Stomach Infection Caused by Strep

[Alexandria146]

A little backstory: I have PANDAS. I had my tonsils removed at the age of 5 years old, but by the time I was 7, I had strep throat left and right. However, it wasn't until my early twenties, that I discovered that I had PANDAS, and that was what had triggered my OCD and trich as a child. For the most part, as I was growing up after that initial onset of chronic strep infections, they ceased, except for an occasional case here and there. However, back in December, I had both strep throat and the flu at the same time.

In March of this year, I developed some sinus problems. I was also having stomach pain and nausea, continuously, on a daily basis. After repeated trips to my doctor, I suggested they test for strep, despite not having a sore or even remotely irritated throat. I did indeed have strep. I have no idea how long I had it before that, as my throat didn't indicate that that was the case. When I was about two or three days into the antibiotics, my stomach felt better. The pain was gone, as well as the nausea. A few days after being off the antibiotics, the stomach pain and nausea returned, as well as other gastrointestinal problems. Since then (mid-April), the problems have intensified and now I am extremely fatigued all the time, and constantly in pain.

My doctor retested for strep, and it came back negative. Has anyone here had experience with stomach infections caused by strep bacteria entering the stomach? I was wondering if perhaps the strep test came back negative since it might have been cleared from my throat but not my stomach.

I have no history of stomach or g.i. problems of any sort. During these past couple of months, I have had a CT scan, two h. pylori tests, and various labs drawn. So far, everything has come back normal. Any advice or thoughts about the matter would be much appreciated! 

[LordChallen]

I was never diagnosed with PANDAS, but my daughter is, and I think (at 48) that I do have it, too. I went through everything that my daughter is going through. I dropped out of school because I couldn't handle the pressures, but tried to educate myself. Anyway, I have my share of issues complicated by my suspected un-diagnosed PANDAS. Like 5 heart-valve by passes at 40, really bad diabetes, mental health issues. But . . . . ., about mid-summer of 2019 I was having pain in my lower stomach. I dealt with it for a couple of months, but the pain got rough. I went to the ER and they did a CT scan, found that I had a bi-lateral hernia. They hooked me up with a surgeon, who politely explained that the hernia was NOT causing my pain. By now, the pain was causing sciatica nerve pain down my right leg. So I went to the chiropractor, who made pretty quick work of the nerve pain in my legs. But ever time I laid on her table, I was reminded that my stomach was still in a lot of pain.

In an effort to control my diabetes better, I started the Intermittent Fasting Diet, 16 hrs no eating, 8 hrs eating. I lost about 20-30lbs in a few months and a large bulge appeared on my naval. It hurts, a lot. Every time I stood, it took a little air-sucking before I could continue on. About the same time, the skin began to peel off my hands and feet. They began to dry out, my urine burned like the fires of , I was tired and weak. I went to the urologist, he suggested that it probably wasn't kidney stones like I thought. I assumed that it must be my diabetes, which was weird because my numbers were pretty good and I didn't have to take insulin to keep them in range.

At this point, some have suggested that I might have shifted to a diabetic type 1.5, which is sort of like both 1 and 2, where I am resistant and don't create insulin. My body was probably going into keto-acidosis. Being diabetic makes me vulnerable to infections, and I don't really know when this cyst started. I had surgery on a similar cyst on my neck about 14 years ago.

I have never been tested for strep, even though I test my daughter monthly or more.

I got really concerned about the huge lump on my belly. I didn't know if it was a strange type of hernia, but I didn't really suspect infection right away, (it was huge.) Emergency Care gave me antibiotics and a white-head developed on the cyst, and it began to drain. . . . . . for 8 days. I won't get into how gross it was. A new CT scan shows what might be a huge cyst snaking around my insides. Two doctors called me today to make follow up appointments.

I just finished the last of the antibiotics today and most of the pain in my stomach has gone. I still have a pain on the lower right side, like something might still be infected. I don't know if this is the source, or something not yet drained. Oddly, when the surgeon did my bi-lateral hernia surgery in Dec 2019 he made the comment that he had to made two extra incisions because I had so much "scar tissue" around my naval. He didn't say anything else, but that is exactly where this cyst is.