Note: This post is mostly going to be about my bowels.
Diarrhea started Monday afternoon. Figured it was food poisoning from the day before, or even from that day's lunch. Went home early, took some pepto, felt a little better, went to bed. Tuesday was okay although I was a bit bloated and stools alternated between constipated and very soft but not diarrhea-y. No big deal, went to pub quiz at the Brit Club and had a good time finishing right in the middle of the pack (fourth of eight teams). Wednesday the office was closed because of security -- no threat, just that the hotel was hosting a very high-level conference this week so they weren't letting anyone into the complex -- so I worked mostly from SRB's place while she studied. Felt a bit weak but chalked it up to dehydration despite the care I'd taken to stay hydrated; SRB even picked up some ORS for me on the way home from one of her yoga classes. Oh, one side note: I'd also been intermittently burping a lot, and the burps had a very specific taste that didn't seem associated with anything I'd been eating.
Wednesday night (i.e. last night) was rough. Woke at god knows what hour of the night and spent what felt like at least an hour either on the toilet or lying in bed waiting for the need to build back up again. This morning SRB told me to go to the doctor, that it sounded like I had giardia and it can last for weeks untreated. She has a friend who had it and it laid her up for more than a month. Going to the doctor and taking time off work feels like admitting defeat, especially when most of the time I feel alright: minimal to no headache, not feverish, mentally with it. But I said okay and sent TR a message asking for a recommendation.
After he responded I drove all the way out to E-11, about as far out as you can go and still be in Islamabad, to the office of a lovely British doctor named Jenny. She also started the email listserv where many expats post things like leaving-town furniture sales, recommendations for Urdu tutors, etc. She took a history and confirmed: classic giardia. Rx is two separate courses of targeted (i.e. not broad-spectrum, not Cipro) antibiotics of five days each with a two-day break in between.
She also took my blood pressure and it came out at 135/90, which is normal-ish for me. I've had BP in that range at least since I was 19, although sometimes it tests in the normal range. But it alarmed her a bit, apparently her brother-in-law had a stroke at 35. All three internists I've had as an adult* both told me not to worry about it too much, maybe watch the salt a little. Anyway Jenny prevailed on me to get a cuff and measure once a month just to monitor the situation.
All in all a productive day so far. It'll actually be good not to drink for two weeks. Alcohol intake hasn't been especially high recently but never hurts to take a complete break. Still planning to have some people over tonight for a game of celebrity, which will be a fun last hurrah before I start the drugs and am possibly nauseous for ten of the next 12 days.
*That guy I saw one time when I first moved to DC doesn't count, he was a weirdo and his practice was terrible.
Diarrhea started Monday afternoon. Figured it was food poisoning from the day before, or even from that day's lunch. Went home early, took some pepto, felt a little better, went to bed. Tuesday was okay although I was a bit bloated and stools alternated between constipated and very soft but not diarrhea-y. No big deal, went to pub quiz at the Brit Club and had a good time finishing right in the middle of the pack (fourth of eight teams). Wednesday the office was closed because of security -- no threat, just that the hotel was hosting a very high-level conference this week so they weren't letting anyone into the complex -- so I worked mostly from SRB's place while she studied. Felt a bit weak but chalked it up to dehydration despite the care I'd taken to stay hydrated; SRB even picked up some ORS for me on the way home from one of her yoga classes. Oh, one side note: I'd also been intermittently burping a lot, and the burps had a very specific taste that didn't seem associated with anything I'd been eating.
Wednesday night (i.e. last night) was rough. Woke at god knows what hour of the night and spent what felt like at least an hour either on the toilet or lying in bed waiting for the need to build back up again. This morning SRB told me to go to the doctor, that it sounded like I had giardia and it can last for weeks untreated. She has a friend who had it and it laid her up for more than a month. Going to the doctor and taking time off work feels like admitting defeat, especially when most of the time I feel alright: minimal to no headache, not feverish, mentally with it. But I said okay and sent TR a message asking for a recommendation.
After he responded I drove all the way out to E-11, about as far out as you can go and still be in Islamabad, to the office of a lovely British doctor named Jenny. She also started the email listserv where many expats post things like leaving-town furniture sales, recommendations for Urdu tutors, etc. She took a history and confirmed: classic giardia. Rx is two separate courses of targeted (i.e. not broad-spectrum, not Cipro) antibiotics of five days each with a two-day break in between.
She also took my blood pressure and it came out at 135/90, which is normal-ish for me. I've had BP in that range at least since I was 19, although sometimes it tests in the normal range. But it alarmed her a bit, apparently her brother-in-law had a stroke at 35. All three internists I've had as an adult* both told me not to worry about it too much, maybe watch the salt a little. Anyway Jenny prevailed on me to get a cuff and measure once a month just to monitor the situation.
All in all a productive day so far. It'll actually be good not to drink for two weeks. Alcohol intake hasn't been especially high recently but never hurts to take a complete break. Still planning to have some people over tonight for a game of celebrity, which will be a fun last hurrah before I start the drugs and am possibly nauseous for ten of the next 12 days.
*That guy I saw one time when I first moved to DC doesn't count, he was a weirdo and his practice was terrible.
No comments:
Post a Comment