Antibiotic started chronic neuropathy
 

Help. My life has recently been turned upside down and filled with pain.

On March 23 I took Flagyl and during got extreme burning mouth, throat, and esophagus. (It felt like i would be drinking liquid fire when i drank water!) I also got many other symptoms like head pressure, facial pain, ringing in ears, exhaustion, fevers, sore throat, fullness in ears, joint pain, dizziness, diarrhea, severe anxiety.

I ended up in ER after only three days, yet they couldn't find anything wrong with me except that I had a reaction to Flagyl. They told me it would get better after I stopped the antibiotic.

The next evening I started to get dizzy then feel very sick. Then I noticed that I had a sensation like menthol was all over my arms. Over the month that sensation spread to my hands, face, neck, shoulders, thighs, feet, even in ears and up nose! This is on top of the burnt mouth feeling and esophagus. It is so bad that I could not let wind or AC touch my skin.

It started to get better towards the end of the month. Then either it was from a scare with my baby or a bad cold and now it is worse then it ever was! It gets especially painful on my arms and face. All the original neurological symptoms have not gone away. The face pain is one of the worst. The only thing that is better is anxiety. I'm not as freaked as I was two months ago, just sad it won't go away.

I've been tested for everything. No Lymes, normal CT/MRI, Normal B levels.

Drs are confused.

I have a 2 year old boy and a 4 month old baby girl that I'm struggling to take care of and had to move in with in-laws.

I am breastfeeding so it's impossible to take drugs.

The neurologist said it was an allergic reaction and should go away within two months, but it seems to now be getting worse every week now.

I want my life back! Before this started I was extremely fit, healthy young mother and not overweight. The stress of this pain/mystery illness has made me lose over 30 lbs.

Any clues to what's going on?

From personal experience, I would be willing to bet that some of your symptoms are the result of stress/ anxiety. Nobody likes to hear "It's all in your head", and I'm not saying it is, However there is no doubt that anxiety can produce very real, physical symptoms. What may have started as a drug reaction may now be a results of anxiety over this event combined with what other stressors you might be going through. Regardless, I recommend that you focus on relaxation techniques. You might pick up a book on mindfulness. As bad as you might want your symptoms to go away, it's best to acknowledge their existence, but don't focus on them or question what they mean. Just acknowledge that they are there and move on. Over time you will realize that you are not going to die from them and I would be willing to bet that they simply go away. Your tests have come back normal. You should see this as a good thing. I hope the best for you.

As much as I would like to believe that, the burning mouth, thoat and esphogus started while on the antibiotic. It was extremely painful. When I stopped the drug it did get better. Although minimally.

I have noticed that my symptoms are worse under heavy stress.

This is definitely not all in my head. I went to Dr. Latov in NYC. He confirmed my case.

Well, if you only took the antibiotic for a short duration it's not likely there was permanent damage so things should get better regardless. Like I said in my first response, I'm not saying it's all in your head but that anxiety can in fact manifest physical symptoms so just keep that in mind. Sometimes our stress over an event like this can prolong the relief. Just sayin'. Good luck

Flagyl is a known causer of PN... In fact it can also create lesions in the central nervous system. But I don't think that happens so quickly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metronidazole

This drug increases aldehydes in the body... like alcohol does.

You might want to try high dose thiamine and see if that helps with this reaction. Benfotiamine which is an improved version, lasts longer in the body, and may work also.
300mg a day in divided doses for thiamine,
or 300mg a day of benfotiamine (may be taken all at once).

People vary in being able to metabolize aldehydes. This is a genetic thing. If you have had problems with alcohol causing flushing or hangovers with very small amounts, this may be your problem... a metabolic one. So this is worth a try.

Benfotiamine is not in stores, but you can find Doctor's Best brand on iherb.com or Amazon. Doctors Best is high quality and quite affordable. Many people with PN find it helps, not for everyone, but many. It is easily tolerated with little if any side effects. You can take with food too.