Issues afer colonoscopy

scotslassie1959

14 years ago

Three weeks ago I had a screening colonoscopy with normal findings. No polyps, diverticulitis, or cancer.

Within two hours of returning home after procedure, I developed fever of 102 and was advised to return to emergency. I was admitted over night, put on antibiotics and checked for perforations. No perforations and blood cultures showed no growth of any bacteria in blood. Gastroenterologist felt it was "just a coincidence and not related to the colonoscopy"; however I felt fine on admitance prior to the procedure.Allowed home after fever subsided I was given Cipro and Flagyl to take for 7 days. Had to discontinue Cipro due to mild reaction and fever came back within 4 hours of stopping it. So, back to family Doctor next day. He has no idea what caused the fever, said it was either viral or bacterial and to continue Flagyl. Had very frequent and loose stools and doctor and pharmacist felt it was from the Flagyl. My doctor advised I take a dairy product with probiotic which I have been doing. Bowel movments were getting somewhat normal down from 4-6 daily to two ( I have been off the Flagy for about 2 weeks) and then late last week I started having frequent , loose BM's with mucus ,sometimes passing just mucus, and cramping. Doctor has now prescriped bella donna elixir for the spasms but I'm still not back to anywhere near normal . Sorry for the "too much info" but I am really getting frustrated and am asking if anyone here has had a similar experience or knows of anyone having these problems after a routine colonoscopy. I was one hundred percent prior to it and wish I never had it .

Thanks for any insight.

Scotslassie

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Comments (3)

catherinet
14 years ago
Sometimes I think modern medicine can make us sick, if we're not already!
I think antibiotics are VERY hard on our GI tracts. Back in l995 I got a horrible influenza, pneumonia, ear infections and was on antibiotics for 2 months. I developed irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea after that, and I've had it ever since. I'm thinking the antibiotics actually caused some permanent damage.

Anyhow........what I would do if I were you would be to really hit the probiotics. Eat yogurt every day with live cultures, and find a really good, reputable probiotic pill and take it 1-2 times a day. I think the antibiotics have killed off your good GI flora. It may take a month or 2 of taking the yogurt and probiotics to notice a difference.
Is your fever gone?
Those were pretty hard core antibiotics. Maybe you have pseudomembranous enterocolitis? Sometimes people get that from those antibiotics. Can you see a different doc......like an Internal Medicine doc?
scotslassie1959
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Catherinet for the reply.

I will look into a reputable probiotic pill. In the mean- time, I will increase my intake of yogurt . I have also obtained a reference for a different gastroenterologist and am going to schedule an appointment in a few days if symptoms doen't abate. If no relief, then I will seek out an internist.

Thanks again,

Scotslassie
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lazy_gardens
14 years ago
Lassie -
That is extremely unusual for after a colonoscopy, and it does sound like a coincidental GI infection. One problem is that a colonoscopy leaves the colon so empty that it's hard to get a stool culture for a few days.

Where have you been and what have you been eating ... if a colonoscopy were not involved, I'd say it sounds like Giardia or a bacterial infection (shigella, campylobacter, etc.)

Also, what herbal or other supplements have you been taking?

Issues afer colonoscopy

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catherinet

scotslassie1959
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Issues afer colonoscopy

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catherinet

scotslassie1959Original Author

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scotslassie1959
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