Complicated Stomach Problems, Result of Antibiotic Misuse?

[Cone]

Hey bluelight,

I know most of you come here for psychoactive substances, and mods feel free to delete this if it isnt relevant, but I have an issue that is beginning to get out of hand.

My stomach basically feels like its trying to eat itself all the time. I mean ALL the time. I've taken 9 different antacids, H2 agonists, and PPI's (including Nexium)to try to help stem the pain, and so far only one has worked marginally well (pepcid). Marginally.

I've had an endoscopy, a biopsy was taken and the doctor pronounced that it was a case of gastritis and it should clear up soon. Nothing out of the ordinary apparently. That was over a month ago, and the pain has changed very little if any.

The pain began back in August when I had a bad reaction to methylprednisolone (almost identical to prednisone), and I couldnt eat for a month. I had eye surgery to fix a critical injury which would have left me unable to see. I was prescribed a heavy regiment of antibiotics.

The surgery went well, but I noticed I wasnt able to hold food down or eat much without feeling nausea.

Fast forward a month, and I was eating at subway when I got SEVERE food poisoning. I mean a volcano out both ends for three days, then like having the flu for another week. My stomach hasn't really been the same since, and that was nearly 5 months ago now.

Anyway, I've run out of issues that could possibly be causing my pain. Ive run the checklist on all the sites, my doctor is clueless and keeps trying to prescribe different antacids none of which work.

So heres the antibiotic thing: Back in early '07 I began taking a low dose of doxycycline for a skin condition. It stopped working so I (STUPIDLY) began doubling my dose on days that I needed to look good. Doubling became tripling, then it became only taking it once or twice a week in high doses. I stopped taking that stuff about a year ago because it stopped treating the condition.

Over the past year I've been misusing minocycline by taking it once or twice a week to keep acne at bay. Stupid stupid stupid, I know. Now I know anyway. I knew you werent supposed to take antibiotics off and on due to breeding super bacteria, but I ignored that thinking that only happened to people with life threatening conditions.

Now I seem to be getting sick very easily, and when I do get sick it takes me much longer to get over it than my family members. At this moment I'm fighting the beginnings of a sore throat for the third time this month. My stomach is killing me, I can't sleep, and now I have this to think about.

So is it possible that abusing antibiotics then getting food poisoning is the reason why I've had such puzzling stomach problems? Could it be anxiety related? (doubt it, havent had anxiety problems all my life).

Is it possible for my body to fight off the super bacteria that I've bred, or will I continue to degrade?

Sorry for the long post, so heres the tldr:
1. Began misusing antibiotics two years ago
2. Got food poisoning back in September
3. Had crippling stomach pain since, doctors use the blanket term "gastritis" and prescribe drugs which dont work.
4. My immune system is shot

Is it related? Possibly? Let me note that while I have been taking antibiotics off and on recently I am no longer going to.

Thanks.

 

[uNhoLeee]

"Complicated Stomach Problems, Result of Antibiotic Misuse?"

You don't even need to misuse them for it to cause stomach problems.

 

[euphoria]

I have a severely fucked up stomach as well... but not from abusing antibiotics or anything. Mine came from abusing alcohol, other pills, and anxiety. Plus acid reflux and all that shit runs in my family.

My suggestion to you is to eat super healthy and avoid anything that could cause furthur damage to your stomach, like soda, booze, citrus, coffee, etc. You probably already know which foods hurt the most. There's immune-boosting foods that you can eat, just google it. Your best bet is to try and get your immune system back to normal through healthy eating habits and trying to treat your stomach with some respect. I find carbs are the least corrosive, even though you don't want to just live on carbs you might have to for awhile. I did. Eventually it started to get a little better.

Also, coat your stomach with lots of water before and after you eat everything, it makes food a little easier to digest.

When I went to the doctor for this, he ended up prescribing me a low dose anxiety medicine, for my anxiety as well as to kind of relax the stomach muscles/nerves so it's not doing that churning thing all the time. It helps a little, if you want to look into that. You might not even realize you have anxiety. Worrying about your stomach is a kind of anxiety.

 

[Dtergent]

Long-term antibiotic use ups the causative factors of infection/sickness. Your stomach problems may not have directly caused your lower immunity, but it could have been a large indication that of it. Of course, faulty digestion also has effect on the immunity.

If your regular doctor cannot indicate what is wrong with your digestive system, I would recommend an ayurvedic doctor, if you have one in your area. I find they have a more systems-oriented approach to digestion and immunity. In the meantime, don't take the antibiotics, don't eat junk, eat small meals, chew your food well, regulate your sleeping.

Gastritis (if the diagnosis is accurate, and there are several variations in Eastern medicine) means that there is an inflammation in your stomach that is inhibiting secretion of enzymes.

Although people might say to stick with raw veggies, I would agree with firefighter in saying to stick to easily digestible (yet non-junky) stuff while your digestion gets back on track. Avoid sour, hot, and too salty food. Or coffee, etc.

Here is a word from our family doc (he is ayurvedic): If you can, a series of fruit meals (soft ones like peach, mango, etc.) can be done for a day or two. Please chew your food well, if eating harder fruit like apple you can cook it first. If before that you can manage to drink only water or coconut juice, that would help as well. Then you can begin to eat again with easily digestible food. Please do not eat rich sweets and dairy food for the time being.

 

[lenses]

I've been vegan for about 5 years now, one of the reasons being to deal with my stomach problems (IBS, food allergies). Whenever I would take a full dose of antibiotics , I would experience the same symptoms you're talking about. Really does feel like my stomach is trying to eat itself.

The antibiotics have killed off the good bacteria that digest food. I would reccomend starting with eating lots of yogurt, and looking into a good probiotic regiment to replenish the good bacteria that has been killed. When I finish a course of antibiotics I always try to eat some yogurt to make my stomach feel better, and it works great. Otherwise it feels like my stomach can NOT digest the food I eat.

If you can, I would also reccomend trying to not eat foods that are difficult to digest for a few days, mainly dairy. Try to stick with whole, as close to the source foods you can. But REALLY try to eat some quality yogurt and let me know how it helps. PM me and let me know, i'm interested in how it goes.

-lenses

 

[Cone]

Thanks for the detailed replies thus far, today is the first day I've had in several months where I haven't felt the need to take an acid reducer, so I think the antibiotics were the culprit all along, but it may be too soon to tell.

Lenses: I've been eating a regiment of cultered in cup yogurt every morning and evening, as well as taking a capsule of some pro-biotic as well and I have to say the yogurt helps a ton. Its weird, I've never craved yogurt before but some nights I'll wake up at 3 in the morning and be jonesing for yogurt. Its amazing how our bodies seem to know exactly what they need.

Dtergent: Yes I've been eating as lightly as possible (hard to do when you live in a town that specializes in grilling and deep frying!), I tend to avoid sweets and dairy already for other reasons. It seems we don't have a doctor specializing in ayurveda in the area, the nearest one is 2 hours or so away unfortunately.

So far (today only) I havent had issues, but we will see.