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Diagnosed With Urinary Infection With E-coli. Infection Repeats. Which Specialist Should I See?
Question: Hello, please find all the details below:
- On 7th of April, I suddenly felt bloated and weakened. When I’ve tried to eliminate stool, I felt a pain in the lower abdomen, right side. In the same day, I had a confirmed urinary infection with E-coli, which was successfully treated with Augmentin.
- Two weeks later I had the same infection, treated again with Augmentin and I was also taking Doxycycline prescribed by the GUM doctor, as I was suspect for Chlamydia, which came back negative later. So the second infection was also successfully treated with Augmentin, however, I was left with a pain in the lower abdomen, right side and a mild numbness in the right leg when I was bringing the knee up.
- I mostly felt the pain when I was walking or sitting on a chair, but not when I was lying down.
- Because the pain was getting stronger, I’ve seen a urologist and a general surgeon where I’ve done various tests and all came back negative (CT-Scan, RMN, Ultrasound, Cystoscopy, Colonoscopy)
- I’ve also started to have pain and burning sensation on the upper abdomen and also in the back (right side).
- After finishing the third course of Augmentin, which was prescribed by the urologist, my liver results in the blood were abnormal and I repeated the test 3 days later. I then had one value higher and a value has decreased. Since then, the liver results in the blood look normal and there is also no infection in the blood, hence I’ve repeated the blood and urine tests a few times since then.
- However, now, 3 months after the first infection, I continue to feel horrible all time and getting even worst, with burning sensation in my right leg and in the back. Also, if I am walking for more than a few minutes, I am experiencing extreme numbness in the feet and also extreme pain in the lower abdomen, right side. I am literally lying in bed all day, trying to do no effort at all. However, none of the symptoms are improving. On the contrary.
- I would like to mention that it doesn’t hurt when I press on the abdomen, only when I am moving or walking and that I haven’t really experienced any constipation or diarrhea, only after the first infection I had 2 days of constipation and then one week of diarheea. (doctors said it might have been from the antibiotics).
- I would also like to mention a detail that I hope it will help in the investigation: 1-2 days after having the colonoscopy, almost all the symptoms disappeared for a few days. Unfortunately, after 4-5 days, all the symptoms reappeared and I feel horrible now. I was wondering here if it’s related to the starving or the type of food that I ate for the colonoscopy preparation.
Please advise what specialist I should see or what tests would you recommend as I am starting a feel a bit desperate right now because I feel I am getting sicker with each day. The gastroenterologist that I’m seeing now insisted to wait two more weeks to see how it progresses, however I feel worse with each day.
- On 7th of April, I suddenly felt bloated and weakened. When I’ve tried to eliminate stool, I felt a pain in the lower abdomen, right side. In the same day, I had a confirmed urinary infection with E-coli, which was successfully treated with Augmentin.
- Two weeks later I had the same infection, treated again with Augmentin and I was also taking Doxycycline prescribed by the GUM doctor, as I was suspect for Chlamydia, which came back negative later. So the second infection was also successfully treated with Augmentin, however, I was left with a pain in the lower abdomen, right side and a mild numbness in the right leg when I was bringing the knee up.
- I mostly felt the pain when I was walking or sitting on a chair, but not when I was lying down.
- Because the pain was getting stronger, I’ve seen a urologist and a general surgeon where I’ve done various tests and all came back negative (CT-Scan, RMN, Ultrasound, Cystoscopy, Colonoscopy)
- I’ve also started to have pain and burning sensation on the upper abdomen and also in the back (right side).
- After finishing the third course of Augmentin, which was prescribed by the urologist, my liver results in the blood were abnormal and I repeated the test 3 days later. I then had one value higher and a value has decreased. Since then, the liver results in the blood look normal and there is also no infection in the blood, hence I’ve repeated the blood and urine tests a few times since then.
- However, now, 3 months after the first infection, I continue to feel horrible all time and getting even worst, with burning sensation in my right leg and in the back. Also, if I am walking for more than a few minutes, I am experiencing extreme numbness in the feet and also extreme pain in the lower abdomen, right side. I am literally lying in bed all day, trying to do no effort at all. However, none of the symptoms are improving. On the contrary.
- I would like to mention that it doesn’t hurt when I press on the abdomen, only when I am moving or walking and that I haven’t really experienced any constipation or diarrhea, only after the first infection I had 2 days of constipation and then one week of diarheea. (doctors said it might have been from the antibiotics).
- I would also like to mention a detail that I hope it will help in the investigation: 1-2 days after having the colonoscopy, almost all the symptoms disappeared for a few days. Unfortunately, after 4-5 days, all the symptoms reappeared and I feel horrible now. I was wondering here if it’s related to the starving or the type of food that I ate for the colonoscopy preparation.
Please advise what specialist I should see or what tests would you recommend as I am starting a feel a bit desperate right now because I feel I am getting sicker with each day. The gastroenterologist that I’m seeing now insisted to wait two more weeks to see how it progresses, however I feel worse with each day.
Hi,
Thanks for writing in.
From your description you have symptoms related to 3 systems.
1. Digestive system
2. Urinary system.
3. Neurological system.
You have rightly sought advice and treatment from a gastroenterologist and urologist.
For your urinary symptoms you have taken antibiotics adequately perhaps more frequently. As a result the intestinal flora has been altered giving rise to symptoms of indigestion and loose motions.This is a self remmitting condition the recovery of which can be hastened by probiotic therapy. The generalized malaise is due to intestinal malabsorption due to altered organisms.I would suggest only probiotic treatment and plenty of oral fluids with a soft diet for the time being .
The neurological symptoms require a neurologist opinion to be on the safer side.This is to rule out any neurological deficit.There is a possibility of vitamin deficiency which can cause nerve problems.
I hope this answers your querry.
With regards
Thanks for writing in.
From your description you have symptoms related to 3 systems.
1. Digestive system
2. Urinary system.
3. Neurological system.
You have rightly sought advice and treatment from a gastroenterologist and urologist.
For your urinary symptoms you have taken antibiotics adequately perhaps more frequently. As a result the intestinal flora has been altered giving rise to symptoms of indigestion and loose motions.This is a self remmitting condition the recovery of which can be hastened by probiotic therapy. The generalized malaise is due to intestinal malabsorption due to altered organisms.I would suggest only probiotic treatment and plenty of oral fluids with a soft diet for the time being .
The neurological symptoms require a neurologist opinion to be on the safer side.This is to rule out any neurological deficit.There is a possibility of vitamin deficiency which can cause nerve problems.
I hope this answers your querry.
With regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Doctor XXXXXXX
Thank you for you answer.
The gastroenterologist also believes this might have been caused by the antibiotics, however, I would like to reiterate that I have not experienced any indigestion, loss of appetite or loose motions so far.
However, my greatest worry right now are the following symptoms:
-burning sensation in the lower back which has now moved on the upper back also
-burning sensation in the right leg
-random aches in the abdominal muscles
For a few weeks I was also experiencing some sort of very intense thrills in the body which I don't really know how to describe better and were mainly present when doing any effort like simply walking for a few minutes.
If there is any other idea that XXXXXXX to mind or any direction that I should take, I would be very grateful.
I hope that the additional details provided above, helps in giving a better picture.
Kind regards,
Thank you for you answer.
The gastroenterologist also believes this might have been caused by the antibiotics, however, I would like to reiterate that I have not experienced any indigestion, loss of appetite or loose motions so far.
However, my greatest worry right now are the following symptoms:
-burning sensation in the lower back which has now moved on the upper back also
-burning sensation in the right leg
-random aches in the abdominal muscles
For a few weeks I was also experiencing some sort of very intense thrills in the body which I don't really know how to describe better and were mainly present when doing any effort like simply walking for a few minutes.
If there is any other idea that XXXXXXX to mind or any direction that I should take, I would be very grateful.
I hope that the additional details provided above, helps in giving a better picture.
Kind regards,
Hi,
Thanks for the feedback.
The safest and the best approach to the problem would be a neurologist opinion at the earliest.The three symptoms which you have described are purely neurological. The other 2 systems which I had mentioned earlier are within control.
Burning sensation could be a early sign of vitamin deficiency more so Vit B 12. A detailed neurological examination would give a lead to any further investigation required.
I hope this answers your querry.
With Regards
Thanks for the feedback.
The safest and the best approach to the problem would be a neurologist opinion at the earliest.The three symptoms which you have described are purely neurological. The other 2 systems which I had mentioned earlier are within control.
Burning sensation could be a early sign of vitamin deficiency more so Vit B 12. A detailed neurological examination would give a lead to any further investigation required.
I hope this answers your querry.
With Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your answer.
I have one final question regarding this.
Is it worth asking for a stool analysis test? Is there any bacteria or virus that could be found in there and could now the cause of this?
Thank you again for your help,
I have one final question regarding this.
Is it worth asking for a stool analysis test? Is there any bacteria or virus that could be found in there and could now the cause of this?
Thank you again for your help,
Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
Usually stool examination in antibiotic induced lesions is of limited value. A toxin evaluation of the stools for clostidium difficile organisms may turn out to be positive in such cases. But this lead may not be of much therapeutic significance.
I hope this answers your querry.
With regards
Thanks for the reply.
Usually stool examination in antibiotic induced lesions is of limited value. A toxin evaluation of the stools for clostidium difficile organisms may turn out to be positive in such cases. But this lead may not be of much therapeutic significance.
I hope this answers your querry.
With regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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