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Question: Hi, I have been going through alot of health problems recently. Aug 1st - developed very bad bronchitis infection and was bedridden. I received coamiclav but they were giving me severe side effects because of the acid in them so i had to stop taking. I then stupidly took aload of garlic capsules which a few hours later set my tummy and whole gi tract into severe spasming - I had to go to the er. There they gave me iv antib 4 bronchitis n loads of other tabs for tummy id never had before. She injected me with buscopan and I instantly got dizzy and threw up 7/8 times. I was sent home an hour later in bits. The meds didnt work n I ended back in er with same problems and totally physically drained. Every time tummy would contract so would my back muscles(fibromyalgia). More drugs nothing worked kept heaving and dry wretching until they gave me motilium that worked. I still felt awful and wanted to speak to someone like gastro but the doc again sent me home - I argued I need to see someone else there's something wrong n he was letting me stay but I was so tired I felt I would die from tiredness - I had no bed n was left sitting on a chair so I just went home. I'd lost 1 stone by then in the short time of a week. Everything I ate send my colon vibrating. I continued to struggle to eat but was so hungry. I then kept waking up with full blown flu like symtoms after an acid reflux during the night. anyway to cut long story short I ended up getting so low on potassium I nearly had a heart attack - I went paralysed on the bed and my legs and arms started to tingle followed by a really slow heartbeat - I thought I was going to die. Somehow I managed to get up and drink lots of water as just that morning i had a scope done and my urine was brown and bp was low. I went to doctor on call that evening n he tried to say it was anxiety then to my own gp next morning who said the same - can you believe it like? n me so low on potassium...she sent me to a mental hospital where the phychiatrist kept looking at me as if to say your not mad ..he evaluated me and immediately sent me back to hospital I felt awful where I waited like 8 hours to be seen. It was then discovered I wad badly dehydrated and all my electites were down especially potassium. I was given drips and oral k pills. Even since that happened my heart feels so weak, I had another episode of nausea dizziness and squeezing and palp of heart which i believe was a mild heart failure upon physical active - only stretching back behind bed to get a pillow. Basically since i stopped getting k pills symptoms contined n worsened - leg cramps severe with legs covered in bruises, weakness, mind altered feeling strange, palps, severe dehydrating, dizziness when eating, unbalance. I went back to hosp and they said my k was normal which i learned to be 3.4 which was below range. Although they didn't think it was k, I knew it was so I started drinking loads of coco water and high potassium foods n the dehydration and extrememy dry mouth neck check went away and the palps got milder. I was drinking up the 4 litres of water a day before this which is too much..I know k regulated your water balance so this is why i was having these symptoms. This is why i need a specialist - badly. I'v been consuming on average 5000mgs of potassium through foods and my k went up to 4.2. I was also below the minimum for phosphate which i now realise is another elecrite. I just know my stores of k are down and i can totally understand with aug sep and oct and a very poor food intake i was basically stared when i got to the hospital. I contined to vomit every other day and they were not doing much to help me - they followed on the locums thing of phychological why i do not know. And I know through research it will take a while to build back properly in the stores. Before I got sick my potassium was 4.5 so I would have been in higher end which am not XXXXXXX as iv alot of severe muscle pain.
Can you please advise me about this?
Can you please tell me how my body kept going when i had the severe paralysis n near heart attack?
Also its only recently been discovered I have h pylori which is why i was so struggling with the gastritis n eating etc..i normally eat like a horse and love my food like most people. I wasnt until i went to a private doc in sep that he knew instantly there was something else going on. However by the time this test came around I had fallen down with the low k n dehydration. Iv now been give clarithomycin, amoxicillan and ppi for h pylori and im concerned about it meant to deplete potassium. Do you know how much it depletes potassium and if it is safe to continue on this med? considering the history iv told you. I was very lethargic this morning although iv been suffering from exteme weakness for a long time n my mouth is getting very dry again n feel abit strange mentally. My legs are sore also. I'v threw up a few times since starting the meds and i know this to be expected im just concerned again about potassium and throwing up? If my k had never went so low i would have been able to overcome this much quicker n if the infection was discovered sooner however that didnt happen n now im left with all these complications. Please help as im told an endocrimologist is an elecrite specialist.
XXXX
Can you please advise me about this?
Can you please tell me how my body kept going when i had the severe paralysis n near heart attack?
Also its only recently been discovered I have h pylori which is why i was so struggling with the gastritis n eating etc..i normally eat like a horse and love my food like most people. I wasnt until i went to a private doc in sep that he knew instantly there was something else going on. However by the time this test came around I had fallen down with the low k n dehydration. Iv now been give clarithomycin, amoxicillan and ppi for h pylori and im concerned about it meant to deplete potassium. Do you know how much it depletes potassium and if it is safe to continue on this med? considering the history iv told you. I was very lethargic this morning although iv been suffering from exteme weakness for a long time n my mouth is getting very dry again n feel abit strange mentally. My legs are sore also. I'v threw up a few times since starting the meds and i know this to be expected im just concerned again about potassium and throwing up? If my k had never went so low i would have been able to overcome this much quicker n if the infection was discovered sooner however that didnt happen n now im left with all these complications. Please help as im told an endocrimologist is an elecrite specialist.
XXXX
Brief Answer:
You have been dealing with hypokalemia
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
I, Dr Vaishalee, am a clinical pharmacologist and I am here to help you.
You have almost diagnosed yourself and even treated yourself when your doctors gave up. You are a brave soul and I congratulate you on doing this by yourself. The high potassium diet that you have been taking saved your life. Low potassium definitely affects the heart. Also other electrolytes like sodium and calcium should be normal for the muscle contractions of heart.
Your potassium depletion is mostly related to lowered absorption from gut. The low absorption may have been from the inflammation after taking garlic which is a known gastrointestinal irritant. You should also get the kidney function assessed as there may be higher excretion as well.
You have started on antibiotics, which may cause further irritation of gut. A 10 day course is needed to eradicate H Pylori. But it cannot be said with surity that eradicating H pylori will take care of acidity. I personally think that you should first let your health normalize before you take any more medicines. H pylori can be taken care of after a month or two. Secondly it cannot be said with confirmation about how much K will be lost with it.
People with low potassium need to take the supplements atleast untill their causative disorder is resolved. Also keep a regular track of potassium levels. It will also help to guide your therapy.
Hope it helps. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Dr Vaishalee
You have been dealing with hypokalemia
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Thanks for your query.
I, Dr Vaishalee, am a clinical pharmacologist and I am here to help you.
You have almost diagnosed yourself and even treated yourself when your doctors gave up. You are a brave soul and I congratulate you on doing this by yourself. The high potassium diet that you have been taking saved your life. Low potassium definitely affects the heart. Also other electrolytes like sodium and calcium should be normal for the muscle contractions of heart.
Your potassium depletion is mostly related to lowered absorption from gut. The low absorption may have been from the inflammation after taking garlic which is a known gastrointestinal irritant. You should also get the kidney function assessed as there may be higher excretion as well.
You have started on antibiotics, which may cause further irritation of gut. A 10 day course is needed to eradicate H Pylori. But it cannot be said with surity that eradicating H pylori will take care of acidity. I personally think that you should first let your health normalize before you take any more medicines. H pylori can be taken care of after a month or two. Secondly it cannot be said with confirmation about how much K will be lost with it.
People with low potassium need to take the supplements atleast untill their causative disorder is resolved. Also keep a regular track of potassium levels. It will also help to guide your therapy.
Hope it helps. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi thanks,
Ye I was thinking that about waiting a while before starting the antibiotics but I'v already started them now and am on day 4, would I not build resistance to them if i stop or I could take half the dose as its the highest dose of everything and for 14days course. It's all so confusing.
I know I have diagnosed myself but I'd no choice the symptoms were so severe and dangerous n I just knew it. They were not worried and said a 3.4 reading cannot cause these symptoms..but it can and did. I'm worried now, I hope I'll be ok on meds. Just no one understood so couldn't really advice me corrently as they said my symptoms were coming from pain...eh pain doesn't cause lbp, dehydrations and palpatations at least not as severe as this so its been such a battle for me. My own gp has been no help at all - I'll be changing as soon as I get well but don't want to move in the middle of all this in case files get lost but at same time he is of no help to me and it is not that easy to get in somewhere new but I will eventually.
I had palpatations last night but they were only mild so I dunno, that's why I was asking n needed specialist. My gp said id have to ask the hospital, the hospital said id have to ask my gp... although he did advise me but didnt have all my medical history so couldn't only go by what he thought best in the moment.
I kinda feel better in one sence since starting the antibiotics but also its floored me down again into the bed..at least a few days ago I made it down to the tv. My appetite is gone now aswell so I'm eating dam all aaahhh jeany I just wish none of this happened at all - wish I never knew anything about electytes. Can electroytes be permanently messed up or heart be damaged or anything? I have had kidney and heart bloods n it didn't show anything. I'v been having symptoms for so long that I don't know whats what anymore..I'm so confused n worn out with it all.
Thanks anyway
ps i see your a pharmacologist. I came off cymbalta 2 yrs ago n it wrecked havoc with gi tract - bled out the back passage alot of blood with diarrea for 3 days in a row along with 2 months of severe side effects. This drug is highly dangerous. A couple of months later I tried to take ciprimil which id never any problems before n went into another 2 months of side effects - do you know why my body couldn't tolerate a different medication that it once could...oviously its related to the cymbalta but would it be because the mucos in the lining of gut was ripped up so the drug had nowhere to go as i know 95% of seratonin is stored in the gut or just my body screaming no way not more seratonin? Its left me with gastro issues which are very difficult to treat and i never had any probs there before my skin developed rosahea and my hair fell out telogen effigin it still continues to fall out and regrow and this cycle has continued to the present date...would that be related to enzymes, vit k vit b or the seratonin? as all this was disrupted in the gut. And I used to have beautiful thick auburn hair and lovely skin - XXXXXXX
Thanks
XXXX
Ye I was thinking that about waiting a while before starting the antibiotics but I'v already started them now and am on day 4, would I not build resistance to them if i stop or I could take half the dose as its the highest dose of everything and for 14days course. It's all so confusing.
I know I have diagnosed myself but I'd no choice the symptoms were so severe and dangerous n I just knew it. They were not worried and said a 3.4 reading cannot cause these symptoms..but it can and did. I'm worried now, I hope I'll be ok on meds. Just no one understood so couldn't really advice me corrently as they said my symptoms were coming from pain...eh pain doesn't cause lbp, dehydrations and palpatations at least not as severe as this so its been such a battle for me. My own gp has been no help at all - I'll be changing as soon as I get well but don't want to move in the middle of all this in case files get lost but at same time he is of no help to me and it is not that easy to get in somewhere new but I will eventually.
I had palpatations last night but they were only mild so I dunno, that's why I was asking n needed specialist. My gp said id have to ask the hospital, the hospital said id have to ask my gp... although he did advise me but didnt have all my medical history so couldn't only go by what he thought best in the moment.
I kinda feel better in one sence since starting the antibiotics but also its floored me down again into the bed..at least a few days ago I made it down to the tv. My appetite is gone now aswell so I'm eating dam all aaahhh jeany I just wish none of this happened at all - wish I never knew anything about electytes. Can electroytes be permanently messed up or heart be damaged or anything? I have had kidney and heart bloods n it didn't show anything. I'v been having symptoms for so long that I don't know whats what anymore..I'm so confused n worn out with it all.
Thanks anyway
ps i see your a pharmacologist. I came off cymbalta 2 yrs ago n it wrecked havoc with gi tract - bled out the back passage alot of blood with diarrea for 3 days in a row along with 2 months of severe side effects. This drug is highly dangerous. A couple of months later I tried to take ciprimil which id never any problems before n went into another 2 months of side effects - do you know why my body couldn't tolerate a different medication that it once could...oviously its related to the cymbalta but would it be because the mucos in the lining of gut was ripped up so the drug had nowhere to go as i know 95% of seratonin is stored in the gut or just my body screaming no way not more seratonin? Its left me with gastro issues which are very difficult to treat and i never had any probs there before my skin developed rosahea and my hair fell out telogen effigin it still continues to fall out and regrow and this cycle has continued to the present date...would that be related to enzymes, vit k vit b or the seratonin? as all this was disrupted in the gut. And I used to have beautiful thick auburn hair and lovely skin - XXXXXXX
Thanks
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Resistance will not develop
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Resistance will not develop. Minimum duration of antibiotic intake should be 3 days and you have already taken 4 days. So developing resistance is not likely.
Yes you should see a specialist. Since your gut got affected, a gastroenterologist and a nephrologist can be consulted. Nephrologists know a lot about electrolytes.
I havnt heard cymbalta cause bleeding per rectum. But now I will report it to FDA.
All side effects should be reported to FDA so that they can take some action on it.
Once the gut gets inflamed, any medicine should be taken only when really needed. Medicines tend to irritate the gut especially when its already been irritated. By irritation, I mean inflammation. It tends to be swollen, red, secreting more mucous during inflammation. Any medicine you take, hoping to cure, may make it more irritated. Usually during inflammation, absorption of nutrition (and medicines) is reduced. I dont think your body has any bad intentions about serotonin. It is just that the tablet form is making the gut swollen and irritated. Your gut still has good absorption (since your K levels improved with oral supplements and diet).
Rosacea will get better with antibiotics (atleast for some time). Telogen may be happening due to low nutrition. Biotin (a type of vitamin B) supplement is considered to help with it.
Your skin condition and gut issues suggest that you may not tolerate infections well. I would suggest you take necessary precautions to avoid them like washing hands frequently, taking hygienic food, drinking cleaner water with low ppm.
Avoid any medicines or any other experiments. Let your body repair itself. It has great healing capacity.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Resistance will not develop
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
Resistance will not develop. Minimum duration of antibiotic intake should be 3 days and you have already taken 4 days. So developing resistance is not likely.
Yes you should see a specialist. Since your gut got affected, a gastroenterologist and a nephrologist can be consulted. Nephrologists know a lot about electrolytes.
I havnt heard cymbalta cause bleeding per rectum. But now I will report it to FDA.
All side effects should be reported to FDA so that they can take some action on it.
Once the gut gets inflamed, any medicine should be taken only when really needed. Medicines tend to irritate the gut especially when its already been irritated. By irritation, I mean inflammation. It tends to be swollen, red, secreting more mucous during inflammation. Any medicine you take, hoping to cure, may make it more irritated. Usually during inflammation, absorption of nutrition (and medicines) is reduced. I dont think your body has any bad intentions about serotonin. It is just that the tablet form is making the gut swollen and irritated. Your gut still has good absorption (since your K levels improved with oral supplements and diet).
Rosacea will get better with antibiotics (atleast for some time). Telogen may be happening due to low nutrition. Biotin (a type of vitamin B) supplement is considered to help with it.
Your skin condition and gut issues suggest that you may not tolerate infections well. I would suggest you take necessary precautions to avoid them like washing hands frequently, taking hygienic food, drinking cleaner water with low ppm.
Avoid any medicines or any other experiments. Let your body repair itself. It has great healing capacity.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi there,
I had my bloods checked today and my potassium is still a 4.2. I'll be glad when it builds back up in my body and I don't have to worry about buying coconut water everyday. Just one thing I noticed was that the bilirubin was 32 which is a good bit about the normal range. I only noticed when I got home so I would have asked at the clinic if had of known. I actually wanted to check this as my eyes are very yellow and have been since I got sick but forgot. Is that really high or?? would that be because I'm on the antibiotics?
And one more question I dunno if you know this one but with all the bed rest coughing tummy spasming etc my back is locked around my left chest area from front to back its pulling on nerves in throat which is the most concerning along with referred pain in arm head face etc n bad headache n dizziness with it at times. I'v had physio and it keeps relocking. I hope it is not permanently damaged. I think the relocking is the potassium deficieny as it only locked n got worse into nerves when this happened and it got worse when had period because potassium was going into that area which is why I got burning pains in fingers n worsening of nerve pain. What a bloody nightmare. Feels like the vagus nerve is stimulated as I get a bubbling sensation in neck and into ear. I can cope with it in my back but the neck is tricky. Would this be dangerous or be ok till i get better as i cant really do alot about it until i get the internal correct.
Ye there is a group on fb called cymbalta hurts worse with thousands of people supporting each other through horrendous wds.
Thanks:)
I had my bloods checked today and my potassium is still a 4.2. I'll be glad when it builds back up in my body and I don't have to worry about buying coconut water everyday. Just one thing I noticed was that the bilirubin was 32 which is a good bit about the normal range. I only noticed when I got home so I would have asked at the clinic if had of known. I actually wanted to check this as my eyes are very yellow and have been since I got sick but forgot. Is that really high or?? would that be because I'm on the antibiotics?
And one more question I dunno if you know this one but with all the bed rest coughing tummy spasming etc my back is locked around my left chest area from front to back its pulling on nerves in throat which is the most concerning along with referred pain in arm head face etc n bad headache n dizziness with it at times. I'v had physio and it keeps relocking. I hope it is not permanently damaged. I think the relocking is the potassium deficieny as it only locked n got worse into nerves when this happened and it got worse when had period because potassium was going into that area which is why I got burning pains in fingers n worsening of nerve pain. What a bloody nightmare. Feels like the vagus nerve is stimulated as I get a bubbling sensation in neck and into ear. I can cope with it in my back but the neck is tricky. Would this be dangerous or be ok till i get better as i cant really do alot about it until i get the internal correct.
Ye there is a group on fb called cymbalta hurts worse with thousands of people supporting each other through horrendous wds.
Thanks:)
Brief Answer:
Cymbalta causes bleeding by vasodilation
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back
I was reading FDA information on cymbalta and they say that it causes bloody diarhea rarely and it may be because of vasodilation in the gut. This vasodilation may also be responsible for higher side effects to ceprimil as it may be getting more absorbed. Dose lowering may help in such cases. If you do not have depression, then taking these medicines may be unnecessary and cause of high serotonin in system.
Bilirubin of 32 is high. But how high is it, depends on the units written after it. If it is 32 micromol/l then it is just a little high and if it is 32 mg/dl then it is quite high. Anyways it needs to be brought down.
It may have happened due to medicines (that are hepatotoxins - tylenol and other pain killers are to be avoided), alcohol (in case you take it), infections (hepatitis viruses), and many other causes. You can get tested for viruses.
To bring it down, avoid any medicines. Avoid unhygienic food. Drink more of cleaner drinking water (with low ppm). Wash hands everytime before eating.
In XXXXXXX there is an ayurvedic preparation syr liv52 that is very commonly prescribed for liver injury and has helped many. You may get it at local XXXXXXX grocery store. Take 2 spoons twice a day.
So you experiencing the recurrent back muscle spasms. It is a common condition associated with low calcium and vit D levels; other electrolytes and parathyroid abnormalities can also cause it. Sometimes it is just caused due to rapid expansion of abdomen e.g in pregnancy or just bloating. Liver abnormalities may also cause it.
When your overall health improves, it will get better. Till then do the physio and take the supplements. Yoga has some nice stretches. It can be learnt in a small course and can be done at home. Avoid lifting heavy weights. Muscle relaxants and pain-killers only when really needed as they are already affecting the liver. Everyone gets spasms once in a while. Recurrent spasms can cause fibrosis of the spasming muscle in long term (many years). Fibrosis limits the movement.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Cymbalta causes bleeding by vasodilation
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back
I was reading FDA information on cymbalta and they say that it causes bloody diarhea rarely and it may be because of vasodilation in the gut. This vasodilation may also be responsible for higher side effects to ceprimil as it may be getting more absorbed. Dose lowering may help in such cases. If you do not have depression, then taking these medicines may be unnecessary and cause of high serotonin in system.
Bilirubin of 32 is high. But how high is it, depends on the units written after it. If it is 32 micromol/l then it is just a little high and if it is 32 mg/dl then it is quite high. Anyways it needs to be brought down.
It may have happened due to medicines (that are hepatotoxins - tylenol and other pain killers are to be avoided), alcohol (in case you take it), infections (hepatitis viruses), and many other causes. You can get tested for viruses.
To bring it down, avoid any medicines. Avoid unhygienic food. Drink more of cleaner drinking water (with low ppm). Wash hands everytime before eating.
In XXXXXXX there is an ayurvedic preparation syr liv52 that is very commonly prescribed for liver injury and has helped many. You may get it at local XXXXXXX grocery store. Take 2 spoons twice a day.
So you experiencing the recurrent back muscle spasms. It is a common condition associated with low calcium and vit D levels; other electrolytes and parathyroid abnormalities can also cause it. Sometimes it is just caused due to rapid expansion of abdomen e.g in pregnancy or just bloating. Liver abnormalities may also cause it.
When your overall health improves, it will get better. Till then do the physio and take the supplements. Yoga has some nice stretches. It can be learnt in a small course and can be done at home. Avoid lifting heavy weights. Muscle relaxants and pain-killers only when really needed as they are already affecting the liver. Everyone gets spasms once in a while. Recurrent spasms can cause fibrosis of the spasming muscle in long term (many years). Fibrosis limits the movement.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hi Vaishalee,
Thank you for all that information about the cymbalta (n other stuff) it was really helpful, I always kept wondering why I had that second set of side effects from cipramil. That makes sense to me now I like to understand things so ill know how to handle in future. Ye don't really need anti-d but it can be useful for sleep n just general n this one was quite good n mild n now i cant take. I wouldn't attempt again but if ever had to would do that what you said a lower dose thanks for that. I never had the swollen blood vessells until the cymbalta though. A man in health shop trying to sell me 5htp n i was reluctant bcoz of this he said it has no side effects but iv read it has. I do beleive i need abit more and think is where the hair loss could have come from too(as when did try that ciprail within 2 weeks hair grew back in middle centre quite fast and in clumps and as soon as i had to stop it after 4 weeks it fell out again). Could you get seratonin syndrome of 5htp aswell? I presume you can.
I had to ask you one more question and I am kicking myself reading over what you said (sorry) and I was saying myself. As I was worried about antibs I took another dose but half wed n thurs (reluctantly) although I had my potassium checked Thursday, it was actually 4.3 - this was coz I ate like 6,400mgs the day before which is alot to only bring one up point confirms deficiency. The docs said id be ok to take it but the fact that i was ringing them meant i knew myself it was dodgy DAM IT they were all looking at me like i was mad n kept saying but your k is ok. Anyway had no side effects at all for the one on thursday so thought body adjusting and ok. However thurs only had 2000mgs of potassium which is way less than normal (but i thought since a 4.3 id be ok) so friday i take another pill at 8.30am in the morning n within minutes my heart tightened up n had a really bad pain in it, this is what I was afraid of...I got so scared when reading all this stuff on the heart and potassium. The chest pain continues on and off all day and my heart felt quite weak with strange beats. This is way worse than palpatations they are nothing compared to this it feels bad n its now 11pm sat night n i still have the chest pain - - - for fuck sake after all the shit am after going through OMG!
I went the er last night to get checked as it felt really bad and was going down arm, thought might be a heart attack but doc said my heart enzymes were ok. My blood pressure was low which am annoyed about too as this had gone up since eating the potassium n now its gone back down must be something to do with the chest pain and clarithomycin. I just can't believe it why am i so bloody stupid. I hope I'm not left permanently damaged. I couldnt live with that after all this. They done ecg but that doesnt always show abnormalities and she oviously listened to chest n heart etc n said was normal but it doesnt feel normal. I still have a bad pain in chest. Never had a pain this long before in chest. There is still a strong tightness there. Do you think it will subside? or do you think its heart failure? oh i so hope so not. I'v no shortness of breath just pain radiating down arm and in chest and heart(tight and sore). I feel so sorry for my heart now putting that extra pressure on it with the tablet. I'v been reading reviews online n there's enough people saying they had heart symptoms n some still have - OMG! I see some people even have cardiac arrests jeany mac and to think my own gp would have know this and wouldnt even bother to talk to me on the phone like why. He could of just told me to hold off. I should have listened to doubt in self n done what you said n held off h pylori can be sorted when my body is normal. Now I could have a heart attack or be left fucked up all because of one little pill jeany mac. I was just trying to make it to a week on them so infection might be gone as I feel way better on them...I regret that now. I'm my own worst enemy at times. Any advice on this one please??? :(
I wonder did er doc check for heart failure would this show on bloods? she was asking me if i was coughing and i was not, just pain coming and going n it doesnt feel good hope its not inflamed? She done an xray last night too around 2am in the morning...do you think I'll be ok? I really wanna get better n don't need this extra hassle I'v too many other things to deal with.
And no I wont do physical activity...I just make it to shop and back that it. I love walking and swimming n being active but know my heart not ready but it was getting stronger until this!!! When suffering bad hyperk it was weak could barely go shop or carry bag felt like would have heart attack in shop. They had holter moniter on me during this stage for like 24hrs n apparently was normal dunno how had a good few palps while on they differ from day to day. Anyway this gradually improved with the consumption of k n was finding it less traumatic going to the shop for fear of heart attack in front of people n felt much more comfortable last week. Oh please tell me this is nothing...can heart attack develop or heart failure or would they have picked up on it? as i well know tests can be inaccurate and its not till things get real bad that the pick things up.
Thanks again
Thank you for all that information about the cymbalta (n other stuff) it was really helpful, I always kept wondering why I had that second set of side effects from cipramil. That makes sense to me now I like to understand things so ill know how to handle in future. Ye don't really need anti-d but it can be useful for sleep n just general n this one was quite good n mild n now i cant take. I wouldn't attempt again but if ever had to would do that what you said a lower dose thanks for that. I never had the swollen blood vessells until the cymbalta though. A man in health shop trying to sell me 5htp n i was reluctant bcoz of this he said it has no side effects but iv read it has. I do beleive i need abit more and think is where the hair loss could have come from too(as when did try that ciprail within 2 weeks hair grew back in middle centre quite fast and in clumps and as soon as i had to stop it after 4 weeks it fell out again). Could you get seratonin syndrome of 5htp aswell? I presume you can.
I had to ask you one more question and I am kicking myself reading over what you said (sorry) and I was saying myself. As I was worried about antibs I took another dose but half wed n thurs (reluctantly) although I had my potassium checked Thursday, it was actually 4.3 - this was coz I ate like 6,400mgs the day before which is alot to only bring one up point confirms deficiency. The docs said id be ok to take it but the fact that i was ringing them meant i knew myself it was dodgy DAM IT they were all looking at me like i was mad n kept saying but your k is ok. Anyway had no side effects at all for the one on thursday so thought body adjusting and ok. However thurs only had 2000mgs of potassium which is way less than normal (but i thought since a 4.3 id be ok) so friday i take another pill at 8.30am in the morning n within minutes my heart tightened up n had a really bad pain in it, this is what I was afraid of...I got so scared when reading all this stuff on the heart and potassium. The chest pain continues on and off all day and my heart felt quite weak with strange beats. This is way worse than palpatations they are nothing compared to this it feels bad n its now 11pm sat night n i still have the chest pain - - - for fuck sake after all the shit am after going through OMG!
I went the er last night to get checked as it felt really bad and was going down arm, thought might be a heart attack but doc said my heart enzymes were ok. My blood pressure was low which am annoyed about too as this had gone up since eating the potassium n now its gone back down must be something to do with the chest pain and clarithomycin. I just can't believe it why am i so bloody stupid. I hope I'm not left permanently damaged. I couldnt live with that after all this. They done ecg but that doesnt always show abnormalities and she oviously listened to chest n heart etc n said was normal but it doesnt feel normal. I still have a bad pain in chest. Never had a pain this long before in chest. There is still a strong tightness there. Do you think it will subside? or do you think its heart failure? oh i so hope so not. I'v no shortness of breath just pain radiating down arm and in chest and heart(tight and sore). I feel so sorry for my heart now putting that extra pressure on it with the tablet. I'v been reading reviews online n there's enough people saying they had heart symptoms n some still have - OMG! I see some people even have cardiac arrests jeany mac and to think my own gp would have know this and wouldnt even bother to talk to me on the phone like why. He could of just told me to hold off. I should have listened to doubt in self n done what you said n held off h pylori can be sorted when my body is normal. Now I could have a heart attack or be left fucked up all because of one little pill jeany mac. I was just trying to make it to a week on them so infection might be gone as I feel way better on them...I regret that now. I'm my own worst enemy at times. Any advice on this one please??? :(
I wonder did er doc check for heart failure would this show on bloods? she was asking me if i was coughing and i was not, just pain coming and going n it doesnt feel good hope its not inflamed? She done an xray last night too around 2am in the morning...do you think I'll be ok? I really wanna get better n don't need this extra hassle I'v too many other things to deal with.
And no I wont do physical activity...I just make it to shop and back that it. I love walking and swimming n being active but know my heart not ready but it was getting stronger until this!!! When suffering bad hyperk it was weak could barely go shop or carry bag felt like would have heart attack in shop. They had holter moniter on me during this stage for like 24hrs n apparently was normal dunno how had a good few palps while on they differ from day to day. Anyway this gradually improved with the consumption of k n was finding it less traumatic going to the shop for fear of heart attack in front of people n felt much more comfortable last week. Oh please tell me this is nothing...can heart attack develop or heart failure or would they have picked up on it? as i well know tests can be inaccurate and its not till things get real bad that the pick things up.
Thanks again
Brief Answer:
Negative heart tests are reassuring
Detailed Answer:
Hi
seratonin syndrome from 5htp? No research available but I also presume that it can cause it.
Regarding the chest pain after antibiotic dose - there were three factors: medicine intake, low K intake and you were "scared". The fluctuation in K intake and the anxiety could have added up to the chest pain.
It is common to have chest pain and nothing shows up on any test. Getting a negative test is a good thing. Thank God about it. It pretty much rules out a heart issue. Though it does not rule out a pending heart issue like angina or pending arrhthmia. Low BP could have added to the palpitations and your heart must be working hard to keep up the blood supply. Being relaxed will help most. Dont worry, the heart is not damaged. People get such "attacks" when facing bad health, gets better in some time. Just keep in touch with doctor.
The heart issue will subside. Heart failure is when heart is not able to supply blood to organs. You dont have heart failure yet.
If taking antibiotics really gets you to this point then you dont need them at all. You will survive without antibiotics and sleep medicines.
Yes heart attack and heart failure shows up on bloods. Tests can be inaccurate sometimes but most probably they are accurate in your case.
I know you have many other things to deal with and health issue is the last one. So dont think about your heart too much and move on with life. These issues have been created by you. Take the precautions I already mentioned in previous reply. If a doctor prescribes a medicine and insists that you take it, it does not mean that you actually take it. Get in charge of your health. You know best about your health, others can only guess it. Best is to avoid medicines as much as you can. Your body is saying loud and clear that you DONOT take medicines.
I personally believe that whatever a person focuses on - that thing grows in life. So let good thoughts take place of negative thoughts about your health.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Negative heart tests are reassuring
Detailed Answer:
Hi
seratonin syndrome from 5htp? No research available but I also presume that it can cause it.
Regarding the chest pain after antibiotic dose - there were three factors: medicine intake, low K intake and you were "scared". The fluctuation in K intake and the anxiety could have added up to the chest pain.
It is common to have chest pain and nothing shows up on any test. Getting a negative test is a good thing. Thank God about it. It pretty much rules out a heart issue. Though it does not rule out a pending heart issue like angina or pending arrhthmia. Low BP could have added to the palpitations and your heart must be working hard to keep up the blood supply. Being relaxed will help most. Dont worry, the heart is not damaged. People get such "attacks" when facing bad health, gets better in some time. Just keep in touch with doctor.
The heart issue will subside. Heart failure is when heart is not able to supply blood to organs. You dont have heart failure yet.
If taking antibiotics really gets you to this point then you dont need them at all. You will survive without antibiotics and sleep medicines.
Yes heart attack and heart failure shows up on bloods. Tests can be inaccurate sometimes but most probably they are accurate in your case.
I know you have many other things to deal with and health issue is the last one. So dont think about your heart too much and move on with life. These issues have been created by you. Take the precautions I already mentioned in previous reply. If a doctor prescribes a medicine and insists that you take it, it does not mean that you actually take it. Get in charge of your health. You know best about your health, others can only guess it. Best is to avoid medicines as much as you can. Your body is saying loud and clear that you DONOT take medicines.
I personally believe that whatever a person focuses on - that thing grows in life. So let good thoughts take place of negative thoughts about your health.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Hi,
Yes I have ceased taking it. I was being cautious with it by reading leaflet. After seeing thing about potassium and heart I phoned doctor to ask and went to get my potassium checked. I lowered dose too. It is just I have been so ill for so long I really wanted to feel better and do need the antibiotics but the problem is the potassium. Biaxin has caused deaths as it affects the heart rythm. Why could my doctor not just have spoke to me about my concerns he would have known this automatically. I had to research it to find it out. I do accept responsibility for my own health and that is why I am kicking myself that I took it, especially with only 2000mgs the day before but with the reading of 4.3 I thought I would be ok but the doubt should have been enough to answer myself.
Having said that doctors should know better too and my own gp is alot got to do with the whole thing as he refused to believe me. This should have been discovered long ago. When your really really ill with tummy probs, can't eat, not able to lie down feel like you've swine flu its clearly more than gastritis all the clues were there i kept telling them lots of information that should have pointed to it. Prevention and getting to things quickly saves people alot of hassle and lives. I nearly lost my life due to their negligence. I'm already slim and couldn't afford to loose anymore weight. Loosing weight is dangerous. Look at all the things I have to fix now...I should never have gotten that low on potassium nor lost that amount of weight to the point I was starving and seriously malnourished. I had a lovely figure and loved my food. Had it been detected in August when I first was presenting with bad symptoms it could have been cleared very quickly with antibiotics and wouldn't have had the potassium complications at that point. I cannot for the life of me understand any of it...crying out for help and not being taken seriously. Going home again and still not getting better no progress not even able to walk up the street or get out of bed in bits with no energy and feeling ill all the time - that is more than gastritis. It saddens me.
And no I meant I have other health problems to worry about its enough of a job to get to the shop every day just to get the coco water and food. Trying to keep myself going. I have no life whatsoever I havn't done anything normal since July. I have been the illest I have even been in my entire life. Not eating is dangerous and feeling ill means something is going on. There is only a few things that can be going on with the tummy..its not rocket science. Shame on them for dismissing me. I have already phoned the hospital to make a complaint about it. It is not acceptable. No one should have to suffer like that. The amount of money I am after costing the healthcare system by having to reapeatedly going back because it was not resolved not to mention the psychological effect its had on me.
With regard to my heart it is defo not anxiety related I only wish it was...anxiety is absolutely nothing like nothing. It can be resolved very easily and doesn't cause harm. Any time I'v had anxiety it was circumstancial and you know exactly why you are. Also there is medication induced anxiety and pmt not all is from the mind. This term is overused. I think if someone has it once it is tagged on them from that point on which is really unfair and not to mention wrong and dangerous. The pain in my heart is in my heart not a sensation of anxiety and for it to have that effect anxiety would have to be very bad but again that's a sensation this was a real internal deep pain, it just doesn't feel right. The pain has eased up a little bit but there is still arithmia flucuations which concerns me. I wish I did not have to be concerned about my heart, I really didn't need this. There is only so much any one person can take. I can't take anymore it will break me. Its very hard being alone and having to figure out everything on your own it gets confusing at times. Although I'm doing good at figuring things out. Without my own intervention I'd be dead.
I do not take any medications doctors prescribe to me either. I refused all medications last time in hospital and they were not happy with me n said id have to take it if i wanted them to help me. I took the first dose and it made me feel worse then i refused. I didn't agree with keeping to pump me with mortilium n pain killers(when i was clearly too weak) i wanted to get to the root cause and them treat that. Once or twice motilitum is ok but not consistantly. No1 understands my weaknesses n they kept looking at me funny when i kept refusing medications, they kept insisting paracetamol wouldn't make me weak but actually it can and did before if your already very weak.
I have been taking it easy, trying to rest my heart but the pain and strange rythms concern me. I hope that it does subside and I do not develop anything like you said angina or arithmia from this episode. I love walking and being active and have always had a good heart with no probs I would not like that at all. Please god I don't. Your one of the first doctors who actually understands me. It gets confusing. That's why am resorting to going online. There must be a demand and other people like me who can't get answers from their own gps. Good doctors are few and far between and their attitudes need to change to be honest. I'm not trying to be aknow it all or anything but people are in touch with their own bodies and do know more about doctors sometimes. Doctors I think hate patients googling things but without google id never had figured out all the details about the potassium n realised this was my problems etc. Most people don't wanna be at the doctor everyone likes to think they are strong so the whole hypochondriac thing is pretty much a myth, it is way over-used.
Lots of people swallow garlic every year am sure with consequences similar to mine and some probably wouldn't even bother them, along with other silly things - I accept that but doesn't mean you have to suffer like that. The garlic only brought up an underlying infection that was already in my tummy, which i would have went the doctor with but seen as he is useless i knew he'd think there is nothing wrong and just imagining it coz I was having alot of strange sensations in tummy with burping and indigestion. This is common amoung people and it is sad also. My dads friend died recently from cancer only discovered one month before his death. He did not feel comfortable going to the doctor as he put everything down to drinking or smoking. Doctors seem to like making people feel small. The same as docs often put everything with me down to fibromyalgia and a mind thing which is not the case. The body is everchanging and anything can happen at any point. Past medical history should be taken into account but not used as a rule out that it simply cant be anything more sinister.
The nausous started to come back yesterday and again this morning so here we go again. It must be the bacteria rearing its head again or the acid rebuilding as stopped ppi too so that in itself is horrible, feeling sick every single day for 5 months is too much to bear...a flu is bad enough but it eventually passes - this is a very similar feeling to a flu, a general unwell feeling with the tummy being the main area makes sense seen as it has an infection in it. Well I have no choice as I cannot continue with antibios right now. I will ask maybe for flagly in janruary as i dont think this one affects the heart. It could even be the end of janruary before potassium builds back up. If it took 3 months to deplete it its gonna take that amount of time to rebuild it. It has been 4 weeks today since my higher intake but still a whole month dangerously low for my body is just too much..you would think when that happened it would have been rectified but it was not, the doctors just did not recognise that this was causing me the palpitations and dehydration and lbp. The thing is I had my bp checked thursday and it was normal so taking that last tablet caused it to lower. My body probably had to draw potassium out of anywhere to help heart when I took that darn tablet so put my bp back down. It is so hard to be dealing with a thing like this on my own n nobody even cares. The effects the low potassium has on the body, the amount of things it controls is unbelievable. Just prayers now that my heart will be ok. I'm so tired I just want to feel well again n be able to relax n not have to count potassium n now worry about my heart n the sick feeling to be gone n my tummy to go back to normal.
I appreciate your help on this matter, I will let you know how I am feeling tomorrow. I have found a new gp to change to in Janruary also which is close to my house. Will be a relief just to get a good doctor and away from him. My gp is a born again christian and preaches during appointments but seems to have little information when it comes to health. I was dating a muslim man from kosovo last year and he said that it not a real religion - i found this quite offensive as how does he know that for sure. He is just more into god and healing you spiritually than he is physically. He had me down as a health phobic which is crazy I am not I just have poor health -however if i ever get over this i realise how precious it was and although i have weaknesses in my health i had alot of other things that worked like heart etc I will just need to have more self control and better look after myself. The weakest part of my body is my blood it is very weak and cannot process anything chemical I honestly think iv some blood disorder that just hasnt been discovered as for many years iv always known im weaker than everybody else..they all seem to be able for things n i am just on another level. Some of my fibro friends have great doctors n it makes so much difference they get the things sorted n it really helps them manage everything.
Thanks
XXXX
Yes I have ceased taking it. I was being cautious with it by reading leaflet. After seeing thing about potassium and heart I phoned doctor to ask and went to get my potassium checked. I lowered dose too. It is just I have been so ill for so long I really wanted to feel better and do need the antibiotics but the problem is the potassium. Biaxin has caused deaths as it affects the heart rythm. Why could my doctor not just have spoke to me about my concerns he would have known this automatically. I had to research it to find it out. I do accept responsibility for my own health and that is why I am kicking myself that I took it, especially with only 2000mgs the day before but with the reading of 4.3 I thought I would be ok but the doubt should have been enough to answer myself.
Having said that doctors should know better too and my own gp is alot got to do with the whole thing as he refused to believe me. This should have been discovered long ago. When your really really ill with tummy probs, can't eat, not able to lie down feel like you've swine flu its clearly more than gastritis all the clues were there i kept telling them lots of information that should have pointed to it. Prevention and getting to things quickly saves people alot of hassle and lives. I nearly lost my life due to their negligence. I'm already slim and couldn't afford to loose anymore weight. Loosing weight is dangerous. Look at all the things I have to fix now...I should never have gotten that low on potassium nor lost that amount of weight to the point I was starving and seriously malnourished. I had a lovely figure and loved my food. Had it been detected in August when I first was presenting with bad symptoms it could have been cleared very quickly with antibiotics and wouldn't have had the potassium complications at that point. I cannot for the life of me understand any of it...crying out for help and not being taken seriously. Going home again and still not getting better no progress not even able to walk up the street or get out of bed in bits with no energy and feeling ill all the time - that is more than gastritis. It saddens me.
And no I meant I have other health problems to worry about its enough of a job to get to the shop every day just to get the coco water and food. Trying to keep myself going. I have no life whatsoever I havn't done anything normal since July. I have been the illest I have even been in my entire life. Not eating is dangerous and feeling ill means something is going on. There is only a few things that can be going on with the tummy..its not rocket science. Shame on them for dismissing me. I have already phoned the hospital to make a complaint about it. It is not acceptable. No one should have to suffer like that. The amount of money I am after costing the healthcare system by having to reapeatedly going back because it was not resolved not to mention the psychological effect its had on me.
With regard to my heart it is defo not anxiety related I only wish it was...anxiety is absolutely nothing like nothing. It can be resolved very easily and doesn't cause harm. Any time I'v had anxiety it was circumstancial and you know exactly why you are. Also there is medication induced anxiety and pmt not all is from the mind. This term is overused. I think if someone has it once it is tagged on them from that point on which is really unfair and not to mention wrong and dangerous. The pain in my heart is in my heart not a sensation of anxiety and for it to have that effect anxiety would have to be very bad but again that's a sensation this was a real internal deep pain, it just doesn't feel right. The pain has eased up a little bit but there is still arithmia flucuations which concerns me. I wish I did not have to be concerned about my heart, I really didn't need this. There is only so much any one person can take. I can't take anymore it will break me. Its very hard being alone and having to figure out everything on your own it gets confusing at times. Although I'm doing good at figuring things out. Without my own intervention I'd be dead.
I do not take any medications doctors prescribe to me either. I refused all medications last time in hospital and they were not happy with me n said id have to take it if i wanted them to help me. I took the first dose and it made me feel worse then i refused. I didn't agree with keeping to pump me with mortilium n pain killers(when i was clearly too weak) i wanted to get to the root cause and them treat that. Once or twice motilitum is ok but not consistantly. No1 understands my weaknesses n they kept looking at me funny when i kept refusing medications, they kept insisting paracetamol wouldn't make me weak but actually it can and did before if your already very weak.
I have been taking it easy, trying to rest my heart but the pain and strange rythms concern me. I hope that it does subside and I do not develop anything like you said angina or arithmia from this episode. I love walking and being active and have always had a good heart with no probs I would not like that at all. Please god I don't. Your one of the first doctors who actually understands me. It gets confusing. That's why am resorting to going online. There must be a demand and other people like me who can't get answers from their own gps. Good doctors are few and far between and their attitudes need to change to be honest. I'm not trying to be aknow it all or anything but people are in touch with their own bodies and do know more about doctors sometimes. Doctors I think hate patients googling things but without google id never had figured out all the details about the potassium n realised this was my problems etc. Most people don't wanna be at the doctor everyone likes to think they are strong so the whole hypochondriac thing is pretty much a myth, it is way over-used.
Lots of people swallow garlic every year am sure with consequences similar to mine and some probably wouldn't even bother them, along with other silly things - I accept that but doesn't mean you have to suffer like that. The garlic only brought up an underlying infection that was already in my tummy, which i would have went the doctor with but seen as he is useless i knew he'd think there is nothing wrong and just imagining it coz I was having alot of strange sensations in tummy with burping and indigestion. This is common amoung people and it is sad also. My dads friend died recently from cancer only discovered one month before his death. He did not feel comfortable going to the doctor as he put everything down to drinking or smoking. Doctors seem to like making people feel small. The same as docs often put everything with me down to fibromyalgia and a mind thing which is not the case. The body is everchanging and anything can happen at any point. Past medical history should be taken into account but not used as a rule out that it simply cant be anything more sinister.
The nausous started to come back yesterday and again this morning so here we go again. It must be the bacteria rearing its head again or the acid rebuilding as stopped ppi too so that in itself is horrible, feeling sick every single day for 5 months is too much to bear...a flu is bad enough but it eventually passes - this is a very similar feeling to a flu, a general unwell feeling with the tummy being the main area makes sense seen as it has an infection in it. Well I have no choice as I cannot continue with antibios right now. I will ask maybe for flagly in janruary as i dont think this one affects the heart. It could even be the end of janruary before potassium builds back up. If it took 3 months to deplete it its gonna take that amount of time to rebuild it. It has been 4 weeks today since my higher intake but still a whole month dangerously low for my body is just too much..you would think when that happened it would have been rectified but it was not, the doctors just did not recognise that this was causing me the palpitations and dehydration and lbp. The thing is I had my bp checked thursday and it was normal so taking that last tablet caused it to lower. My body probably had to draw potassium out of anywhere to help heart when I took that darn tablet so put my bp back down. It is so hard to be dealing with a thing like this on my own n nobody even cares. The effects the low potassium has on the body, the amount of things it controls is unbelievable. Just prayers now that my heart will be ok. I'm so tired I just want to feel well again n be able to relax n not have to count potassium n now worry about my heart n the sick feeling to be gone n my tummy to go back to normal.
I appreciate your help on this matter, I will let you know how I am feeling tomorrow. I have found a new gp to change to in Janruary also which is close to my house. Will be a relief just to get a good doctor and away from him. My gp is a born again christian and preaches during appointments but seems to have little information when it comes to health. I was dating a muslim man from kosovo last year and he said that it not a real religion - i found this quite offensive as how does he know that for sure. He is just more into god and healing you spiritually than he is physically. He had me down as a health phobic which is crazy I am not I just have poor health -however if i ever get over this i realise how precious it was and although i have weaknesses in my health i had alot of other things that worked like heart etc I will just need to have more self control and better look after myself. The weakest part of my body is my blood it is very weak and cannot process anything chemical I honestly think iv some blood disorder that just hasnt been discovered as for many years iv always known im weaker than everybody else..they all seem to be able for things n i am just on another level. Some of my fibro friends have great doctors n it makes so much difference they get the things sorted n it really helps them manage everything.
Thanks
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Get checked for typhoid
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
I can only imagine the pain you are dealing with. I am sorry you have to deal with all this. You are correct, most people take so many medicines but have no issues. From what I have gathered from pharmacology, medicines should be taken only when it is life and death thing. It will always have some side effects.
History of taking garlic plus some of your symptoms remind me of typhoid fever as well. I have known a few cases who presented with typhoid after ingesting garlic extract. You did take some antibiotics after that. So that must have suppressed that infection (if it was there).
Yes the heart pain was not only due to anxiety. Anxiety was just aggravating it. The heart can scare anyone and it does hurt so bad. When it radiates to the arms, it feels like you will die. But the good news is that it did not show on tests and it will get over. Atleast it is not damaging the heart at this moment.
Normal BP is a good sign of heart function.
The symptoms of flu and acidity are due to stopping of medicine (PPI). These symptoms will go away in a few days. Body adjusts quickly to medicine-free state. Better take tums for acidity once in a while.
Yes potassium is a very important electrolyte. It will restore faster if your gut is not irritated again by any means. Body heals very fast, especially the gut, the cells of gut lining are restored in a few hours completely.
If it is too much financial constraint on you, then better refrain from all the tests and medicines. Even if you get diagnosed with some disease, you will not be able to treat it with medicines. I think by now you would be able to guess the potassium stores on the basis of your symptoms.
As a pharmacologist, it is heart breaking for me to see the medicines getting over-prescribed. But cannot really change the ongoing scenario. Prescribers as well as consumers have become dependent on them.
Regarding blood disorder, it may be genes. All individuals process medicines differently. But everyone gets one or other side effect of medicine. Weight loss can be an issue and may add to the muscle spasms. Please take high calorie foods e.g. add cheese, butter to your food items. Add supplements like ensure alongwith your meals. Take small but regular meals. Take adequate rest.
Sometimes staying away from them is the best thing. Hope you are able to tolerate the pain. If it gets really bad, do take something (maybe an injectable pain killer).
Take care
Dr Vaishalee
Get checked for typhoid
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
I can only imagine the pain you are dealing with. I am sorry you have to deal with all this. You are correct, most people take so many medicines but have no issues. From what I have gathered from pharmacology, medicines should be taken only when it is life and death thing. It will always have some side effects.
History of taking garlic plus some of your symptoms remind me of typhoid fever as well. I have known a few cases who presented with typhoid after ingesting garlic extract. You did take some antibiotics after that. So that must have suppressed that infection (if it was there).
Yes the heart pain was not only due to anxiety. Anxiety was just aggravating it. The heart can scare anyone and it does hurt so bad. When it radiates to the arms, it feels like you will die. But the good news is that it did not show on tests and it will get over. Atleast it is not damaging the heart at this moment.
Normal BP is a good sign of heart function.
The symptoms of flu and acidity are due to stopping of medicine (PPI). These symptoms will go away in a few days. Body adjusts quickly to medicine-free state. Better take tums for acidity once in a while.
Yes potassium is a very important electrolyte. It will restore faster if your gut is not irritated again by any means. Body heals very fast, especially the gut, the cells of gut lining are restored in a few hours completely.
If it is too much financial constraint on you, then better refrain from all the tests and medicines. Even if you get diagnosed with some disease, you will not be able to treat it with medicines. I think by now you would be able to guess the potassium stores on the basis of your symptoms.
As a pharmacologist, it is heart breaking for me to see the medicines getting over-prescribed. But cannot really change the ongoing scenario. Prescribers as well as consumers have become dependent on them.
Regarding blood disorder, it may be genes. All individuals process medicines differently. But everyone gets one or other side effect of medicine. Weight loss can be an issue and may add to the muscle spasms. Please take high calorie foods e.g. add cheese, butter to your food items. Add supplements like ensure alongwith your meals. Take small but regular meals. Take adequate rest.
Sometimes staying away from them is the best thing. Hope you are able to tolerate the pain. If it gets really bad, do take something (maybe an injectable pain killer).
Take care
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Ye well I can't even smoke a couple of cigerettes I get really ill n I feel it in my blood the most. My blood n muscles are very sensitive. I got chronic bronchitis after only a few occasions of smoking. I know I should not be doing it if it makes me so bad which I mostly don't but every now and then I take a few. And after alcohol I get really ill too and feel my blood is really weak after it like in an abnormal way. I swell out on the inside even my blood feels swollen after alcohol - it feels sore like and weak. I defo have different blood than other people. I am such a weak link n have had alot of trouble breathing the past which could not be explained with feeling like my body was deoxygenated. I smoked a few pulls of weed one night at a party and thought I was going to die my blood pressure went that low.
My grandmother was always sick n I think I got her jeans. She was the product of two first cousins so dunno if anything to do with that lol...one of the doctors in the a and e has referred to someone to test for porphyria but I'v always known that something serious was wrong with me n particularly my blood just dunno what. Maybe it is just genes but I honestly have never met anyone as weak as me...I am worse than everyone else, even other sick people, no1 seems to have the breathing problems. I asked my rhemathologist before and she looked at me like I was mad n said shouldn't be having trouble breathing with the fibromyalgia.
I even stopped breathing in an operation a few yrs back - I told them b4 hand i was very weak in the chest area n had a breathing problem but they just thought i was anxious. I'v found it very difficult to breathe on a no of accasions like just couldnt absorb the oxygen n it especially happens when im very fatigued and worn out. I have some injury in my chest from falling off a fence as a child. I always get chronic pain in left shoulder blade area and in chest. Chest ribs are physically higher than right side ribs. I'm told I have twisted pelvis with shorter leg so this is aparently affecting upper chest area. Chiropractor told me all vertebra are twisted to right and thats why pain in left so could be related to that i dunno but determined to get to the bottom of all my health problems. N the worst of it only developed when I was 18. Even coffee I cant tolerate I get anxious and my airways close up abit n it raises heart rate. I will be taking much better care of myself if I ever get better n will get whatever help I need with that but knowing things or what you have is so much easier to manage. All that couldn't be normal.
Ye there is adjustment after stopping ppis and antibs can feel pressure of acid rebuilding n it was very difficult to eat today along with nausea n like force feeding my belly didnt want the food. My tummys gone really hard again n bloating and burping. This is a nightmare it really is. I just want my tummy to go back to normal n be able to eat adult feeds my body is so hungry. I don't like this one bit n I don't want it getting used to not enough food. This is the bacteria rearing its ugly head again. Such a pity those antis had to effect heart and potassium coz i could really do with getting better 'now'...they are the reason I'v lost so much weight and am so sick in first place. Catch 22 everywhere I go. Am gonna book in with good doctor even though in another town to arrange a different antib that doesnt affect heart or potassium n if any risk at all i will not take still will prob wait till after xmas anyhow but this h pylori is making me really sick. Hopefully nausea will go as you said maybe adjusting to no ppi now but this is exactly how I felt when was as its worst, really hard to eat!!!
Thanks very much for all your advice, it has really helped me.
My grandmother was always sick n I think I got her jeans. She was the product of two first cousins so dunno if anything to do with that lol...one of the doctors in the a and e has referred to someone to test for porphyria but I'v always known that something serious was wrong with me n particularly my blood just dunno what. Maybe it is just genes but I honestly have never met anyone as weak as me...I am worse than everyone else, even other sick people, no1 seems to have the breathing problems. I asked my rhemathologist before and she looked at me like I was mad n said shouldn't be having trouble breathing with the fibromyalgia.
I even stopped breathing in an operation a few yrs back - I told them b4 hand i was very weak in the chest area n had a breathing problem but they just thought i was anxious. I'v found it very difficult to breathe on a no of accasions like just couldnt absorb the oxygen n it especially happens when im very fatigued and worn out. I have some injury in my chest from falling off a fence as a child. I always get chronic pain in left shoulder blade area and in chest. Chest ribs are physically higher than right side ribs. I'm told I have twisted pelvis with shorter leg so this is aparently affecting upper chest area. Chiropractor told me all vertebra are twisted to right and thats why pain in left so could be related to that i dunno but determined to get to the bottom of all my health problems. N the worst of it only developed when I was 18. Even coffee I cant tolerate I get anxious and my airways close up abit n it raises heart rate. I will be taking much better care of myself if I ever get better n will get whatever help I need with that but knowing things or what you have is so much easier to manage. All that couldn't be normal.
Ye there is adjustment after stopping ppis and antibs can feel pressure of acid rebuilding n it was very difficult to eat today along with nausea n like force feeding my belly didnt want the food. My tummys gone really hard again n bloating and burping. This is a nightmare it really is. I just want my tummy to go back to normal n be able to eat adult feeds my body is so hungry. I don't like this one bit n I don't want it getting used to not enough food. This is the bacteria rearing its ugly head again. Such a pity those antis had to effect heart and potassium coz i could really do with getting better 'now'...they are the reason I'v lost so much weight and am so sick in first place. Catch 22 everywhere I go. Am gonna book in with good doctor even though in another town to arrange a different antib that doesnt affect heart or potassium n if any risk at all i will not take still will prob wait till after xmas anyhow but this h pylori is making me really sick. Hopefully nausea will go as you said maybe adjusting to no ppi now but this is exactly how I felt when was as its worst, really hard to eat!!!
Thanks very much for all your advice, it has really helped me.
Brief Answer:
Genes definitely playing role
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Your skin and mucosa is hypersensitive. Genes are definitely playing role in your condition. Genes can be checked with tests nowadays but can be a little expensive. You cannot do much about genes. I also noticed that your health goes down with chemicals (drugs, smoke, alcohol). If we take example of fish, they die even if we wash their aquarium with soap. They like their environment and food to be very natural and free of chemicals. Natural is best for all living beings.
Now you are not even taking food. Supposedly you are not tolerating it well. I would suggest that you make your food chemical and infection free. One way is to always eat home made food (without any chemicals like yeast, baking powder etc). Another way is to remove all chemicals, minerals and germs from drinking water by the process of reverse osmosis. Try eliminating foods one by one for 2 weeks/food item and see if you are intolerant to some food item. Start with milk, then wheat, then nuts, then other foods. An improvement in symptoms will decide the result.
I have personally observed that after use of antibiotics (and other medicines that affect normal flora), flora readjusts itself. It takes a few days. In some people it may take longer. But a balance is achieved. Exercising helps.Thus be assured that you stomach will feel better eventually.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Genes definitely playing role
Detailed Answer:
Hi
Your skin and mucosa is hypersensitive. Genes are definitely playing role in your condition. Genes can be checked with tests nowadays but can be a little expensive. You cannot do much about genes. I also noticed that your health goes down with chemicals (drugs, smoke, alcohol). If we take example of fish, they die even if we wash their aquarium with soap. They like their environment and food to be very natural and free of chemicals. Natural is best for all living beings.
Now you are not even taking food. Supposedly you are not tolerating it well. I would suggest that you make your food chemical and infection free. One way is to always eat home made food (without any chemicals like yeast, baking powder etc). Another way is to remove all chemicals, minerals and germs from drinking water by the process of reverse osmosis. Try eliminating foods one by one for 2 weeks/food item and see if you are intolerant to some food item. Start with milk, then wheat, then nuts, then other foods. An improvement in symptoms will decide the result.
I have personally observed that after use of antibiotics (and other medicines that affect normal flora), flora readjusts itself. It takes a few days. In some people it may take longer. But a balance is achieved. Exercising helps.Thus be assured that you stomach will feel better eventually.
Hope it helps.
Dr Vaishalee
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems and comprehensive renal care, talk to a Nephrologist. Click here to Book a Consultation.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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