Covid Recovery: How can I manage GI issues?

Posted by sieb369 @sieb369, Jan 3, 2022

It has been 5 weeks since my COVID symptoms began. I am well past the isolation date. I had nausea and diarrhea during COVID along with the usual symptoms of cough, fatigue, rapid heartbeat and sinus issues. I have felt like I was over this, but I began having GI pain in the last week. I feel as if my intestines are sore on the inside. I guess it is inflammation. Has anyone else had this and is there anything I can do to help it? Probiotics maybe?

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spainmarshall | @spainmarshall | 4 days ago

In reply to @greg1234 "Greetings, I had a breakthrough case of covid five months ago, all gastrointestinal symptoms. The symptoms..." + (show)

@greg1234 my doctors are still working with me but I have been helped by going on a low histamine diet, removing all sugar with the exception of fruit, reduce activity dramatically and I am dairy and gluten free. This helps if I do not walk too much and I mean 2 miles in a day is too much. D

spainmarshall | @spainmarshall | 4 days ago

In reply to @greg1234 "Greetings, I had a breakthrough case of covid five months ago, all gastrointestinal symptoms. The symptoms..." + (show)

@greg1234 I have been helped by gluten, dairy free, no sugar and a low histamine diet. In addition no real activity.

spainmarshall | @spainmarshall | 4 days ago

In reply to @sunshinestateofmind "My husband is on day 7 of his 4th hospitalization for severe GI issues post Covid...." + (show)

@sunshinestateofmind

My husband is on day 7 of his 4th hospitalization for severe GI issues post Covid. He is 10 weeks out from Omicron. He was vaccinated w/ both Pfizer doses prior to contracting.

No prior history of diarrhea. 2 weeks post Covid he started having painful gas and diarrhea. It became so severe he was doubled over in pain and shaking. After the first CAT scan they said he had the worst case of diverticulitis they had ever seen, and admitted him with 3 different antibiotics and steroids.
Liquid diet, bowel rest, antibiotics, steroids.

We went home. Two days later after eating chicken soup, it all started again. He can’t leave the house w/o a diaper because the attacks are so frequent and so violent.

The colo/rectal surgeon was perplexed because when he scoped him, it wasn’t technically consistent with diverticulitis or even ulcerative colitis. The first 6” from the rectum in are in perfect shape, the next section is an angry inflamed nightmare, and the top looks fine as well.

He DOES have severe colitis and some ulcerations but that doesn’t mean us ulcerative colitis. 14 biopsies were taken. Most of the biopsies looked normal the biopsy of the small ulcers appeared to be either ischemia or infectious.
After 2 weeks of antibiotics the inflammation was unchanged so antibiotics were discontinued.

A fourth Angio CT showed no major blockages to the vessels but they can’t rule out a transient ischemic event in the colon.

When we tried to move back to soft foods yesterday a massive flare up ensued. He was basically having contractions every 60 seconds for 12-16hrs and not really producing much but shedding the mucosal lining I’m guessing. Just a brutal brutal experience. Hemoglobin is 12.7. Pinkish and some bright red blood in stool from time to time. White cells still elevated.

We are exactly where we were 4 weeks ago when we came to the ED the 1st time. It’s so discouraging. He has been on a liquid diet for 24 hours and after a stressful afternoon attacks have come back to every 20 minutes.

Still treating w/ 60mg steroids daily, back on antibiotics, and Mesalamine every 6hrs until we get him through the flare up. They are treating like ulcerative colitis until we can repeat the colonoscopy in 8 weeks.

I’m just scared there is something more we should be doing. I want to protect the integrity of his colon.

Any advice us greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,
H Kountanis

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@sunshinestateofmind what has worked for me is gluten and dairy free, no sugar except in fruit, no caffeine, low histamine diet, meditation, minimal activity. I got over it then it started when I went back to my old diet. Sleep is really important. I am also using gabapentin and now Ldn. If you do this for two months like I did it will help a lot. I am back to a two month process again. D

kprivett | @kprivett | 3 days ago

I have been dealing with long Covid for 4+ years. I now have chronic constipation. My last Covid infection hit my GI tract very hard. I’ve had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy both came out clear. I now take daily meds to help me go. We are doing a gastric emptying study next. I wish you luck and I hope you get better soon!!

vostie | @vostie | 3 days ago

My long covid constipation and diarrhea are all caused by specific foods and alcohol. I did an elimination diet after a year post covid and found I am now allergic to gluten, sugar, wheat, gluten free bread (don't yet know what ingredient I am reacting to), dairy, cheese with mold like blue cheese and red wine...probably the tannin. If I stay away from those foods, my digestive track is just fine but having a glass of red wine or a slice of bread will cause havoc! Low dose naltrexone has lessened some of these allergic reactions but they still continue 6 years post covid.

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