Chronic Gasto problems from bacterial infection?

[ajandlang]

I am a 30 yo female and three months ago I woke in the middle of the night with intense stomach pains which went away with tums but was left with a "punched in the stomach feeling" for a day followed by diarrha. ( I had eaten sushi about 2 days before this all started)
This cycle went on every few days for about a month getting worse. Until one weekend I was so sick with nausea and diarrhea that I couldn't even lift my head off the pillow.
I went to the doctor and he said it was a bacterial infection. I went on Flaygl (sp?) and have not had diarrha since but was left with gurgly intestines,cramping, nausea and that "punched in the stomach feeling".
The intestinal symptoms have subsided for the most part but I still have very frequent bouts of nausea and tightness in my stomach of varying degree. Sometimes I will feel fine all day and they will start mid afternoon. It doesn't seem to be associated with eating or not eating. It's very random.

I had every blood test (inc celiac, crohns, thyroid etc), stool tests, upper endoscopy, abdominal CT scan and endometriosis tests. Everything has come back negative. My docotor has me on Protonix, stomach enzymes and a probiotic pill but none of these seem to help the nausea.
They originally thought it might be IBS but I fit few characteristics of IBS b/c I have had no colon involvement since the antibiotic.
My doctor stated that sometimes after a bacterial infection it can take up to a year for the system to be back to normal.
I cannot seem to find any evidence on the internet etc. to support that.
My questions are
1. Have you ever heard of symtoms like (nausea etc) this lasting for a while after a bacterial infection.
2. Are they usually episodic and of varying degree?
3. Will taking an antinausa pill cause dependance on them and make matters worse?
I have lost about 15 lbs and dread opening my eyes in the morning, it seems sleeping is the only way to escape this for a while. Any information you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

[AQ596]

A related discussion, Bacterial infection in stomach was started.

[oggy22]

Ive got very similar problems to yourself and ajandlang!

Its been ten months now and I cant take much more! I have a constant feeling of nausea which stops me from going to the gym and other normal day activities! I belch very loudly a fiar bit each day for no real reason! They found helicobactor which i was treated for but nothing happened to my sympstoms! Also had a discharge on and off through this time which they say is NSU! Antibiotics for this ease my symptoms and get rid of the nsu untill it decides to come back! I also get bigger bouts of it where I get cold/flu like symptoms and every other week severe Ulcers at back of my throat! All docs have been useless and I need help! :(

[keyboardman]

Ajandland,

I was just  curious if your symptoms have subsided or changed any since your original post, and if so, is there anything you do did that helped? I just don't want to give up hope. It just feels like this is ruining my life, the doctors have given no real help, and these feelings are interfering with my life on a daily basis. If I knew that time was going to heal this I might feel a little better.

[Mayet]

Antibiotic treatment and flagyl has been known to kill the natural occuring stomach and intestine bacterias.. this can cause ibs, IBD, Crohns and diveticulitis (sp?")...

i found that a month treatment with yakult and yoghurt is beneficial

[lizziecee]

what is wrong with this sitye? I posted a question last week and have had no reply. Can you refund my payment please? The site is all over the place, with post out of chronolical order. What is going on?
Liz.

[keyboardman]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they ruled out acid reflux. I have however been taking Aciphex. Couldn't tell if that helped or if I just happened to feel better anyway. Belching didn't stop though. I am pretty sure this must be a side effect of the infection. Anyway, I'm now halfing the dosage per doctor's orders and its not seeming to change anything. Recently for a few days I started feeling kind of cruddy, but over the past few days I've  been feeling better and better.

[mom42]

My daughter also has it.  She is 6.  Poor baby.  She has it sporadically.  She will be up with a stomach ache all night.  Nauseous and ready to throw up but doesnt.  I have had it before, and now it has lasted about 6 days.  How long have you had it KEYBOARDMAN?  It sounds like you have acid reflux.  My sister inlaw has terrible belching every five or 6 minutes.  

[mom42]

I have the same thing. All the same symptoms and no diarrhea.  I have had this before.  You just feel "sick" all the time, and it interferes with daily activites.  I had it when I came back from the carribean.  I am wondering if it is bacterial/

mom42

[keyboardman]

I have EXACTLY the same problem. I have been googling this for a while now and finally found someone with the exact symptoms. It is so frustrating to feel that nauseous. Also, ever since I first had these problems, have been having a belching problem, very frequent nasty, loud belches that don't coincide with eating whatsoever. I never used to belch much, and when I did it never really made noise. I had all those tests too, all of which were negative, the first of which was H. pylori. A specialist concluded it was the remains of a bacterial infection, though there wasn't any in my stomach after the endoscopy, and that it could take a while for my system to readjust. The only thing that seems to help are taking some antacids now and then, but they don't really solve the problems. It's hard to explain that I'm not faking it, because the symptoms are so seemingly random, and it doesn't matter what I eat. I too, had my worst attack after I ate at a Mexican restaurant. Strange coincidence. I had this attack while off at college in March, and was hoping very much to rid myself of all these problems by August when school starts again. Doesn't appear that is going to happen.

[keyboardman]

One further note, I never had any recurring problem with diarrhea.

[shelleymom]

My daughter has also suffered these symptoms. The stomach cramp, nausea, girlggling/spasams in stomach and intestines, some back pain and pain on the right side. She too has had every test under the sun. There are a few days out of the cycle that she is just not 100% and always with a low grade fever. We found she is a little fructose intolerant but that is all.  The upper GI, CT scans, blood test everything points to Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth. The problems is how to stop it. She goes on Phlagyl every two months when this reoccurs.  There has to be a way to end this cycle. Any advice would be much appreciated.  Has anyone heard of a Hydrochloric Acid deficiency? If so maybe this could be a factor?

[Canyon711]

I am having the very same problem as you. I have had all the tests including the colonscopy and abdominal and pelvic CT scan and all is clear. I was also tested for the usual bacteria's like Giardia, Crytosporum, etc and since nothing was found I was diagnosed with IBS. I do not have diahrea but have intermittant constipation. The nausea is what drives me crazy. Mine always starts about 3 in the morning and as morning comes it gets less and less as I can release some gas. I take ginger for the nausea because I don't know what else to take. I have some prescription pills but they make me too spacy and dry me out to much. I went two weeks without a problem and then wham it is all back again. II stay away from milk and red meat and that has helped some but even at that I am bothered. I am going to try and up my Vitamin B even though I know that can be hard on the stomach. I heard Vitamin B6 deficiency may cause nausea. This has gone on since October and started the day after I ate a first class Mexican restaurant. I thought I had food poisoning then but it never really went away. I have been checked by blood and by biopsy for h.pylori and it was negative.

[yoshi]

hector pylori bacteria may be the cause of your problem,these days you can take a breath test in doc office and find out .
If so,the medication involves a 14 days regiment of multiple antibiotics,not just Flagyl.

[Kevin Pho, MD]

To answer your questions:
1) It is possible that the symptoms can linger during and after resolution of a bacterial infection.

2) The characteristics of the symptoms can also vary from patient to patient.

3) Taking an antinausea medication may mask the symptoms without finding an underlying cause.

The upper endoscopy would rule out most of the major upper GI diseases.  A colonoscopy can be considered to evaluate for inflammatory bowel disease or colitis.

You can also consider a gastric emptying scan to look for gastroparesis - which can also cause prolonged episodes of nausea.

A 24-hr pH study with esophageal motility studies can be considered as well to look for GERD and motility disorders.

These options can be discussed with your personal physician.

Followup with your personal physician is essential.

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice - the information presented is for patient education only. Please see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Kevin, M.D.
kevinmd_b