Possible food poisoning when on rituximab

[weathervane]

Hello all, ive had a bad night, diarrhoea, painful guts , bit dizzy and cold . Im thinking food poisoning or gastric flu . My worry is should I call the doctor because of rituximab or give it 48 hours . The gp isn’t taking calls unless it’s an emergency as low on staff in summer as you don’t get ill then LOL . Anyone have advice or similar experience , i am trying to drink fluids 🤢

[weathervane]

Ps. Now im aching all over , I may have to resort to pain relief. Maybe paracetamol?

[eekt in reply to weathervane]

Paracetamol might mask a fever? x

[GloomyEeyore]

I’m sorry to hear that you are unwell. I really think you should phone your GP for advice. I’m not on anything like rituximab but was told to get in touch with my GP should I be unwell whilst taking the hydroxychloroquine and colchicine. I’d keep trying to drink fluids and maybe ask if it’s safe to take dioralyte and / or anti diarrhoea tablets. Hope you feel better soon. Xx

[eekt]

GP should make allowance for those with chronic illness - be firm with reception when you call. XO Have you a thermometer and/or blood pressure monitor, so you could give him/her your temp and BP? Willing you well! xxx

[weathervane]

Thank everyone, im very sleepy st the moment so will need s sleep before fit to talk to doctor , pain relief is helping the limb pains a bit xxx

[misty14 in reply to weathervane]

So sorry weathervane your having a rough time with your guts. It could well be a bug and as your on Retuximab and other pills maybe?, as others have said you need advice if it doesn't settle tomorrow!. You are an emergency. Don't forget!. Hope you feel better soonXx

[wsjkcj1]

Hi WV,

do you have fever? If not, it's probably a stomach virus. hopefully it passes soon!

[weathervane]

Thanks again for your support, i had a sleep and I have only woken up , so haven’t called the gp . I still feel rough

Imight phone the out of hours doctor as its near and if i have to go down they have better loos . I hav a mild temperature so along with the aches it probably is a virus, hopefully just a 24 hour thing

[AgedCrone in reply to weathervane]

Can you phone your Rheumy nurse?

I'm on RTX & had a nasty bout of flu ....,never had it before.....in fact I felt so bad I didn't even think about being on RTX...just told myself no point in calling GP,as there is no real treatment unless you get a chest infection.....i took paracetamol & drank plenty & I survived ...but if you are still worried & can't contact your Rheumy nurse, try your practice Nurse.

[weathervane in reply to AgedCrone]

Thanks for your reply , I called the doctor and he thinks it maybe food poisoning ! He has sent out the Nurse as im not fit to go to surgery, she took bloods and checked bp etc and has taken away a sample. I was really surprised that Nurse came out but theres no way I could have gone to her. Still feeling rough today withno let up on the diarrhoea.

[AgedCrone in reply to weathervane]

Glad you are getting sorted.

I'm wondering if there is a bug going around...I went out this morning feeling fine, all set to do a big shop...but after half an hour, my head was banging & I 'm home now feeling really Yucky.

Time will tell!

AC

[weathervane in reply to AgedCrone]

I hope not this started very quickly as well , my head and the rest of me aches 😖

[eekt in reply to weathervane]

That's good the nurse came, remember to report back to GP if you stop weeing or you can't get warm! We Lupies need to be cautious about strange immune responses to bugs. Be well xxx

[weathervane in reply to eekt]

The gp give me a list to watch out for ! I have Sjögrens but like lupus bugs have a bad effect particularly if on biologics . Maybe this will help with a bit of weight loss 🤔

[maggielee]

Hi sorry your unwell, my daughter is across the hall suffering similar symptoms since finishing work Sat... She not keeping her food down though i gave her a bland meal tonight, fever, aches, etc.

I think i agree with folks here that you should contact the gp due to meds etc. Was wondering if it is a kind of summer flu? Not nice, we move onto make jelly to see if she can eat that, a bit of protein & sugar & lots of fluids...feel better. ML ☺

[weathervane]

Just an update, gp phoned to say bloods indicate an infection but will not know cause until they get the results back from sample. Still feeling rough 🤢

[eekt in reply to weathervane]

Good stuff, they're on to it! Could you manage camomile tea and ginger? Root ginger reduces queasiness. Keep us posted! xxx

[weathervane in reply to eekt]

Thanks eekt , I don’t know if I could stomach it as still a bit queasy but i will get my husband to get some tonight when he does the shopping . I like a lump of ginger with lemon! Good news is ive lost 1/2 a stone , bad news it will probably go on again 🤪

[eekt in reply to weathervane]

Good grief!...not the kind of weight loss programme you want...but great your funny bone is still in good order! mo xxx

[weathervane in reply to eekt]

Up date ! I had a phone call from gp yesterday, sample showed i had

[eekt in reply to weathervane]

You had an infection? Hope you're on the road to recovery xxx

[weathervane in reply to eekt]

Oopss don’t know what I did there ! Gp said i had Campylobacter food poisoning , not sure of cause, on the Sunday we took my son out as going back to Holland and i had fish , the day before i had eggs in mother in laws . The gp said he had to report it to public health as could be caused by cross contamination of foods. Because im in rituximab and still having the trots he is giving me a course of antibiotics. Im annoyed that it has taken over a week to diagnose this as I could have been on treatment earlier. Oh well at least i know the cause now !

[eekt in reply to weathervane]

Waaah! What a wait but things can only get better now xxx

[weathervane]

LOL , you wouldn’t cope without a laugh ! i will up date again when i get final results x