Post infectious IBS or something more?

Digestive health
1

Where do I start? I'm not sure how relevant the back story is to my current issues but it might help get some answers.. I'm 23 years old and male.

My stomach has always been sensitive, but I could handle spice, alcohol and pretty much any foods without worry. I recently went travelling for 5 and a half months, months 1-2 spent in Malaysia and Thailand. Whilst in Thailand I had stomach issues (wretching, could hardly stand up, unusual bowel movements (can only describe as fluffy with mucus). I saw three doctors, took anti acid medication along with 'Norofloxacin' for a suspected upper bowel infection and almost immediately went back after finding a worm, roughly two inches long in the toilet bowl. I was also then given a course of 'Mebendazole', though the doctor seemed reluctant to accept that the stomach issues were due to the parasite, as they were so common. 

After a while I started to feel a bit better, but not normal by any means, and was told to take charcoal tablets to rid my gut of potentially bad toxins. My symptoms then started to appear again, in the form of bloating, loose stool, feeling drained and nausous. It wasn't long after this I developed eustachian tube dysfunction and so wasn't whether it was the ear or the stomach to blame for dizziness and off-balance. Going back to a medical clinic in Malaysia, I was prescribed the following:

'Hyoscine Butylbromide'

'Rebamipide'

'Itopride Hydrochloride'

'Esomeprazole'

The doctor insisted that I had developed acid reflux and damaged the lining of my bowel post-infection, and these medicines started to really help me - I felt good for a while, the acidity, bloating and stood seemed to return almost to its normal state. I then went to Australia, where my symptoms seemed to be almost gone, other than waking up most mornings with a dull ache in my abdomen, which went away throughout the day, and an increase in gas from prior to leaving for the trip in the UK. Before leaving Australia I noticed a similar looking worm, dead this time - accompanied by  cramping and the ache in the morning. I decided to get some more Mebendazole from a pharmacy and took it, which didn't actually relieve me of many symptoms. 

Anyway I wouldn't say I have been fully right since Thailand, and actually got worse recently to the point where I decided to return to the doctor, where I had blood tests and two stool samples sent away to check for thyroid issues, coeliac, parasites etc.. everything came back normal, and my symptoms are worsening. I wake up with lots of gas, noisy stomach, cramping throughout the day, feeling like I need to empty my bowels but usually not much comes out (I wouldn't say I am constipated though) and passed blood on a single occassion about a week ago (none since). Worst of all, I get waves of feeling absolutely drained, to the point where I am having to leave my friends and family and just go and lie down and I now consider 'normal' just having the cramping, gas, and sicky feeling with lots of squeeky noises coming from my bowel. It's really starting to affect my life and I can almost hear the doctors muttering 'anxiety' and 'probably IBS'. Can IBS really make you feel this ill? I refuse to believe it! I have heard that parasites can cause very similar symptoms, and don't always show from the stool testing. I have been told that a colonoscopy is a good idea, so will certainly consider that. I have been taking Yakult, eating yoghurt, trying to restore my gut flora and am taking peppermint capsules and back on the espramazole to reduce the sicky feeling. I am going to bring up the following possibilites when I see the doctor tomorrow:

- Candida Overgrowth (my girlfriend has issues with yeast infections and i have never seemed to suffer, at least I don't think so)

- Giardiasis/Blastocystis Hominis

- Crohns Disease/Ulcerative Colitis

- SIBO

- Lactose/Glucose Intolerance (Even though bloods returned normal)

- Cancer (very unlikely but want to rule this out)

could it all be post infectious IBS as my doctor suggested? What else would you recommend investigating? Any suggestions welcome as I can't go on living like this!

2

Thought this may also be worth noticing - Stool containing foods that don't seem to have been digested properly (nuts, fibers, peas etc), more noticably than before.

3

Hi, I'm sorry to hear u have been so unwell. I have had the majority of these symptoms for many years (except the parasites thank goodness). I've recently been found to have SIBO ductile glucose and lactose intolerance. After 20 yrs of a diagnosis of IBS it's now thought that I actually have crohns. I've had my appendix out for the lower right abdo pain but the pain continues and despite my colonoscopy being clear, my fecal calprotectin test is still raised at over 350. They just cannot find the inflammation. I had a gastroscopy on Friday to take small bowel biopsies. I would ask ur GP to check ur calprotectin levels for infection and then see if u need a colonoscopy. Good luck!

4

*fuctose not ductile!

5

Thanks for the suggestions. Do you find symptoms kind of come and go? Is it likely that this will dissapear for a few weeks/months and then return? It seems like I am feeling something quite similar to what I felt a few months ago... I will definately ask the doc about SIBO and calprotectin levels, I am not sure the specifics of the stool test, all they said is that it came back normal but whether they only tested for parasites and nothing else, i'm not sure!

6

I would try this simple idea. at night , chopp up 2 cloved (segments ) of garlic . RAW garlic. now its tricky to swallow neat so chop it in to small bits and to down it simply get a glass of milk or rice milk or almond milk if you prefer none cows milk . then  take a half mouthfull of the milk , spoon in the chopped garlic. chew quickly and swallow. then swig some more neat milk and repeat. Do this for 2 weeks , it should help kill most unwanted bugs in you but if not then just add most galic. I have never found news of Garlic causing and issues so more generally is ok unless your hyper sensitive to it then just build up gradually and try to increase the amounts far beyond what a regaualr parson would ever consume. the reason to take it at night is so you wake up in the morning and goto work and your breath will not be so bad that people cannot get withing 1 mtr of you . so night time is best , unless your with a partner of course. if you cannot down the stuff then pack the bits in to number zero gel capsules and swallow with lots of water

7

also look up H.Pilori as a cause.  again GARLIC  and collodial silver are known to work well

8

I think calprotectin is a specific test. Usually they use it as a marker for ibs. I was told anything <60 was classed as IBS, higher needs checking for inflammation and as mine was 350 I've been subjected to a load of tests! I've had numerous GPS tell me I wasn't lactose intolerant which I knew was crap as any dairy I either vomited within 2 hrs or it was through in a similar time. At my breath test, I got told the number should remain <10 (million) mine was 60! My symptoms pretty much are there day in day out. I know I have reflux so take meds for that and I take antispasmodics cos my bowel seems to get so tight I can barely stand cos of the knotty feeling and like u mentioned, I can heave for no apparent reason for days My main problem is the lower right pain. I guess the rest I've learnt to live with. I have a very reduced diet to try and keep symptoms and pain at min level. I work 40hrs a week so I have to minimise my random vomiting and diarrhea attacks best I can but it does get me down at times!

9

Ah I see. Yeah the thought of having this for good is pretty scary, it seems many people are suffering with similar symptoms and I wonder if IBS is just a label which describes any gut-related issues they can't seem to understand. I will see the doctor again tomorrow and hopefully get a few answers, though am tempted to try many of the suggestions I have found online that seem to have worked for others. One was using L-Glutamine to repair the lining of the gut, which has seemed to have worked well for others suffering damage following medicines for infections etc...

10

I will ask about H.Pylori - just looked it up and it's another possibility... I've read garlic is up there with the worst triggers for IBS cramping/attacks. I might bite the bullet and try a small amount when i'm feeling okay and see where that takes me first!

11

Absolutely, the IBS label is given to anyone who they don't know what to do with I reckon lol. I'm one of 6 females in my family, all with similar problems, unfortunately I'm the worst and only one to be tested. The others just got ibs meds thrown at them and sent on their way. In theory, if I do have crohns, there is a chance my other family members also have it yet they have just been dismissed. A lot of people swear by Symprove. May b worth a try? Personally,I take no notice of all the "eat this natural gel, take that natural herb" cos the ones I have tried just made me worse lol but it's personal preference. For me, to minimise symptoms I stay away from dairy, tomato, nuts, onions, garlic, anything heavily flavoured, I only eat one vegetable at any meal or I just pass them all thro at speed undigested. I don't drink caffeine and no more alcohol! I struggle to gain weight, but seem stable right now, altho if I eat normal I go to the loo that often I can lose half a stone in 2 days!

12

have you looked for Clostridium-difficile, it is very common but only in people with weak imune systems over 60 or heavy use of anti-biotics

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Clostridium-difficile/Pages/Introduction.aspx

13

look in to H.Pylori  as a cause.  it is very common and produses all the symtoms and is given to other family memeber very easy.  FMT treatment can work for IBS too

14

Have you looked in to H.Pylori bacteria or

Clostridium difficile

NHS info here

http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/resources/patient-information/infection/fmt.pdf

 

15

you can try to look at H.Pylori or

 Clostridium difficile

one treatment is bismuth which iis type of metal ( actually also used to line gun barells too) is found in that pink medication called pepto bismol

GENERIC NAME: bismuth subsalicylate

BRAND NAME: Bismatrol Maximum Strength, Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate, and many other brands

Helicobacter pylori is highly susceptible to bismuth, a heavy metal with antimicrobial activity linked to its effect on bacterial iron uptake

colloidal bismuth subcitrate  is refered to as (CBS) 

try that

16

Hi

I had IBS since 18. Always managed. For the past year I had 4 infections. Responded well to antibiotics 3 times. The last episode antibiotics did not work. I have seen a Surgeon last week. Nobody knows if it is IBS diverticulitis or something else. I have to wait for another episode at which time I will have a scan. In the meantime no dairy no nuts no seeds and try aloe vera juice. I also take bentyl it is prescribed. Just gave another stool sample in as well. Try and keep your bowels moving. Good carbs you can eat are rice and some pasta but don't overdo it. Try to stay away from breads for a few days. It is nof easy. Hope you find some answers.

😐

Vivian

17

Your strategy is "on track"...be sure to reduce ideas to writings. Not all physicians know what you may have contracted "specifically".. and that "matters". There are hundreds of parasites in Thailand, and from all plant and animal/food sources. Too often a medication will "mask" a diagnostic test or the test is a cheapee...

my take:

Unfortunately I acquired (Ambeiasis) in Thailand, once in Chaing Mai, and once in Bangkok. (I used Tetracycline) but there are other better medications..such as

(Nitazoxanide), with over a 90% cure rate.

Re:: Giardiasis can be treated with a single dose of tinidazole

To completely “reboot” your digestive system from oral cavity to annus..you need a qualified “nutritionist” for assistance once youve completed your physicians protocol..preferably in harmony with  nutritionist/physician.

It ought to include short duration initial fasting, mild antibiotic/antifungal, diet, and a variety of supplements.May take weeks to a few months…compliance “matters”.

18

Fascinating information, I will consider the possibility of that. It's more the feeling of weakness, no energy that come and go. Makes me wonder if some of it could be anxiety working alongside the other symptoms, distorting the symptoms of whatever the stomach/digestive issue is. I might insist on a second stool test to double check the possibility of parasites, especially given my travels. Thanks for the input!

19

Weakness lack of energy..about a Brazilian possibilities..however comes and goes..may be your immune system is workin..may need boosting..nutritionist..NAC might help. Be sure liver enzymes are ordered. Would suggest milk thistle too but it might skew labs..and the ambiasis knocked all energy..bed bathroom 3 days lousy hotel got employee to fetch antibiotic..and like another posted followed with fresh garlic..stopped the gropings in tight quarters and mosquitos..large enough to cross breed with turkeys.

20

If I still had ambiasis, would it lie dormant for so long? Also I rarely have symptoms of D, if at all - my stool is sometimes loose but at the moment I would consider it fairly normal, albeit going more frequently and in less volume than before, with occassional evidence of mucus. Seeing the doctor today so I will give an update if I find some sort of miracle cure to all of this!