Antibiotics for Gut

Grandson at 3 months

Had a visit with my rheumatologist this week. She prescribed flagyl to clean out my gut as I'm not able to eat again and will set up an appointment for an infusion for my osteoporosis. Other than that, nothing to report.  Don't have to go back for a year which is a first as I've been going every 6 months. 

As for the food intake problems. Things have gotten to the point where they were last winter (January/February?). Every time I take food orally, I vomit and get diarrhea. The last time my GP prescribed flagyl, 250mg 3/day for 10 days. It worked and I was able to eat uo until recently so as much as I dislike taking it, if it'll give me another 6 months of eating it's well worth it. Durig the ten days I am only eating 3 crackers on some days to take the edge of my hunger pangs and that's it. Well, almost, as I am allowing myself the luxury of a morning cup of coffee which doesn't seem to be doing any harm and the pleasure I derive from it is worth any problems it may cause.

Gallbladder Infection

On December 23, I went to emergency with severe abdominal pain and was diagnosed with cholesystitis or an infection of the gallbladder. I was transferred to another hospital and admitted immediately. So, I spent Christmas week in hospital fighting off the infection with heavy duty antibiotics.  And then another ten days at home on still more antibiotics.  There goes my carefully cultured gut from my new diet.  Diarrhea was back and unable to eat.

It is now 1 1/2 weeks since I finished up my antibiotics and my gut is getting back to the pre gallbladder state.  Been eating yogurt every day as well as food from my diet.

Have an appointment on February 6 with the surgeon, prep for removal of my gallbladder. Talked this over with my GI doc last week, wanted his opinion about necessity of having gallbladder removed.  He convinced me that I should go ahead with it.

Also had my picc line replaced as the old one was getting a bit sluggish - required more pressure to flush.

That's about it for now.

Calcinosis Infection

I know my original intention was to keep this blog positive but lately that has been difficult. And now I have a new problem to report. the basal knuckle of the index finger on my right hand has become infected and it is, to put it lightly, making my life difficult. A week ago today, last Sunday evening, I noticed that the knuckle in question was red and swollen and it was causing me some discomfort. I progressively grew worse such that by Wednesday I could no longer put off a visit to urgent care at a nearby hospital. Over the next three days I was given antibiotics by IV, saw a hand surgeon who switched me over to oral antibiotics and am now receiving daily visits from a nurse who changes the dressing on my now draining, very raw looking and painful knuckle. (Of course getting the IV started was also a major challenge just to add to the discomfort.)

I have calcinosis in said knuckle and apparently some bacteria have made their way into the area through a small opening in the skin caused by the calcinosis which, in turn, caused the infection.

So, there you have it, yet another complication from scleroderma.