This week has sucked

[MakinIT]

I am in a flare...I woke up at about 4 am and have been peeing every 20 mins ever since and I hurt like heck..But here's a question...has a strong antibiotic ever caused anyone to flare? I know they are generally nuetral or sometimes help BUT on Monday morning I woke up and went to pour water from the bria water pitcher. I lifted my arm to where my tricep takes over and I dropped the pitcher because of a shooting pain up my arm. I thought it a pinched nerve, after the initial cussing of cleaning it up...figured I'd get it looked at soon and babied the arm. My husband had a pinched nerve in his neck at one time and when I described my symptoms he said they sounded exactly the same. Then he hugged me and said he was sorry I was in pain all the time, then felt my arm. It was hot. He said his never got hot and he looked at it, and it was a little swollen. He figured it should be looked at soon. So I was near my docs the next day and my arm was throbbing and hand numb. They let me come in and immediatly ran tests...apparently my white blood cell count was high and the P.A. found a spider bite. (She went down to talk to my doc while I was in the lab, with my medical history I got the inside out treatment) She came back, said I was lucky this spider bit me on the nerve because I had the preliminary stages of the flesh eating thingy (my arm was really hot and swollen) I got a shot of something in my butt and some big antibiotics and the only way I could stay out of the hospital was a daily check in with them. I know, long story...sorry...But they were heavy duty antibiotics along with the shot. (my arm is still hurting but the swelling down.)

So...I now have this flare...it hurts too...I am exhausted.....any one see a connection?

Tracey

[GriffsMommy]

Tracey,
I have no idea if an antibiotic can make you flare, sorry, I have only been on Macrobid since I found out that I have IC and it hasn't helped me but I don't think it has made me any worse. I honestly don't even know what dose I'm on, I'd have to go and look at my bottle. I just wanted to say I am so sorry to hear about everything. Reading your discription of your arm gave me the creepy crawlies so I can only imagine how it feels. I would think that the antibiotics could do it or maybe even whatever caused the problem with your arm is causing the problem with your bladder. Please get lots of rest and I hope you feel better soon.

[dancemomof2]

I am sure they can cause a flare but maybe what your taking then antibiotics for is what is causing the flare. Hope you feel better soon

[meme]

Your flare could be caused from the bite, or from your body fighting the infection. I know if I don't feel well it will cause me to flare. Take care of yourself. Lucky you found out what it was right away!

[Missmissy]

I am sorry sorry to hear about all this. I really hate spiders anyway. I would almost rather see a snake!!!
If I get bee stung I end up with a horrible flare, Maybe your flare is from the poision leaving your body???
I hope you don't get a yeast infection from all the antibiotics. Maybe the doctor can give you some diflucan to have ready just in case?

Best of luck,
Melissa

[MakinIT]

Funny you should ask about the yeast thing. I didn't think about it, but a friend mentioned it almost the day I started it so I've been eating hi cultured yogurt and seem to be ok. (my stomach is soooo sensitive and this anti biotic isn't helping I'm afraid that diflucan pill will cause a huge stomach yak) We were at Chevy's celebrating a birthday tonight and I was going to just split a meal with hubby and Iwent to the bathroom. When I came out the meal was there and my husband was splitting it 2/3 to 1/3 knowing i don't eat much. He put my portion on the plate and I took one look at it and what my brother in law was eating (something smothered in an unnatural yellowish colored sauce) and I flew out the door to my car and started throwing up. My appetite just ain't what it was.

Anyway, my arm is feeling better but I just don't feel well. I still have an ache and shooting pain in my arm, and it's weak (I still can't lift) but at least it isn't inflammed. You may be right about the fighting the infection thingy so I am flaring...But I've also slowly come to realize I've been taking more breakthrough pain meds in the past month, sleeping less, peeing more often but less output...more pain in the tummy...yaddah, yaddah..I would like to blame it on constipation but that system is all green. (well, not ACTUALLY the color but you know what I mean) so the last two nights I upped my ER med by 30 mgs and have slept well. I haven't adjusted my pain meds in almost 2 years, except for a brief period when they tried fentanyl (and it was a dismal failure). I'm very touchy about going up because I'm already at 240 a day plus Oxydone for breakthrough but the trade off is taking more Oxy which I noticed you start to need more of very quickly. I don't like that. I hate being dependent on this crap to begin with. I can see Missymiss that you don't take any narcotics for pain, and you should be happy...if you have good pain control

Thanks...Your thoughts have been helpful. I made my husband put the screen in my window..(as it was out the night I was bit so I'm thinkin' the spidy crawled in then.) I'm trying to keep my tummy from rolling anymore ...I feel like I do when I read in a car. Yick. Think I'll go eat some more Tums. Nighty night.

[tigger_gal]

sorry you are not feeling well. Sending you big hugs.

[MakinIT]

Ha, ha...I just sent you a PM Tigger Gal

[Missmissy]

I am glad your arm is better after the spider bite. You mentioned that I don't take narcotics for pain. I have noticed that when I did take pain meds after a surgery(like my gallbladder surgery) I ended up with a horrible flame from them. So my way of dealing with the flares is working, for now anyways.
I am also hoping the acidophlius help me too once I get them in my system.

I will be saying a pray for you.

Melissa

[Moonheart]

Oh thank goodness you didn't get the flesh eating thing. I'm so glad you are okay!

[MakinIT]

Yeah...me too. A very good friend of ours, a partner in one of my husband's consultanting businesses, his wife has had many auto immune illnesses in the past 6 years (fibromyalgia, pelvic stuff, rhuemetoid arthritis...she and I always compared medical issues)...She began to feel well this past summer and the family went to Hawaii to celebrate, including her new grandchildren (oldest 3 years) she went snorkeling with Jeff, her husband and scratched her elbow on corral....(I've done that on my knees, wicked stuff) and she cleaned it up. they went back out that night and snorkeled too close to a carcass of some animal as they were observing a sunset. By the next morning, her arm was hurting and the cut was infected looking. Knowing her medical history, Jeff didn't want to take any chances and took her to the ER on Oahu and they gave her strong antibiotics and released her. She woke in the night shaking, and unable to use her arm. They took her back to the hospital. She had a fever of 103 so they immediately admitted her and found the flesh eating bacteria in her arm. They did surgery and thought they saved her, figuring it was going to take some more surgeries to fix her arm (they didn't amputate which would have been better). That night, her husband was reading to her, Sarah took his hand, smiled and died. Everyone was shocked including the doctors because she seemed fine. But her immune system was still compromised...I cried so hard at her funeral, then cried when I saw Jeff. He talks to me frequently and is always telling my husband to really watch me because I parallel Sarah so closely. So, I think of that. I have my appt with my doc this am...my usual appt for narcotics and such. I have to talk about my other stuff too. I cannot eat (I've lost 20 pounds since Christmas) and am unhappy that I think I need to go up on my meds. Fudge. Anyway...Appreciate your concern.

[humpieumpumkin]

Hello Tracey!

Im so glad they caught it in time! I hope you feel better soon! I would like to add that CIPRO will make me flare! If I take it with a uti it makes my symptoms worse.

Erika

[MakinIT]

That is interesting...there is a school of thought that antibiotics are good long term treatments. Anyway..my doc increased my ER pain meds the 12 hour pm and gave me a lo dose anti depressant to go with wellbtrin. So, I now take 270 mgs...120 am, 150pm

gotta go

[MakinIT]

AGGGGGhhhh.....I am goiong to go crazy before long. The arm thing...infection ...cleared up, only to leave nerve pain behind. It got worse and worse until the muscles weakend so I went to doc today (my husband had to drive because turning the steering wheel was hard)....Did blood work, xrayed my shoulder....in the immediate, doc says I have bursitis in elbow and shoulder (same shoulder I had surgery in for bursitis at the end of the collarbone)...and bursitis probably in my neck as it is hard for me to keep my head up. My left arm is beginning to hurt, but due in part to using it more to compensate for rt. side pain. I also have a 100 degree fever (I was surprised) and a white blood cell count that is "considerably low"...meanwhile, my pelvis is going bananas. (I'm ignoring it) My doc put me on Celexa and gave me some more Oxycodone, even though, as he put it, narcotics don't work as well on this sort of pain but my body is so accustomed to it, it is really the only way to get any rest.

I let down a good friend today. It was her birthday and she has done so much for me in the past 2 years to drag me from my self pity to finding useful things to do with my skills. A project I have been working on for her is not going to get done by a deadline because I can hardly type for longer than a few minutes w/o needing a rest. I really, really hate this. And yes, the doc thinks this goes back to the original nueritis with the bite. My nerve was sore, I compensated, used my arm wierd, hurt myself, and just continued. don't know why my blood test is wierd or I have a fever. I always thought with a fever you had more white blood cells as they were fighting an infection.

Why is everything Back assward with me?

Thanks for listening

Tracey

[Moonheart]

Hi Tracey,


I'm so sorry to hear things are getting worse. I'm sorry I haven't been around. I've been a mess since my birthday and it culminated with me not being able to wake up yesterday to take my daughter to school, and me sleeping until 3pm. She entertained herself, made herself breakfast and lunch, and didn't bother me the whole day. I feel like crap! I feel so guilty! She's only nine for pete's sake and never has had a mommy who could just sit and have tea, or bake cookies with her, or anything. I feel like such a bad mother it's ridiculous.

Anyway, not about me. Please write if you want to talk and let me know how you are doing.

Hugs,
Moonheart