Repeat gastroenteritis

Hi, i have been having ongoing stomach issues for some time and after various tests I was told that they could not find a IBD but it was a functional bowel disorder. Then 7 weeks ago I was admitted into hospital with terrible stomach pains and was diagnosed as having infectious colitis which was brought on by the campylobacter virus and had to stay in for 5 days.

Like you, I had had chicken the previous day but alongwith 4 family members who all appeared to be fine whereas I was hospitalised. I have had food poisoning a few times so I can only allude to the fact that my stomach is so sensitive that I seem to pick up everything. I am very wary with chicken and whereever possible, avoid it as its the most common form of food poisoning.

When I asked the hospital if there was a direct link between the campylobacter and my stomach disorder, I could not get a straight answer. I personally believe that its too much of a coincedence for it not to be.

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I believe my wife may have just experieced the start of a similar thing. Involving earlier cryptosporidium bout and years later another related to chicken consumption. Thank you , as you have given me food for thought.

Hi

Well i had campylobacter for 10 days i was in spain and was admitted 3 times where they couldnt find out what it was as i couldnt pass a stool i lost over a stone in weight and was bleeding very badly .

Finaal came home and it was diagnosed.

Ever since then i have upper right pain lower abdominal pain diahrear tummy sore to touch then it goes away for a few weeks then it flairs up where i can hardly move.

I have been on a number of tests scans ultra sound mri with contrast with them finally saying its ibs .When it flares up its like food poisoning with lower cramps diahrear etc so i feel for you .Hope you get some releaf or diagnosis as its a knock on afect from having campylobacter a lot of people has different symptoms for years after it

kev

 

Campylobacter infection - PLEASE CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST ABOUT ANY MEDICINE AND PROBIOTICS MENTIONED BELOW, THEY MIGHT BE NOT SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE. 

I would like to share my experience with campylobacter infection (food poisoning, usually from raw meat or poultry) I had last month from one of the take away places. It started off with sudden stomach pains and diarrhoea (light or green colour). Doctors could not figure out what it was and took 3 visits to GP and finally getting some tests done (which took long time too cause they have lost them!), so from my first visit on 13th of June I got my antibiotics erythromycin for campylobacter infection on 21st of July! Meantime I had suffered real bad reaction to most foods, i.e. Diarrhoea each day several times, stomach pains about half an hour after food, felt very weak cause I knew I wasn't digesting food very well nor did the water stay in my body. Took about week and a half off work (week with a sick note). Usually it lasts 2-5 days but the period of my sickness was 7-8 weeks. During the whole time I was taking Lansoprazole in the mornings as it appeared I had gastritis superfitsialis chronica with it as well (had to do endoscopy for this).... Then no-spa ('mebeverine' in UK, after food to relax my muscles. I also made sure I took acidophilus probiotic - 1 a day, every day ( got from Holland and Barrett and I have to say, it did help me big time), I think It helped with restoring or not damaging too much of my insides during this infection. Eventually I found out that Saccharomyces Boulardii probiotic helps especially well during diarrhoea, I found a packet in Holland Barrett called Bioglan Serious Help One-A-Day Biotic Balance Ultimate Flora (20 billion live bacteria which has both probiotics together), so I've switched to this probiotic only at the moment. However, if you are immunocompromised - do not take S.Boulardii probiotic, it could be very dangerous or even fatal!!! On the first day of erythromycin I felt much better, diarrhoea stopped instantly, but it did come back every 2 days for about a week and a half. I had to be very strict with what I ate: oats in the morning with blueberrys, cinnamon and honey, then banana about 10 am, something steamed for lunch and supper. I ate 4 times a day before the antibiotics, as they damage the stomach lining too. I made sure there was 3 hour gap between antibiotic and probiotic for both of them to actually work ( I usually took probiotic before bed so it would work over night). I did not drink any coffee or tea, had only water or camomile or peppermint tea during the whole time. Campylobacter made me also lactose intolerant (which I found out after eating ice cream on a very hot summer day.... Not a pleasant surprise), so I had only lactose free milk and yogurts for about three weeks, but i am back to normal now. I also took some multivitamins as diarrhoea flushes a lot of nutrition from your body. I made sure I went for even little walks on fresh air in the evenings as erythromycin doesn't agree with the sun or artificial UV rays very much. I also tried to have a siesta every day when I was off sick at home - you recover better in the sleep. So this is how I fought campylobacter infection.... I hope this might help some of you to fight it. Also please look out for any muscle aches or respiratory problems - ring your doctor straight away if you get them - these could be dangerous rare side effects. And please try not to cook for others for about 3 weeks after healing and stay away from pregnant women and anyone with weak immune system, as it takes 2-3 weeks to completely get rid of campylobacter. Best of luck

Hi rmjo,

I am wondering if you are getting repeat infections of the adenovirus.  This virus can definitely cause gastroenteritis and should not be ruled out.  If you have little ones at home they are often susceptible to the virus and are perhaps spreading it to you.  Talk to your doctor about that possibility.  

https://patient.info/health/adenovirus-gastroenteritis

I thought I should reply to this as it's been over a year.  Shortly after I wrote the above, I read an article about resetting your body's immune system through a 3-day fast, so thought I would give it a try.

The fast itself was easier than I had thought, with nothing but water.  I was amazed my will-power actually allowed me to do this, but I stuck to it.

Since then, I have lived my life the same as always, continuing to eat chicken, and I haven't suffered from the described symptoms once.  Maybe I've had a lucky year or maybe this has helped my body's tolerance levels, whichever it is, I am not going to complain and hope it continues. 

Thank you all for your replies, it has provided me with some useful reading.