spidergrrl
04-12-11, 01:33
Hi there. This is going to be a long story, so have some tea. :)
A month or so ago, I had an acute sinus infection and went to the doctor. I had also had some bad Mexican food which he confirmed was giving me some tummy trouble (I was nauseous, but did not vomit... I had diarrhea, though). He also said that post-nasal drip can cause some nausea as well. Ok, fine with me. He gave me Prednisone and antibiotics to clear it all up.
Fast forward about nine days and I am ILL. My stomach feels like it's in a vice grip any time I eat (and sometimes even when I don't). I'm dehydrated and starving from that, plus I'm having panic attacks at 3 am and running out of my house and twitching so hard in my sleep that I'm waking up. Several times I woke up because I was frightened and I took a big breath and looked around in a panic. Weird. I called the doctor and he said I could stop the prednisone as I was on the last days of tapering (the smallest dose) but to continue the antibiotics. I did, and the stomach problem got somewhat better but continued nonetheless. I took Zantac (ranitidine), which helped a very little (a VERY little).
As time passed, my sinus infection cleared up a little (I still have sinus pressure even now) but my stomach still felt horrible. My doctor had LOST MY RECORDS for the second time, so I thought it was a good sign it was time to seek out a new physician.
My new doctor is an internist and very holistic. He listened to my story and did a complete physical. My liver function, sugar levels, and gall bladder are a-ok. I tested negative for h. pylori. I don't have reactions to any particular food, just eating in general. About two hours or so after eating, I would get grinding, gnawing pain in my upper stomach. After a while it would pass and I would have a normal bowel movement. My bowel movements are fine- I have neither constipation nor diarrhea (except the day of my doc visit... I always get that when I'm nervous but rarely any other time; maybe once or twice a year from fast food). No blood or discoloration of any sort.
His conclusion is that the prednisone stripped my stomach (it can cause ulcers) and the antibiotics didn't help with killing my good bacteria. He said it's nasty case of gastritis and my stomach hasn't had time to heal because of the stomach acid (note: I do not have GERD nor do I usually get reflux of any kind and I don't have symptoms of silent reflux, either). He put me on Prilosec (omeprazole) to give my stomach a chance to heal and Align for the gut flora.
I have felt better since this started. Heck, I felt better when I saw a doctor who was so thorough and KIND. I asked him point blank if it was an ulcer and he said not without some bleeding. I asked him if he thought IBS and he said as I wasn't having cramps or any issues below the stomach, he thought not. Since the timing of the onset coincided exactly with the prednisone, he thought it made perfect sense that it caused it. I agree.
Here's my weird issue: When I have to go to the bathroom, I usually get a little tingle in my stomach/bowels. It's not at all unpleasant and lets me know it's time to go before I feel the physical feeling of something "being there". NOW, however, I seem to get a little bit nauseous instead. It's not unbearable, it's just weird and disconcerting because I am emetophobic. I am emetophobic to the point that I have severe panic attacks if I feel vomitous and I generally will try to run outside and... well, it's just awful. I've tried to tell myself I'll feel better if I do, but I've only ever thrown up four or five times since infancy and the last time was a virus, so I didn't feel better AT ALL afterward.
Here's my (irrational) fear: The prednisone somehow damaged my brain so that I'm unable to process my need to go to the bathroom. I'll never be able to eat again without being nauseous and/or I'll have to go on a rice and water diet (I've always had an "iron stomach" although I don't abuse it). MY vagus nerve is damaged. I will get stomach cancer (or already have it) and die of this. Also, that I will take this course of medicine and it won't work and I'll end up with some undiagnoseable thing that the entire internet seems to suffer from.
Yes, I know what the doctor said.
I have read that omeprazole can cause nausea and gastritis does as well (and obviously after you eat!).
Should I stop worrying and let the medicine do its job? Of course I should. I should remember that the body can heal itself and tries very hard to. I SHOULD.
Anybody want to help me do that? :D
A month or so ago, I had an acute sinus infection and went to the doctor. I had also had some bad Mexican food which he confirmed was giving me some tummy trouble (I was nauseous, but did not vomit... I had diarrhea, though). He also said that post-nasal drip can cause some nausea as well. Ok, fine with me. He gave me Prednisone and antibiotics to clear it all up.
Fast forward about nine days and I am ILL. My stomach feels like it's in a vice grip any time I eat (and sometimes even when I don't). I'm dehydrated and starving from that, plus I'm having panic attacks at 3 am and running out of my house and twitching so hard in my sleep that I'm waking up. Several times I woke up because I was frightened and I took a big breath and looked around in a panic. Weird. I called the doctor and he said I could stop the prednisone as I was on the last days of tapering (the smallest dose) but to continue the antibiotics. I did, and the stomach problem got somewhat better but continued nonetheless. I took Zantac (ranitidine), which helped a very little (a VERY little).
As time passed, my sinus infection cleared up a little (I still have sinus pressure even now) but my stomach still felt horrible. My doctor had LOST MY RECORDS for the second time, so I thought it was a good sign it was time to seek out a new physician.
My new doctor is an internist and very holistic. He listened to my story and did a complete physical. My liver function, sugar levels, and gall bladder are a-ok. I tested negative for h. pylori. I don't have reactions to any particular food, just eating in general. About two hours or so after eating, I would get grinding, gnawing pain in my upper stomach. After a while it would pass and I would have a normal bowel movement. My bowel movements are fine- I have neither constipation nor diarrhea (except the day of my doc visit... I always get that when I'm nervous but rarely any other time; maybe once or twice a year from fast food). No blood or discoloration of any sort.
His conclusion is that the prednisone stripped my stomach (it can cause ulcers) and the antibiotics didn't help with killing my good bacteria. He said it's nasty case of gastritis and my stomach hasn't had time to heal because of the stomach acid (note: I do not have GERD nor do I usually get reflux of any kind and I don't have symptoms of silent reflux, either). He put me on Prilosec (omeprazole) to give my stomach a chance to heal and Align for the gut flora.
I have felt better since this started. Heck, I felt better when I saw a doctor who was so thorough and KIND. I asked him point blank if it was an ulcer and he said not without some bleeding. I asked him if he thought IBS and he said as I wasn't having cramps or any issues below the stomach, he thought not. Since the timing of the onset coincided exactly with the prednisone, he thought it made perfect sense that it caused it. I agree.
Here's my weird issue: When I have to go to the bathroom, I usually get a little tingle in my stomach/bowels. It's not at all unpleasant and lets me know it's time to go before I feel the physical feeling of something "being there". NOW, however, I seem to get a little bit nauseous instead. It's not unbearable, it's just weird and disconcerting because I am emetophobic. I am emetophobic to the point that I have severe panic attacks if I feel vomitous and I generally will try to run outside and... well, it's just awful. I've tried to tell myself I'll feel better if I do, but I've only ever thrown up four or five times since infancy and the last time was a virus, so I didn't feel better AT ALL afterward.
Here's my (irrational) fear: The prednisone somehow damaged my brain so that I'm unable to process my need to go to the bathroom. I'll never be able to eat again without being nauseous and/or I'll have to go on a rice and water diet (I've always had an "iron stomach" although I don't abuse it). MY vagus nerve is damaged. I will get stomach cancer (or already have it) and die of this. Also, that I will take this course of medicine and it won't work and I'll end up with some undiagnoseable thing that the entire internet seems to suffer from.
Yes, I know what the doctor said.
I have read that omeprazole can cause nausea and gastritis does as well (and obviously after you eat!).
Should I stop worrying and let the medicine do its job? Of course I should. I should remember that the body can heal itself and tries very hard to. I SHOULD.
Anybody want to help me do that? :D