Tag Archives: antibiotics

What’s been happening

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I’ve not blogged much for at least a couple of weeks. I’ve been struggling through some pretty difficult illness, the most recent of which was caused, as I suspected, by antibiotics messing up my stomach. My doctor confirmed earlier this week that I’ve been fighting a rather nasty bacterium (sp.?) called Clostridium difficile, which causes a condition called Pseudomembranous colitis. (The link I just gave goes to an article on MayoClinic.com, which in my opinion is one of the best medical information websites on the Internet for the layperson.) My case wasn’t a mild one, either. However, all of this is history (hopefully) and I am well on the way to a full recovery at last. Even my doctor said to me today, when I saw him for what seems the umpteenth time, that he hoped that today’s visit would be the last one for a good long while.

So, I’m back again. So many things have been happening both personally and professionally and there is a lot to blog about and comment on. Stay tuned.

Struggling with more illness

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Unfortunately I am struggling with another round of illness, this time with my stomach, thus the infrequent posts of late. I think the stomach problems are the result of taking two strong antibiotics, which have messed up the good bacteria in the stomach. This whole issue of getting completely healthy again is growing increasingly important because I am tired of going through this.

Feeling a lot better

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I’m glad to write that I feel a lot better now. Not completely “out of the woods” but well on my way. The two powerful antibiotics I’ve been taking seem to have helped, as well as several days of simply doing a lot of sleeping, building up my appetite, and not a lot else. During my doctor appointment yesterday my doctor told me that the cause of the additional infection is still unknown but he is pretty sure that it is viral in origin. My liver enzymes are somewhat elevated but that is not conclusive. It indicates the presence of an infection, but then we knew that already. Also a blood test called CRP (for C-Related Protein, I think), which measures the level of inflammation in the body, came back indicating a very high level of inflammation. My doctor ordered all of the blood tests redone, and added in a few more, including one to see whether or not there is something wrong with my immune system. He decided to add these when I mentioned my concern to him that these latest illnesses were just the latest in a series of fairly significant and serious health problems I’ve had over the course of the last few years. I just don’t understand why I’m getting so sick, so often.

Anyway, I am thankful — very thankful — to be on the mend. Now if I can only take care of reestablishing “good” bacteria in my stomach, the ones that have been killed by the antibiotic. Without the good bacteria my stomach is having problems. I’m starting to eat lots of yoghurt.