[Closed] Campylobacter and gastroenteritis,long term effect.Any help much appreciated.

That’s very different to my experience, I had a short course of some meds (can’t recall what) and some over the counter stuff for rehydration.

Was pretty much back to normal in a week. This does read like you’ve had a complication of some sort rather than a normal experience.  My friend picked it up as well at the same time so likely a contaminated water source (overnight mountain run east of Ullapool) or the dead bird we found in the Bothy.

Can’t really offer so advice with you experience being so different but good luck, it was crap when it only lasted a few days.

My friend had campylobacter about 10 years ago. It was probably from drinking from streams in the Lakes where sheep are present.

It took her ages to get back to normal because she didn't go to the GP early enough. I've also got a mate who got over it within a couple of weeks. Again drinking suspect water when backpacking.

Have you been re-tested recently for it? It's tricky not being able to see your GP but they can do quite a lot over the phone and you can still do samples

Took me about 4 weeks to get over it back in 2004, got better for a couple of days, then the stomach cramps came back. I picked it up after a very wet ride breathing in aerosoled sheep shit I guess, was at the same time as the oil seed rape was in full flower and the smell made me retch, whenever I smell rape now I get mild stomach cramps. I can't actually remember being given any meds for it.

I had it a few years ago. Really ill for a couple of weeks. I then had a lot of stomach issues. Cramps, Urgent need to poo etc.

Turns out I had become lactose intolerant. Something to do with stripping all my good bacteria from my gut so unable to break it down.

Took me a while to work that out as had no idea I could get food intolerances from it.

Heard pro biotics are good for you. Reset the natural balance of your stomach.

Well I've got a doctor appointment this morning (just telephone appointment) so I'll ask about possible intolerance issues and see about more tests.I was just a bit pissed off when I went to pick up my prescription for lanzoprazole and it was a two month one,as I don't want to feel like this for that long before more tests.Its mainly bloating and stomach cramps that I'm getting and a lack of energy.Also feeling a little spaced out at work some days but reckon that's to do with sleep.I had no idea where I picked the infection up,and probably should have pressured gp to get tests done sooner back when I first had it.Alchohol definitely seems to make it worse so looking like a tea total Xmas.
Thanks for the replys

Not the same issue but my partner has been back and forth to GP and consultant for months with stomach issues/gastroenteritis . At the moment she is off the antacids and has been told to take a product called symprove plus a couple of other specific probiotics (I’ll try and find the name) basically your system needs rebooting with the correct bacteria after antibiotics and the antacids allowing the wrong kind to flourish if acid levels are low.

Since bike packing wasn mentioned, you can get a little MSR filter for £40 that should filter out bacteria. I have one, it's pretty light and easy to use.

No help on the campylobacter though sorry.

I think that some medical folk believe that this can be due to alterations in gut flora ie killing good bugs in your gut. Probiotics go in and out of fashion as a treatment. the best treatment might be a feacal transplant - yes really!

I would try taking gut bacteria pills for a month, just to see if you can re-seed your gut and stabilise it a bit. Slightly eaier than a feacal transplant, which comes with it's own risks (can turn thin people fat and vica-versa, depending on the donnor etc).

Might also be worth getting tested for h-pylori if you have persistent heartburn after alcohol and spicy food.

Get yourself re-tested for camp. I took a course of ab's which initially cleared it, but after a few days of feeling fine, it came back so I needed another course.

Once i'd got rid, I found my belly was better than normal, as though my gut had been stripped and reset. I was drinking loads of Pro biotic and kefir aswell. But gradually, my old symptoms have come back as bad as ever.

I've decided I might be lactose intolerant, not sure if that's as a result of the camp or not.

Initial experiments with lactose free seemed to be going well but I've had a bad couple of weeks recently and some thing really got me yesterday so I don't really know anymore.

the best treatment might be a feacal transplant – yes really!

I'm an approved donor for this, OP can thank me later.

Hope you get well soon, I picked it up a couple of weeks ago and have not been well at all since, 111 thought it was Covid, when I was saying if this had been the same time last year, it would have surely been food poisoning. Feel a bit better now, but have still got stomach cramps and was sick last night, but I put that down to my menieries disease as my ears now playing up.

Once again cheers for replys.
Spoke to gp again earlier, basically she said that I should take the lanzoprazole when needed,so when I said that I have been taking it daily for over a week as the prescription said with no improvement she gave a big sigh,then said she thinks I might have a duodenal ulcer,but can't send me for a scan until covid vaccine kicks in at the hospital, said possibly in new year.So basically carry on with tablets,and do my own research with diet,probiotics ect.Hopefully things improve pretty soon.Cheers👍

I'd be asking for a review, preferably with a 2nd/ different gp. If nothing else the referral can still go in for scope / scan, most places are trying to keep services running now so might as well be in the queue now.
Sounds like you've been brushed off by some Monday morning disinterested staff which isn't good enough. Not up to you to self diagnose/ treat!

Definitely push to get a specialist opinion. The covid thing sounds like an excuse - I've had a few diagnostic things recently and if anything it's been faster and easier to do.

I had CB best part of 20 years ago and have never been the same since. Mine took me over 6 weeks from 12 stone and very fit to 9 stone of skin and bone. It took months to be able to eat a full meal and as said years later I'm still not right in a few ways (food, throat and arsehole).

Since it I cannot tolerate certain dairy (cooked cheeses when they split), tomatoes and some 'Indian' dishes (think it is a particular herb or spice, never sussed it).

After years of being fobbed off by doctors (usually blaming stress or similar) I took it upon myself to follow a medical exclusion diet for 2 months. In retrospect I wish I had the support of a dietitian or similar through it as it lost me ~1 stone per month, although I felt amazing through that time I obviously had little energy.

I got it last year on a ride out in the lakes. or maybe it was wakiing up in a field im not sure. Anyway i had it for weeks before i went to the docs, tested positive for it but was told that as it had been a while i should sit it out if i could as it would be beneficial not to have the antibiotics.

I did for another couple of months (6 months total now) and still wasnt better. Asked for antibiotics but they wouldnt this time.

I still suffer from its effects. I cant drink milk and have to have the lactose free stuff. still not great but better than it was over a year later!

pro biotics helped but the main thing was cutting out dairy.

but was told that as it had been a while i should sit it out if i could

Pretty certain the prescribing guidance in the BNF is wait for symptoms to improve (most food poisoning is self limiting) but if symptoms don't improve after 10 days then prescribe ab's.

I've had confirmed campylobacter, it's a very unpleasant experience indeed. Once I had cleared the infection I took probiotics and they put me back quite quickly to feeling normal. I am talking about the capsules, not the yoghurt type drinks you see promoting gut health. It was actually the practice nurse who recommended them, i had not heard of them before that point. I have also used them after a course of antibiotics for a different infection. The antibiotics had destroyed my guts, the probiotics sorted them out again fairly quickly. The pb's I used weren't cheap, about £20 a bottle. I keep some in the fridge and use them from time to time if I suffer an upset stomach. They seem incredibly effective to me.

Over the last few years I have also found that I have been experiencing side effects from drugs that are also pretty unpleasant. It's easy to think that the list of side effects listed on the packet won't affect you, but you could be wrong. These are the side effects of Lansoprazole listed on the NHS website -
headaches.
feeling sick.
diarrhoea or being sick (vomiting)
stomach pain.
constipation.
wind.
itchy skin rashes.
feeling dizzy or tired.

Hi OP

I had a campylobacter infection in sept 2017 which wasn’t diagnosed for a few months. I needed 2 courses of antibiotics to clear it but then was suffering from what turned out to be pretty nasty post infection IBS.
When a retest was clear my GP was very dismissive but I was suffering from fatigue and 2-3 days stomach pain and diarrhoea every week. Because I lost over a stone and was regularly passing blood I was sent to a gastroenterologist who did a full battery of tests and the colonoscopy found bleeding in my gut.thankfully a 2nd scope 6 months later was clear so I was cleared of inflammatory bowel disease
Long story short, I had bad IBS for pretty much 1 year. This meant getting the shits a lot but worse was the fatigue and just feeling totally shit. I was fit and healthy prior so it was a big impact on me.
Lots of different food and drink would trigger my gut but I was put into the FODMAP diet by a nutritionist I work with which made a massive difference.
Interestingly high intensity exercise would also set it off so I was quite limited compared to normal on the Mtb
After a year I was pretty much symptom free but I still have to avoid a small number of foods and I don’t tolerate beer that well either I’m afraid
Post infection IBS is very common but thankfully the vast majority of people recover (unlike other forms if IBS)
try and find a good dietician or nutritionist, I think they could really help

Thanks for all the advice,was pretty taken back when first heard I might now have a ulcer but after a bit of reading on net and these replies it seems like it can heal.Really pissed that I didn't pressure my doctor sooner to get more tests,but that's hindsight.Ive made a appointment with a nutritionist for Monday so tháts a start and hopefully In new year I can get to hospital for a proper scan.
Massive thanks for the replies.

Random.

I'm off work at the moment with campylobacter.

First 2 days felt like a hard flu. Not nice. The last 9 days, zero appetite. Cramps. Farts. Liquid. Endless. Green.

Samples returned and GP called me to say the antibiotic as she put me on last week didn't work for campy.

Unfortunately about 4 weeks ago I was on ab's too for a gum infection post removal of tooth. So essentially the mast month on anti biotics in some way.

Bloody knackered. Sleeping ++
Feel like 2 weeks of my life just vanished.

Rode to chemist to pick up new ab's. 4km. Now sat on sofa posting this crap.

Not fun in any way, shape or form.

Is Campylobacter rife in the Lakes?
I got it a day after doing the Fred Whitton in really shitty weather, at work, when I couldn't get home (luckily the full-on effect was yet to htit, just the severe flu-like symptoms to start).

I'm now a few years down the line (and a couple of rides on the Doctor's big black flexible snake) and I'm still suffering IBS type symptoms.

It wiped me out at the time. Sleeping/shitting/sleeping/shitting (I say shitting, but it was really pissing out of my arse for about two weeks).
Turns out I was losing blood out of my arse too, dropped my haemoglobin. That was fun when I tried getting back on the bike. Zero energy. Scary. As no other symptoms until they checked my bloods.

Sounds shite.

I had it in 2016, after a trip to the Lakes for the Sam Houghton.

Phenomenal stench of my own gases whilst spraying liquid out of my arse made me think something might be wrong.

I followed the NHS advice, stuck with it for 7 days and then my stool sample came back as campy so had ABX which sorted it. Probably had it bad for 10 days.

I'm kinda lean anyway but my clothes became very loose after, I felt "purged" I lost any desire for my staples of coffee, tea or beer and didn't touch any of them for 6 months after. Took a few weeks to get bike fit again.

Mate was working for a bike team at the Cape Epic a couple of years ago & there was a "bug" going around, he's not been right since and only recently got tested as positive for campy, probably not good to have it lurking within for so long. Caused him all sorts of grief which the GP couldn't piece together for some time.

My update.
Pretty much nearly a year now since infection of campylobacter.Started to feel better around January for a month then rough again,not as bad as it was though.Its definitely done something to my insides,i now wake up every morning around 3am feeling a bit sick,burping,farting ect.Dont really go back to sleep,been waiting for a scan at hospital for months and it's finally been arranged for end of April.Doctors think ulcer so on lanzoprazole for the mean time.Still able to function I.e work,sports ect but just more knackered due to sleep pattern being messed up so not major bad.Just wish docs had seen me sooner to put me on antibiotics to get rid of infection back in May then maybe wouldn't have these symptoms now.But who knows.

My update is that I'm booked in for a colonoscopy mid April.

I've had IBS style symptoms for a long time, before the camp infection. Since then though it's gradually got worse and worse. Really grinding me down now. Currently still trying lactose free, just got some lactase tablets, but I'm still avoiding stuff I know I would react to (like loads of biscuits and cakes) so I'm not totally sure how effective the tablets are.

I rang the gp a couple of months ago, told him how low I felt about it, it's affecting family life etc, and he just dismissed it... Nowt we can do, take immodium for diarrhea, senakot for constipation, avoid your triggers. Total dick about it.

Rang the gp again a few weeks ago but different Dr this time was great. She said we'll get you referred to gastro but do a FIT test first to rule that out. Unfortunately that came back positive so the gastro referral got arranged much quicker! So now it's my turn on the moviprep in a few weeks!! 😳💩

The posts above about post infection IBS ring so true though, I'll be sure to discuss with the consultant when I see him.

Is Campylobacter rife in the Lakes?

There's a lot of sheep. 🐑

It amazes me I've never caught it from riding there.

Are you taking probiotics? I would be if I were you, strong ones. Bio-kult is good (if pricey). I would also supplement with some natural stuff - homemade Kefir, sauerkraut etc. This is an area where your bog standard GP is clueless and as to how good the gastro is that's probably pot luck. I would be looking to some alternative practitioners who specialise in digestive health to see what they think, it's worth travelling for a good one.

Picked up gastroenteritis in Tunisia in 2014. Pissing out my arse all holiday and collapsed one evening after a particularly bad day. Got back home and went to docs. Went from being reasonably fit to being unable to walk the dogs without stopping for a rest. Queue two years of visiting a Specialist, who was effing useless - just kept saying stick to the mebeverine treatment for the IBS. Ended up demanding to see a different Specialist. This one subjected me to a barrage of tests, culminating in a camera up the poo pipe. Everything normal, apart from IBS ongoing and severely debilitating. Demanded to see Dietician, which was when things began to improve. Low residue diet for 8 weeks, which seemed to settle things. Dietician says that it takes duodenum roughly 6 weeks to settle after any trauma, so I was constantly irritating it and resetting the clock. After then I added things back and I was pretty much back to normal, but had to avoid some foods, eg pulses, but not exclude. Anyway, we then went to Spain and I ate some cuttlefish, ended up with acute gastroenteritis and a fever. Since then, I’ve been better than ever. Almost like it took some more food poisoning to flush out the remnants of whatever horrendous ness Tunisia left.