I've been off a course of flagyl for about a week now. I had no confirmed pouchitis (scope showed only very mild inflammation and certainly not full-blown pouchitis) but as I had watery stools, gurgly stomach, cramping, etc going on 3 weeks, the GI decided to treat.
The flayl seemed to take care of the watery stools, but since coming off it, I've had severe gas, terrible butt burn, and now very foul smelling BMs. My stomach still gurgles loudly - to the point that coworkers have commented. I know there is an adjustment period coming off antibiotics, but the foul smelling stools are most puzzling since it would seem to suggest that there is still some infection brewing. I'm taking probiotics, no other diet changes. I have a follow up on the 30th at the IBD clinic (with a different doctor, since my GI left the country at the end of July and once again, I am between GIs and feel like I'm starting from scratch. *sigh*).
I've had recent bloodwork from an allergist (yes, I had to see yet another specialist since I've been having unexplained swelling of my lips and cheeks GRRR - and the allergist didn't seem to think that was an allergic reaction since it's far too localized); anyway, the bloodwork showed that my hemoglobin was slightly low at 111, protein slightly low, white cells slightly up and platelets just slightly up as well.
I've also been having random muscle twitches, mostly in my feet and legs but also my arms - strangely, I had diffuse muscle twitching a few months after I initially had my colon removed. Everything back then was out of whack and eventually it settled down with no specific treatment. There was mention of a neurology referral if it persisted, but it stopped once I started gaining more weight and bloodwork normalized. Now, years later, I'm having similar symptoms.
And as more background, I've been having a problem with intermittent bloody stools since late last year which nobody has been able to pinpoint (that was really the start of everything I've been through this year, I think). I had no other symptoms until recently; these other symptoms only began since early July.
Before all this, I had 4 and a half great years with my pouch. And I'm told the pouch itself is still fine; this all might be something else entirely.
Anyway, since all this has been going on and I'm going to be seen at the IBD clinic on the 30th, I'm just trying to tie all these things together so I can get the best possible workup when I go. I have a suspicion that everything might be related, but I don't want to come in with a long laundry list of symptoms and come across as completely neurotic. That being said, I feel like I've put up with unexplained issues for long enough, and I really just finally want some actual answers. I'm not an advocate of any excessive medical testing, but at this point if the test can find the cause, then I'm willing to go for it.
Thoughts as to how I can best present this? Ideas? My anxiety about all this right now is through the roof which isn't helping.
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