Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Claire MM on April 11, 2023, 07:45:08 PM
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Hi Everyone,
I wrote a week or so ago sharing my concerns post Mirena fitting on the 28th, I couldn't stand the effects I was getting and couldn't get anywhere with my GP - they didn't take me seriously and last Thursday had made me an appointment for the 25th of April via the receptionsist, couldn't get a doctor to call me - 'very busy' ended up calling emergency doctors to get coil out last Friday. Had to take a taxi to the out of hours place. The guy had some difficulty finding the strings but persevered thank god, he also told the nurse to put the coil in a certain container but I thought no more about it just glad to get it out.
I just got a call this evening to say the lab had tested it and I have a staph infection in my womb and need to take antibiotics, they may know more in a few days - specific targetted antibiotic for strain but to start now with clairithromycin. I was lucky it was this guy taking it out as I'm sure the GP surgery would not have sent it off to be analysed let alone called me with a result. I am really scared, I don't react well to antibiotics (underlying ME/chronic fatigue) but know I have to take them. And I'm scared it will not go away. I'm sure having all the water they put in my womb for the hysteroscopy will not have helped with having spread an infection to the wrong place.
Has anyone had a similar experience and can tell me it is all fine now?? My symptoms incase anyone wants to know what to look out for were - itchy skin, nausa, feeling toxic and painful liver, I also had a small amount of slightly yellow discharge, when I told my gp this she said it was probably 'old blood' which it was not. I thought it might all be progesterone intolerance, which may also be a major factor but yes I don't want to worry anyone getting a Mirena - lots of people are totally fine, I thought this was just my body being random. These are just some symptoms I had and also of anyone has been through this and come out of the other side. I am all alone at home (single parent and my daughter is visiting her dad) and I'm just quite anxious about what is happening now, haven't started the antibiotics and no idea what to do about HRT now as was using progesterone cycloest pessaries before the coil and vagifem/ovestin. My GP's are hopeless. Thanks for reading, Claire xx
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Well done. you on following your instincts! How useful that the coil was sent for analysis.
R the ABs by mouth? Sometimes they can be given by a syrup rather than tablet. It is important that you get this treated considering where it is located. If necessary you could be admitted for intravenous ABs which might be more suitable for you, although with SHOs on strike! :-\
This can resolve on its own. But with advice from A&E that the device was tested, ABs are probably the best way to begin getting rid of it.
Stop the HRT for now. Continue with VA treatment. Begin the ABs ASAP to get on top of this infection. Could you contact the A&E Dept tomorrow to discuss - mayB speaking to the Nurse/Dr to explain your other health issues.
Keep us updated!
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Thank you CLKD, yes it was good that I was seen by that particular person, I will need to wait to hear if they have any follow up antibiotic suggestion and harrass my surgery to find that out. I will keep going with the systemic estrogen as I am only a couple of days off progesterone but will wait and see how this clears in order to then consider starting the cyclogest again. Fingers crossed the antibiotics work and don't cause too many problems, I can ask the hospital what the biopsy showed if anything, otherwise it's just tough in terms of antibiotics I think right now. Thank you I will :-) Thanks for being there it helps xx
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How do U feel this morning? U were my first thought on waking ::)
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Oh thank you for asking CLKD, and for thinking of me! I called the surgery this morning incase they had got results of the suitable antibiotics for treatment but they hadn't also said about liver and requested blood test so they then had me in, they poked me about said take clairithrymycin, offered to do me a swab which seemed kind of pointless at this point, couldn't understand why my liver would hurt and I have a blood test for liver on 17th May (!) I've started the clairithrymycin and just going to have to hang in here and hope that liver pain is a symptom of this kind of infection in my body (!) I've got into bed with some tea and I'm going to just ignore the world as much as possible and hope I get better from this. I was very lucky to get that out of hours GP as my surgery would not have identified this. I'm just going to have to hang in here, thank you so much for asking xx
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Claire, I have just caught up with your thread. What a terrible time you have had. I really do think you need to make a complaint about your GP once you feel better. Thank goodness you saw an emergency Dr who clearly recognised how you were feeling was not just a matter of waiting! I can understand your concerns about taking antibiotics due to the reaction they give you. I really hope they kick in soon and you can rest as much as possible. Sounds like a few days in bed may be an idea while you are taking them.
Sorry to hear you are home alone too. I think that makes everything harder knowing you are alone and feeling poorly.
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Why can't the medical profession use joined up thinking >:(. What was wrong with someone from the surgery ringing to find out? However, regardless of time of day/month etc., usually when a patient attends A&E an e-mail is sent to the person's surgery. It mayB that there is a back log with it having been a Bank Holiday ...........
ABs usually take 48 hours to 'kick in'. Let uw know how you get on.
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Thanks CLKD, I'm really struggling with the Gp surgery to be honest, yes hoping I can bounce back from this thank you so much for being there and your wise words xx
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How do U feel this morning?
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Hi CLKD, I don't want to jinx it but I think I feel marginally better today, hoping it doesn't drop again, don't want to speak too soon. I contacted the DR's to get my results, they said I am on the right antibiotic but it was just reception so I asked them and they have emailed it to me, I've really lost confidence in my GPs as to it being the right treatment. The result shows two types of strep, epdermis and capitis, I don't know what this means really and I'm trying not to google. I am wondering if all the VA type issues, using progesterone pessaries, pain and discomfort could be due to this and could be bacterial vaginosis aswell and then having this hysteroscopy with all the water and the coil etc could have spread it upward :-( Thinking about it now taking a swab when I had symptoms and before the hysteroscopy might have been a good idea?! Anyway I hope this is the right treatment, I might try and check in with the gynae nurse at the hospital. Thanks so much for asking me I hope you are well xx
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This is the correct treatment for the bug you have.
Take the ABs.
VA treatment is localised - so should not have any impact on other issues. Bacterial Vaginosis can be diagnosed by a swab. VA can mimic repeated urine-type symptoms really really well.
Try not to over think!
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Thanks CLKD, Yes I am taking the antibiotics, this was just to check the strains of bacteria to check what antibiotic would target them, given that the surgery didn't pick up on the infection or take the coil out or send it off for analysis I just worry whether they've actually looked at the certain bacteria and their sensitivities and made sure it's this antibiotic not another more appropriate one. But yes I will stay on them and check in with hospital who did the procedure tomorrow just to make sure, they had said any issues to be in touch, I don't want anything lingering around and obviously a swab can't check the bacteria in the womb. But yes I'll try not to overthink and assume this treatment will work, just not confident of GP surgery xx
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GPs have limited knowledge, which is why referrals are important. However, because referrals come out of the Surgery Budget >:(. ...... and breath ;-)
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Thank you CLKD, I called the hospital ward where I had the hysteroscopy etc and one of the nurses said this was an OK treatment for it so to stick with it and call them back if I was still having symptoms next week, that definately put my mind more at rest than the GP surgery who ignored my calls last week (!) Hopefully I can now get over this and settle down. I'm still taking my estrogen and using the local estrogen but have given the progesterone pessaries a rest for a week now, I will wait until this settles down before trying them again, I'm sure that the P throws out the microbiome either that or the lack of E. Anyway I hope you are well and thank you so much for your sound advice on this and support xx
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Lots find progesterone difficult to tolerate :-\ :'(