Stomach Problems
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"seifer" sei...@india.com
I recently returned from a trip to Southeast asia and upon returning I started experiencing severe stomach problems. I experienced cramping, frequent bowel movements, diarrhea, and pain while urinating. I also got quite dehydrated at the time and then went to see a doctor. After running urine tests, stool cultures, and an abdominal CT scan they detected nothing.
Eventually the diarrhea began to subside and the stomach problems prett much went away, but I still do not feel as I did before the trip and it has been about a month. My stools are are fairly solid, but there is still mucus in them. In addition, there is still a foul smell that doesen't seem normal.
I have been trying to return my diet to how it normally was, but after eating something spicy I found my stomach to become extremely aggravated and I experienced symptoms similar to my initial symptoms for a short period.
The pain now seems to be in my lower and in the middle of my abdomen.
Since the doctors didn't detect anything, is my stomach simply irritated?
Could the stool culture had missed something like amoebic dysentery?
Thanks for the help.
pfri ...@watt-not.com (PF Riley)
Stool culture looks for bacterial pathogens. You need a special test for ova and parasites to detect something like amoebiasis, which, I would hope, your doctors actually ordered. But it may be worth repeating.
PF
" MS" m...@nospam.com
I think you should probably go to a infectious disease specialist, someone who specializes in tropical diseases. They might have better tests for such conditions.
...
"Kevin, M.D." kevi...@kevinmd.com
I would agree with MS and suggest a referral to an ID specialist. There are organisms in tropical countries that present a whole new set of diagnoses.
--
Kevin, M.D.
Medical Information Research by a Board Certified Physician www.kevinmd.com ...
Dave Bell db...@TheBells.net
Sounds a lot like Giardiasis, which is also often missed in one or two (or even more) stool specimens. Generally treated with Flagyl, if I recall, but some docs in the US don't seem to feel it should be treated, unless there are obvious symptoms. Quite common in children adopted from Eastern Europe - and their new familes, soon enough...
Dave
Emma Chase VanCott 7...@qlink.queensu.ca
: Sounds a lot like Giardiasis, which is also often missed in one or two (or : even more) stool specimens. Generally treated with Flagyl, if I recall, : but some docs in the US don't seem to feel it should be treated, unless : there are obvious symptoms. Quite common in children adopted from Eastern : Europe - and their new familes, soon enough...
: Dave [re: previous posting] Heh. It isn't merely a foreign thing. Giardia lamblia happens in N. America too <G>. It can be contracted by people who are near wildlife doing such things as camping/canoeing. It is also known as "beaver fever". (I had the joy of getting it as a teen.) It's also not a stomach problem -- it's a GI problem. Gas, mucus, GI discomfort, fatigue, fever, etc.
The bug is an oocyst parasite. (A parasitic cyst with a hard shell on it.) Chlorination of water does not always suffice.
Transmission is fecal-oral (eg. Think of the possible vectors in this route -- taps, toilet handles, doorknobs, etc.) Being in close contact with infected people is a good risk for infection too!
Ask for a stool culture.
If you do get Flagyl, remember "no alcohol".
Emma :)
pfri ...@watt-not.com (PF Riley)
Geeze. I would never not treat giardiasis. The need for treatment of blastocystis hominis is a bit controverisal, but I would treat giardiasis even if found from a screening test in, say, a recent adoptee.
PF
pfri ...@watt-not.com (PF Riley)
On 31 Jan 2003 11:48:58 GMT, Emma Chase VanCott Despite the name "beaver fever," fever almost never occurs.
As I pointed out before, he said he had a stool culture. What he needs is an ova and parasites prep of the stool.
PF
"Jim" jdbar...@yahoo.com
A VERY important point! At one point metronidazole (Flagyl) was known as "antiabuse" because it was used to treat alcholism. It worked by disabling some detoxification pathways of alcohol at points were highly toxic intermediates in the pathway would build up: the things like benzoaldehydes that would cause they sympotoms of hangovers etc.
A doctor neglected to mention this to me when treating me for giardia (because she knew I don't usually drink alchohol) and I had a couple of gl***es of wine for Christmas. Net result: The worst hangover you could possibly imagine (did not take a trashcan from between my legs for three days!) untill it finally belatedly occurred to me that maybe it wasn't the illness that was making me that sick but the drug I was taking for it.
When I quit taking the drug my liver metabolism could return to normal and remove the toxic intermediates and ended the problem.
You have no idea what sick IS until you've mixed alcohol and metranidazole (Flagyl)!
"Jim" jdbar...@yahoo.com
I think the point that was made was that the culture needs to be REPEATED since it often misses detecting the parasite on only one try. (It took four times in my case! (But *I* sure as heck knew it was there!))
pfri ...@watt-not.com (PF Riley)
No, Antabuse, used to treat alcohol, is disulfiram, not metronidazole.
Metronidazole has similar properties, but I have never heard of anyone using it to treat alcoholism.
PF
Emma Chase VanCott 7...@qlink.queensu.ca
: No, Antabuse, used to treat alcohol, is disulfiram, not metronidazole.
: Metronidazole has similar properties, but I have never heard of anyone : using it to treat alcoholism.
N.B. There is no Tx or "cure" for alcoholism.
Antabuse tends to be moreso used as a "witness dose" drug to ensure sobriety to others, or one's self.
The ONLY drug i've heard of used (somewhat experimentally) to control the cravings ***oc. w/ alcoholism is naltrexone.
e.g. http://ca.search.yahoo.com/search/ca?p=naltrexone+alcoholism&y=y HTH, Emma
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