Hi.
I ended up on this group after doing a gopher search and finding some
campylobacter information pointing to this news group.
Here is an article that I recently posted on SCI.MED and got very little
responses from. I did get some that indicated that the Ciprofloxacin could
very well be the culprit in my case, as many people have reported bad
reactions to this antibiotic. During most of my doctor visits, I did
question the Cipro, but the response that I got was that Cipro was a widely
used, powerful, yet very safe antibiotic that could not cause the symptoms
I was having.
I am posting here, because it seems to me that my campylobacter infection
was pretty severe based on what I have read, and you guys seem to like
studying these pesky littly organisms. Also, I still have some strange
symptoms, periodically, and it is kinda bothersome that the I have yet to
receive a decent medical/biological explanation for any of my symptoms.
Here is my original post:
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Hi. I am looking for anyone who has any experience with Campylobacter
Infections and any side effects that the bacteria can cause. Specifically
something I have only heard about through a friend that might be called
"Reflex" : which was described to me as a condition when a thick bacterial
infection actually infects your central nervous system. I was never
diagnosed with this, but I strongly believe that this is what I am
suffering from as I am still strangely ill 5 months after the bacterial
infection.
I was diagnosed with a Campylobacter bacterial infection about 5
months ago. I ended up in the hospital with a case of accute dehydration,
where I was given 2.5 liters of IV fluid, and 10 day presription of
Ciprofloxacin (250mg 2x/day). After the 10 day prescription, I started
feeling very ill again and took another 7 days of the Cipro (500mg 2x/day).
After the last 7 days, I started having severe
lightheaded/dizzy/dehydration/headache/and severe anxiety spells. These
spells started during the last several days of the Cipro prescription, and
got so severe about 1 week later that I ended up in the hospital again for
accute dehydration and total deleriousness (w/ severe vision problems which
is best described as tunnel vision).
The problem is that the hospital (a different one than my first visit)
wrongly diagnosed me with "The Flu" because the bacteria was no longer in
my body, and my insurrance is giving me a hard time about paying for "The
Flu" emergency room visit. I did receive $1000 worth of test and IV fluid
that I am trying to get my insurrance company to pay the correct amount
for. (90%)
I live in the Bay Area and ended up flying home to NC because I was too
sick to take care of myself. I saw a large variety of doctors while home and
none were able to give me a diagnosis that I was happy with. Please excuse
any misspellings, but I visited the following: a Gastroenterologist MD, an
Infectios Disease MD, an Ear Nose & Throat MD, and finally a Neurologist.
$4000, 2 evoked potential test, and one brain MRI later, there still was no
definite
diagnosis. Only the good news that I did not have a brain tumor, or any
severe infectious disease.
The major symptoms that have continued throughout the 5 months after the
initial bacterial infectional are severe anxiety attacks, body shakes,
nervousness, headaches, lightheadedness, dizziness, tired brain, and
sometimes weird tunnel vision effects. These symptoms were severe for about
3 months after
the infection. The severity and intensity of these symptoms have most
definitely decreased to the point where I have a totally normal life now,
but I still have random dizzy and lightheaded spells about every 2 weeks or
so.
I have no history what-so-ever of anxiety or dizziness. I have had mild
migraines in the past, but they did not feel similar to the symptoms
described above.
I would greatly appreciate any information about bacterial infections
especially anything that applies to the symptoms that I am suffering from.
Thanks in advance.
John Turpin
-
turpin at apple.com
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ps - I would love to get a decent picture of this little piece of sh**
organism that has totally messed up 6 months of my life. I guess I now have
a strange affection or infatuation with this micro-beast. Anyone know where
I could download a picture of the campylobacter bacteria?
