Bad Reaction to Something

After lunch yesterday I experienced cramping pain. I had eaten several (4-6) small cherry tomatoes from my garden, and a ham, tomato and lettuce sandwich with 3 rainier cherries for lunch. Then I walked to Whole Foods, where I ate another 2 grapes and 2 more small cherries. By the time I got home I still had some pain and a little bloating. I felt well enough to attend the musical ('Catch Me If You Can'), but decided to wear a looser dress, with just a slip, no nylons with sandals, because I was bloated.

For dinner I had some leftover chicken with red sauce (and vegies) from a favorite Mexican restaurant and a few tortilla chips. I also took my daily probiotic, which can cause some gas and bloating. However I need to take that to compensate for the good bacteria which Vancomycin kills along with c-diff. Sometimes eating helps push gas through my gut, but not this time. I felt even worse cramping pain on the way to the theater.

While sitting during the musical I had excruciating intestinal pain with some bloating, maybe an 8 on a 1-10 pain scale, very similar to what I used to get from gluten reactions. Sitting in the bathroom during the intermission didn't help much. So I told my husband I wanted to go home. He suggested we walk around the lobby up and down stairs to see whether walking relieved the pain. The pain increased with walking. So we drove home. I sorely regretted depriving my husband of the second half of the musical. Maybe I should have taken a taxi home. However, I knew I couldn't endure another hour of sitting to watch the musical.

When we got home I made peppermint tea, which helps relieve gut cramps. That helped a bit. Just standing helped a bit. However I still had to eat something to take my last vancomycin dose. I didn't want any solid food. So I ate about 1/2 cup of coconut mango ice cream and took the vanco. I didn't feel much better, but at least I got my last vanco dose for the day. Then I went to bed after I raised the upper and lower parts of the bed. That usually helps with gas pain and bloating. Even though pain did not decrease, I went to sleep before midnight and slept okay.

Nevertheless, I awoke this morning with continued cramping pain. However elimination relieved the pain somewhat. I didn't quite have diarrhea, but I had very soft stools, compared to my usual. That happened again after drinking some tea and apple juice a hour later.

I'm concerned and confused, because I have 2 different recommendations from my HMO about vancomycin. The instructions I received from the pharmacy say that 'belly pain' (which could be anywhere in the digestive system) is 'possible side effet', but 'call healthcare provider immediately' if you have 'severe diarrhea, even after medication is stopped'. Another set of instructions from my HMO's online info about vanco say 'stop using vanco and call your doc at once if you have ... severe stomach pain, diarrhea which is watery or bloody'. Well I had the first part for the past 12 hours, but I don't quite have watery diarrhea. Also I can't reach my naturopath over the weekend, when these emergencies often occur. I could call my HMO 24 hour nurse. However, I'd have to explain the whole history with flagyl, vanco, gut problems, probiotics, etc.

I DO NOT want to stop taking vanco. My initial c-diff symptoms included constipation, bloating and pain. I prefer diarrhea to constipation. Perhaps I reacted to too many tomatoes or the probiotic (which often causes gas and bloating) along with vanco induced diarrhea. At this point, I want to wait and see. I'm also going to listen to my body and eat what sounds good. Right now bread and nut butters with very little fruit sounds good. Maybe we'll have macaroni and cheese (low fiber) for dinner tonight. If the pain increases or I actually get diarrhea, I will call my HMOs 24 hour consulting nurse line. Meanwhile I'll just keep taking vanco and see what happens.