Please let me leave the toilet
May 7, 2018 8:29 PM Subscribe
What... is this illness, and what are the possible outcomes? Lots of fun bathroom flu issues below the fold.
I wrote a recent question about coming down with something like stomach flu, but I have new questions that are actually fairly urgent for me, because I want to do a risk analysis of whether I should travel soon for a major event. Seeing the doctor tomorrow and will hopefully have a lab, etc., but I would have to make travel arrangements tonight, so wondering if I should go ahead and risk having to cancel.
Basically I’ve had “stomach flu” for about a week. My fever and headache are gone, still a bit achy here and there and maybe a bit of dehydration overnight but I don’t seem to be at risk for severe dehydration currently. Drinking fluid replacement salt mixtures, eating soft foods. But I’ve had diarrhea for about... seven days, with no sign of abating? So I basically feel fine except 1) diarrhea and 2) fatigued from all the diarrhea. It’s pretty watery. It will seem to firm up a little for a bowel movement or two and then boom, back to liquid.
So from my understanding viral diarrhea usually goes away but can outlast the flu for unknown reasons, generally not a big deal if you’re healthy and stay hydrated. I have acid reflux and mild IBS so I could see that being an issue. I think some of my meds are irritating my stomach, and so are the probiotic capsules I’ve been taking. Should I... stop taking them?
And secondary Q. If it’s not viral, then it’s probably bacterial. But there seem to be a lot of internet sources that say you don’t even need antibiotics in that case. Are they just given to help the body along, or are there certain strains that just won’t die without them? Sometimes bacterial diarrhea can be caused by antibiotics, and sometimes they’re contraindicated? Am I getting the scenarios right?
It could also be some random thing I can’t predict so I am indeed going to do a lab tomorrow (as long as the doctor agrees it’s necessary, an on-call nurse said today that it was). But I’m trying to understand if I should be really worried, how likely it is that it will not clear up without antibiotics, if this is actually kind of common with gastroenteritis, and if I should stop taking my regular meds/probiotics that are obviously totally upsetting my stomach. Even water is still upsetting it so far.
Doctors have kind or helped me understand but I guess I just never really had a non-textbook stomach flu before. Thanks!
I wrote a recent question about coming down with something like stomach flu, but I have new questions that are actually fairly urgent for me, because I want to do a risk analysis of whether I should travel soon for a major event. Seeing the doctor tomorrow and will hopefully have a lab, etc., but I would have to make travel arrangements tonight, so wondering if I should go ahead and risk having to cancel.
Basically I’ve had “stomach flu” for about a week. My fever and headache are gone, still a bit achy here and there and maybe a bit of dehydration overnight but I don’t seem to be at risk for severe dehydration currently. Drinking fluid replacement salt mixtures, eating soft foods. But I’ve had diarrhea for about... seven days, with no sign of abating? So I basically feel fine except 1) diarrhea and 2) fatigued from all the diarrhea. It’s pretty watery. It will seem to firm up a little for a bowel movement or two and then boom, back to liquid.
So from my understanding viral diarrhea usually goes away but can outlast the flu for unknown reasons, generally not a big deal if you’re healthy and stay hydrated. I have acid reflux and mild IBS so I could see that being an issue. I think some of my meds are irritating my stomach, and so are the probiotic capsules I’ve been taking. Should I... stop taking them?
And secondary Q. If it’s not viral, then it’s probably bacterial. But there seem to be a lot of internet sources that say you don’t even need antibiotics in that case. Are they just given to help the body along, or are there certain strains that just won’t die without them? Sometimes bacterial diarrhea can be caused by antibiotics, and sometimes they’re contraindicated? Am I getting the scenarios right?
It could also be some random thing I can’t predict so I am indeed going to do a lab tomorrow (as long as the doctor agrees it’s necessary, an on-call nurse said today that it was). But I’m trying to understand if I should be really worried, how likely it is that it will not clear up without antibiotics, if this is actually kind of common with gastroenteritis, and if I should stop taking my regular meds/probiotics that are obviously totally upsetting my stomach. Even water is still upsetting it so far.
Doctors have kind or helped me understand but I guess I just never really had a non-textbook stomach flu before. Thanks!
if you have mild IBS than this could be a sign the condition is worsening. Source: parent with IBS-D/possible UC. I think labs is the best things, and to talk to your doctor on whether to stop the meds or not. Meds can absolutely aggravate said condition. bacterial infections of the digestive tract can be tricky to treat with antibiotics, especially since too many low level antibiotics can cause C-diff. Source: parent with IBS-D/UC had C.Diff last year due to being constantly given amoxicillin for said conditions. I'm not sure about the probiotics, but since some of them are next to useless, yeah stopping them prob couldn't hurt. This is very much go to doctor time, time for tests time. I wish you the best. Also don't be surprised if this just goes away after another week and you never figure out the why- sometimes our bodies rebel against us. Source: I'm alive.
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:58 PM on May 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Homo neanderthalensis at 8:58 PM on May 7, 2018 [1 favorite]
I mean, by all means get checked out. But I've definitely had severe stomach stuff from contaminated food that left me pooping like every half hour for over a week. (Likely e-coli? There was a recall like a couple weeks after I got sick.)
Anyway, I have severe chronic illness including stomach problems and IBS. If you already had stomach bug type symptoms then this is likely still that, honestly.
However, do check on what anti-diarrhea meds which may be safe to help. For me, pepto worked well because it clumped stool together without shutting everything down like immodium. So it could still clear my system.
Other things may include gallbladder, appendix, IBS, IBD, infection, etc.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:19 PM on May 7, 2018
Anyway, I have severe chronic illness including stomach problems and IBS. If you already had stomach bug type symptoms then this is likely still that, honestly.
However, do check on what anti-diarrhea meds which may be safe to help. For me, pepto worked well because it clumped stool together without shutting everything down like immodium. So it could still clear my system.
Other things may include gallbladder, appendix, IBS, IBD, infection, etc.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:19 PM on May 7, 2018
When I had giardia it was like this. Felt pretty much fine except for frequent bouts of diarrhea, and it showed no sign of going away on its own after a week. Have you by any chance drank any untreated
or possibly-not-effectively-treated water recently?
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:18 AM on May 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
or possibly-not-effectively-treated water recently?
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:18 AM on May 8, 2018 [2 favorites]
I had this once, as a result of food poisoning (from chicken). The actual name of the bacteria was campylobacter.
I was sick for the best part of a week, and although the feverishness and vomiting stopped after the first day or so, I had diarrhoea for five days, with the resultant weakness and fatigue that comes with that. I took electrolyte drinks (which, despite the packet saying 'blackcurrant flavour' were more like salt flavour) and drank plenty of water. I ate dry toast and plain rice until I could move onto soup after a day or so.
What you've describe sounds exactly like the symptoms I had. Unfortunately antibiotics won't help, and you have to just ride out this very unpleasant journey to the end.
posted by essexjan at 6:57 AM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
I was sick for the best part of a week, and although the feverishness and vomiting stopped after the first day or so, I had diarrhoea for five days, with the resultant weakness and fatigue that comes with that. I took electrolyte drinks (which, despite the packet saying 'blackcurrant flavour' were more like salt flavour) and drank plenty of water. I ate dry toast and plain rice until I could move onto soup after a day or so.
What you've describe sounds exactly like the symptoms I had. Unfortunately antibiotics won't help, and you have to just ride out this very unpleasant journey to the end.
posted by essexjan at 6:57 AM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
whether I should travel soon for a major event. Seeing the doctor tomorrow and will hopefully have a lab, etc., but I would have to make travel arrangements tonight, so wondering if I should go ahead and risk having to cancel. Get travel insurance that will cover you if you have to change plans due to illness.
posted by theora55 at 7:33 AM on May 8, 2018
posted by theora55 at 7:33 AM on May 8, 2018
Giardia-laden poop has a very distinctive smell, like over-microwaved frozen chicken.
posted by scruss at 8:23 AM on May 8, 2018
posted by scruss at 8:23 AM on May 8, 2018
This sounds like when I had campylobacter. I had it for about two weeks (eventually confirmed via lab culture) but the worst of it was in week 1. My doctor actually would have preferred I go on antibiotics since I was pregnant at the time, but by the time the lab called back with the test results, I was already improving and decided to skip it.
If it is campylobacter, you probably got it from undercooked poultry or a restaurant that had food cross-contaminated with undercooked poultry. Your state health department may give you a call to get some more information about what you ate, especially at restaurants, shortly before you got sick.
posted by castlebravo at 8:33 AM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
If it is campylobacter, you probably got it from undercooked poultry or a restaurant that had food cross-contaminated with undercooked poultry. Your state health department may give you a call to get some more information about what you ate, especially at restaurants, shortly before you got sick.
posted by castlebravo at 8:33 AM on May 8, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Interesting... thanks, everyone! Still have a doctors appointment for today. Hilariously I ate at a Japanese restaurant on Sunday famous for serving raw chicken sashimi, but they recently changed chicken providers so they served only cooked chicken, which I ate. It didn’t seem undercooked but who knows, and the day before I also ate chicken at a fried chicken restaurant... anyway, we’ll see. Hopefully it all ends soon. It sounds like the risk of me being contagious or incapacitated at the time of travel is low enough for me to feel ok about the plans.
posted by stoneandstar at 8:58 AM on May 8, 2018
posted by stoneandstar at 8:58 AM on May 8, 2018
Response by poster: Also haven’t knowingly drank any dodgy water, haven’t been in nature, swimming pools, anything like that. But time will tell!
posted by stoneandstar at 9:31 AM on May 8, 2018
posted by stoneandstar at 9:31 AM on May 8, 2018
Hilariously I ate at a Japanese restaurant on Sunday famous for serving raw chicken sashimi
Well, there you go.
Am I getting the scenarios right?
The only way to determine if it's a bacterial infection is via a stool sample.
I've had campylobacter (confirmed via a stool sample). A course of antibiotics stopped it. Antibiotics (in my case ciprofloxacin) did help because the infection was persistent and causing problems.
But there seem to be a lot of internet sources that say you don’t even need antibiotics in that case. Are they just given to help the body along, or are there certain strains that just won’t die without them?
Antibiotics work by killing the bacteria causing the problem. For some people, a bacterial infection like this goes away without them. If it's persistent, as mine was, you'll be glad these drugs exist and that you can take them.
Still have a doctors appointment for today.
Hopefully by now you've submitted a stool sample.
Where I live, campylobacter is a reportable illness, so the public health authorities got in touch with me - once the stool sample came back positive for campylobacter - to trace where I ate.
This is a good thing - the idea is to stop other people from getting sick. Particularly from restaurants serving raw poultry. Or from people travelling with a royal case of the shits.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:45 PM on May 8, 2018
Well, there you go.
Am I getting the scenarios right?
The only way to determine if it's a bacterial infection is via a stool sample.
I've had campylobacter (confirmed via a stool sample). A course of antibiotics stopped it. Antibiotics (in my case ciprofloxacin) did help because the infection was persistent and causing problems.
But there seem to be a lot of internet sources that say you don’t even need antibiotics in that case. Are they just given to help the body along, or are there certain strains that just won’t die without them?
Antibiotics work by killing the bacteria causing the problem. For some people, a bacterial infection like this goes away without them. If it's persistent, as mine was, you'll be glad these drugs exist and that you can take them.
Still have a doctors appointment for today.
Hopefully by now you've submitted a stool sample.
Where I live, campylobacter is a reportable illness, so the public health authorities got in touch with me - once the stool sample came back positive for campylobacter - to trace where I ate.
This is a good thing - the idea is to stop other people from getting sick. Particularly from restaurants serving raw poultry. Or from people travelling with a royal case of the shits.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 4:45 PM on May 8, 2018
Response by poster: I went to the doctor today and she said a stool sample was unnecessary (!) and prescribed a Z-pack. I’m kind of hesitant to take it since... she basically just made up the diagnosis, and who knows? Anyway I’m sick to death of being sick and making pointless doctors visits so not sure if I should take the antibiotics or just ride it out. (She said she would treat me as though I had “travelers diarrhea” and blah blah BRAT diet blah liquids.)
posted by stoneandstar at 6:05 PM on May 8, 2018
posted by stoneandstar at 6:05 PM on May 8, 2018
Response by poster: To clarify, I didn’t eat raw chicken (they are not currently even serving it). I ate cooked chicken. I’m sure if I ate the raw chicken I’d be (wrongfully) guessing it was that.
posted by stoneandstar at 6:06 PM on May 8, 2018
posted by stoneandstar at 6:06 PM on May 8, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by stoneandstar at 8:31 PM on May 7, 2018