Strep While on Penicillin

[PIK]

Hello -

 

I have had the whole gamut of strep complications starting at like 14 with PANDAS, OCD, rheumatic fever, PSGN etc.

 

I am now 37 and being treated by my family physician with once monthly Bicillin injections, which has really helped with joint issues, and I've felt better than I have in a very long time.

 

I had contact with somebody two days ago, and my throat hurts, and I'm wondering if it's possible to contract strep while on penicillin injections. I had gotten the last penicillin injection probably like five days before having contact with someone who I think has strep.

 

I don't understand how this is possible. I have a doctor's appointment later this afternoon, but I would appreciate it if anybody could shed some light on this.

[searching_for_help]

 

Our dd swabbed positive several times for strep while on 3-4 different antibiotics. (Penicillin was the first.) I personally think there is antibiotic resistant, but the doctors don't report it. We had 2 docs that swabbed her that said THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IT, they were so shocked. So we took her to an infectious disease doc who wouldn't even look at her records because he said that was impossible. Thus, because they had been TAUGHT it was impossible, they couldn't/wouldn't believe the test results in front of them. I'm positive none of them reported it.

[PIK]

I went to the doctor yesterday, and he said it was an "ulcer" on my tonsil. I swear it tastes like strep to me, but he took a swab for herpes. I don't know how I would have herpes, and he said he even doubted it.

 

I ended up popping it with a pencil when I went home, and no pus came out, which I guess means that it wasn't strep, even though I have a strep taste in my mouth.

 

There is much less pressure, but I've had a continued pulsating feeling the back of my neck, almost a clamp like sensation, as well as mild ear pressure and pain. I've also been steadily gaining more and more weight.

 

I know this is a PANDAS forum, but I was just looking for some of your thoughts since I do believe I had PANDAS and I know inside me that all of these issues that I am having continue to be strep related.

[rowingmom]

Not only is this a PANDAS forum, it is also a PANS/Lyme forum.

 

Infection with Lyme and several of the coinfections (bartonella, mycoplasma, viruses) can result in PANS/PANDAS symptoms. Strep does not need to be involved.

 

Early on, before treatment for Lyme/co, DD13 (then 9) developed strep which exacerbated her PANS symptoms. Treatment for strep resolved those symptoms but as soon as PenVK was discontinued her symptoms returned.

 

Another round of PenVK again resolved symptoms, but only for 4 days. On day 5 all of her PANS/PANDAS symptoms, along with a sore throat, returned while still on the antibiotic.

 

Swab indicated the problem was not strep.

 

Further investigation into both physical and psych symptoms on this forum lead me to seek help from a LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor) who tested DD through Igenex. She returned positive for bartonella; which is notorious for both supressing immune response (ie allowing other recurring infections) and for producing psych symptoms.

 

www.ashdin.com/journals/jnp/235640.pdf

 

http://www.personalconsult.com/posts/neurology-and-psychiatry-of-lyme-babesia-bartonella.html

 

Sore throat is a symptom of bartonella, as is encephalitis which will produce symptoms of brain inflammation including light/sound sensitivities, sore/stiff neck, eye and ear pressure.

 

I would not assume your issues are only caused by strep.

Edited October 9, 2015 by rowingmom

[4Nikki]

Just a reminder to watch out for carriers of strep as well.

[sarojane]

I agree with Rowing Mom, my DD gets tonsillitis every 18 days, sometimes strep sometimes not. Positive Bartonella test. We started treating the Bart and Lyme with combo abx and herbs approximately 3 weeks ago. She has gotten tonsillitis while on Augmentin.

 

This last fever/throat cycle only lasted 2 days instead of the usual 3-5. Her PANDAS symptoms have continually been going down since we started taking Japanese Knotweed, High CBD Hemp Oil, Burbur/Pinella, liposomal vitamin C, Oxylent, Bowellia Serrata over the past 9 months.

 

I have heard it's a long road to recovery, so I am hopeful that she will keep improving.

[libera]

Just this week our PANDAS daughter came down with strep like symptoms while on abx. The strep test came back negative, even though my daughter was convinced she had it. She experienced the symptoms for about two days, then seemed to return to normal. Then the note came home from school that someone had strep.

 

From what I have researched, It seems that some PANDAS kids just may react to strep even the infection is actually NOT in their bodies. I liken it to those peanut-allergy sufferers who have the allergic response even if they haven't eaten a peanut (airborne, etc.). A few months ago, also while on abx, she began to show strep symptoms. Thanks to this forum, I realized that the probiotics I had given her had the strep bacteria in them, and immediately discontinued them. The symptoms went away without any further treatment.

 

I know she has also gotten strep from coconut yogurt (but that time she tested positive). Just food for thought.