- infection question, musings

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I just recently read your post where you stated that your surgeon

is treating you for an abdominal infection. I hope that your are

being extremely compliant with his advice (LOL) but seriously, I

hope things are going well and that you are taking it easy so your

body can fight this. Especially with your insulin issues. I am so

sensitive to this condition because of my experience with the

abdominal pus pockets and the washout surgery which induced

my pancreas problems. I turn white as a ghost whenever

anyone even mentions intra-abdominal infection to me. Please

baby yourself and get better!

On that subject, I was wondering if you could offer your thoughts

on this idea: is there a possibility of having a chronic abdominal

infection (possibly walled -off, or granuloma-like) for years and

not have any laboratory signs (elevated RBC, ESR, CRP) or

imaging confirmation? I ask because a friend with similar

history found that whenever she had to take antibiotics for other

problems, she always noticed that her pancreas / biliary pain

was reduced significantly and stayed that way for about 4 weeks

after her last dose. Looking back, I noticed that when I took my

antibiotics for pnuemonia this spring, the same thing

happened....I was able to significantly reduce my pain med

usage based on perceived pain levels. About 5 weeks or so

later, the pain came back to the higher levels. This last week, I

needed to take a few left over anti-biotics for a tooth that I hurt

after eating some pumpkin seeds (long story). Again, the level

temporarily went down (but this could just be coincidence as I

only took two days worth or anti-bs). My logic says that this just

can't be.....that having an infection, even chronic, for five years,

just couldn't go undetected. Plus I would think that it would have

fulminated during times of medical stress (my ERCPs, lap

chole, etc). But then I rationalize that by saying all of these

procedures were done with prophylactic anti-b treatment......

So, is there any rational way that a person can have a chronic

abdominal iinfection and not have it detected? and if so, could

that be a cause for the pancreas / biliary pain that we

experience? I gotta tell you, if I could believe this in my head, it

would scare me to pieces, because of my history with this from

that awful surgeon.....but I do not mean to scare you with what

you are going through now.......