Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
|
|
 |
 |
Diarrhea/Blastocystis hominis etc.
Oct 15, 2001
I have been HIV +ve for 4.5 yrs and started Nelfinavir, AZT and 3TC shortly after seroconversion. I have done well on this regime, VL is undetectable and CD4 is around 850. Several months ago I experienced an acute gastro intestinal infection with foul smelling watery stools. Stool samples were collected but no pathogens were detected. The diarrhea subsided but I still experience diarrhea over and above the usual nelfinavir related soft stools. I subsequently took a Great Smokies Comprehensive Parasitology test. The test detected: Pseudomonas aerudinosa, Geotrichum species, Blastocystis hominis and Entamoeba hartmanni. I took these results to my doctor (here in the UK) but he did not consider these factors to be pathogenic. I would be very interested to know whether you would consider these agents pathogenic and how they should be treated.
Many thanks,
Rob
|
 |
|
 |
|
Response from Dr. Dieterich
Dear Rob,
Great Smokies sometimes overreads the stools. However that being said, if you are having diarrhea and if you have HIV and if you have at least Blastocystis and perhaps entameba hartmanii, then I think you should be treated. There is little downside risk of a course of metronidazole or diiodoquin or albendazole for a week or two. On the other hand if you had an acute infection which is now over, then you may be more subject to irritable bowel than before or more subject to the nelflinavir diarrhea. For that people are trying calcium supplements very successfully. Good luck! DTD
|
|
|
 Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
Copyright notice.
|
|
|
|
