Weekly health update.
So, this last week. Ugh.
I was taking my second round Xifaxan for the diarrhea that had come back with a vengeance. The antibiotic was causing me some really intense constipation and just overall abdominal pain. Literally to the point that I was having right knee pain and a migraine that had me laying down in extreme pain. My knee joints and muscles were literally aching so badly, I tried everything from stretching to Tylenol and more to get it to go away but it wouldn’t. Then on Thursday night, I started to feel feverish and a pretty out of it and anxious. I wasn’t sure what was going on and was honestly pretty scared, so I decided I would stop taking the antibiotic on Friday (so after about a week of being on it). I know, I know. That is not good antibiotic practice. I’m an Epidemiologist. I understand the risks… but the pain I was experiencing was way too intense.
When I didn’t take the antibiotic on Friday, I started to feel like I had the flu. I felt feverish and dizzy and tired. Even though I felt like I was getting the flu, I am happy that I stopped the antibiotic because it was making me feel like 100x worse than I was.
So, I’m actually writing this post a bit from the future (08-05-2024) and lo and behold I actually have gotten my period. Which I’m stoked about. I know that seems trivial and weird to be excited about, but I got my IUD removed back in January of this year (2024). And let me just tell you, I didn’t have my period for like 8 years because of birth control, which was nice but also I think my body needed to have it because my RBC counts were getting kind of high. So once I got the IUD removed, I didn’t get my period until March, when I had a 12 day flow which was intense. Then I didn’t get it again until July where it was incredibly painful and I felt like I had a full on flu with body aches, fever, fatigue, dizziness, congestion, etc. Luckily this period only lasted 7 days, thank goodness. And now in August, I was worried that I wouldn’t see my period again for like 6 months, but she’s back.
I will have you know my PCP and my OBGYN are aware of what has been happening and told me to come in if I didn’t get my period in July. So I haven’t gone in for any check-ups, but I’m intrigued to see what continues to unfold with this period saga. I’ll keep you all posted.
So besides the period and the antibiotic debacle, there hasn’t been much else going on with me. I will say though, there are other things going on in my life that I’m sure I’ll share eventually but it’s been a bit stressful with that situation, so that’s also taking up some of my energy.
I am looking forward to this next week though, I have some interesting doctors appointments and will keep you all posted on Friday.
(Picture from Gates Pass, Tucson, AZ.)