integrative doc might try to dissuade me from taking abx. And I see what happened when I went off the meds-I got worse.
I did try acupuncture eight times, but it didn't do much for me.
I do take alot of probiotics.
My diet these days unfortunately does consist of alot of carbs which can cause yeast, because it bulks up my gut. I don't think I can eat veggies,especially raw, but I do eat lots of protein.
I've been on this stomach med starting today - just had this test done today - and the fog is definitly related to this med. I feel the med wearing off now (my gut feels it too) and my head feel a tad sharper.
Do you think as the body acclimates to the stomach med, my brain will feel more alert? Or conversly, if the med builds up in the body, the fog could permanently settle alongside the neuro fog.
Perish the thought.
But it's time to take the second dose soon, as per the doc's instructions, so I'll probably be in La La land soon.
It really stinks in Lymeland.
Lymehead
-------------------- RI Posts: 440 | From New York | Registered: Sep 2005
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AZURE WISH
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 804
posted
I just thought I'd share my expereince. I have gastroparesis. It caused bad stomach pain for me. It can also cause nausea and vomitting but 99% of my problem was pain.
Gastroparesis is delayed stomach emptying - so my stomach digests slower than a normal persons. Pain meds can make gastroparesis worse.
I was diagnosed by an endoscopy which is where they take the tube go through your mouth into your stomach.
There is med they can give you and that helps alot. If that does not fix the problem entirely then there is also a diet.
Raw vegatables used to give me horrible pain. Even most cooked ones were a problem.
Just thought I'd let you know the condition exists.
-------------------- We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand... and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late. Posts: 221 | From the hills | Registered: Mar 2006
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valymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7076
posted
talktel
Lymeout's daughter sees an excellent llmd in PA. Her daughter's severe stomach problems....(I think on/off abx) have been helped by the guidance of this doctor and some fine german products.
Send lymeout a message. Possibly your llmd could contact this well-respected llmd.
Posts: 1240 | From Centreville,VA | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Glad someone posted the link to Dr. Scherr's article - it makes a lot of sense.
Did your GI doc do biopsies?...if so, it might be helpful to send them off for PCR testing. My son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, but when we later had his biopsies tested - they found Bartonella.
Also, there are other protocols for Bart than Levaquin...have you tried them? Maybe something else would be better tolerated.
My son's GI sx have been worse lately and our Lyme doc suggested we try VSL3 - the mega-probiotic used by people with IBD. It's unfortuneatly mega-expensive, too. But we're going to give it a try for a couple of months.
Hope you get some relief soon... Nancy
Posts: 688 | From Florida | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
abdominal pain has been a huge issue for me too. I've seen the GI docs also.
In the end my conclusion is diet and probiotics are key. Be sure to pay attention to diet---follow the candida diet and be sure to alkalize your system.
Be sure to get your probiotics. Kefir, yogurt and naturally fermented foods are best. You can ferment your own very inexpensively. There are some posts on the topic if you search. Being religious about this makes a huge difference in my world.
Also I've found that yoga practices that are back bend related help during moments of excruciating pain. You don't have to do full wheel pose to get the benefit. (if you can its great) But You can just do bridge pose. Or even a more restorative version by laying on your back, knees bent w a bolster under you...w head on floor. So your torso is ra raised, but back of head is pressing into floor. But chin off your neck so your airway isn't constricted.
Also at times when my abdominal pain became so very excruciating over loong periods I've switched abx and had that make a difference.
Good luck!!!!
Pomegranite
Posts: 309 | From CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
What medicine did your GI put you on? If its prilosec or any other Proton Pump Inhibitor or even an H2 blocker like Zantac BE CAREFUL. These drugs, especially the PPIs, cut down your stomach acid up to 90%!
I was on Prilosec for 5 months for a gastric ulcer (from taking NSAIDS-ibuprofen, aleve, advil, aspirin-for a sprained ankle-only took 3 weeks of daily use, be careful with these painkillers and never take on an empty stomach). I got a second endoscopy to see if it was healed. The ulcer was healed, but the other parts of my stomach which were previously normal now all the sudden had "generalized stomach erosion".
Since you are on antibiotics, these drugs can be ultra harmful since the acid in your tummy is the #1 defense against candida and harmful bacteria overgrowth in your stomach. The two combined can be awful for your GI tract and cause terrible stomach inflammation.
Sorry this was a bit of a rampage but quitting Prilosec and starting probiotics/changing my diet has made a huge difference for me in my GI tract, and I just made the changes less than 2 weeks ago.
Posts: 594 | From NJ/NY | Registered: Jun 2006
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hiker53
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Member # 6046
posted
I just finished a 6 week course of IM bicillin and took nystatin. Nystatin made my stomach problems worse.
Also, Northstar--corn is hard to digest, but it is gluten free. My mom and I are both gluten sensitive(she is a celiac) and corn is in the diet. I do avoid fresh corn, because I can't digest it, though.
Hiker
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 8880 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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