Posts by Ashley Booth12

There is also the Myco-Kombi vaginal suppository paired with an external cream. In my experience, it performs significantly better than anything from Johnson & Johnson. The suppository doesn't leave you feeling as dry as the Johnson & Johnson version; it has more of a gel-like consistency, which prevents further irritation to already sensitive areas.
As for John Doe, it’s truly a lifesaver—I honestly don't know how I managed without it. 🙏🙏🙏

Thanks for all the input!
I’m planning to redo my blood work in about a month. I heard that taking antibiotics can sometimes "mask" inflammation if you get tested too soon after finishing a course (?), so I'll wait until then. In the meantime, I'm just hoping the pain subsides. Since I haven't been able to get an X-ray referral from my doctor, I'm still in the dark about whether there's anything actually wrong with my spine.

Maria Fisher46 said:I would certainly consider it, but the issue is that since a potential infection hasn't been identified in your case, there is the question of what would even serve as a sample. Furthermore, we have to ask if we are actually dealing with an infection at all, or perhaps something else entirely.
It is clear from this that you require further evaluation—starting with a consultation with a neurologist or a physiatrist, followed likely by radiological imaging. An X-ray of the spine, and perhaps the hips, would merely be one part of the process and will likely not be sufficient to reach a final diagnosis. My colleague velvetmoose9 already touched upon this in a previous post.

I've been reading up on sciatica symptoms, and honestly, it’s a perfect match for what I'm going through: Sciatica involves pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, traveling from your lower back through your hips and buttocks, and down into your legs.
The pain can intensify significantly when coughing or sneezing.
Mornings are the absolute worst. The pain leaves me feeling completely paralyzed. My entire lower right side and leg are stiff, and there is this brutal, burning sensation.

I just received my latest blood work results. My white blood cell count is 8.3, with a reference range up to 9.7 (previously, it was at 13.78).
Everything else appears to be within the normal range, except for my ESR (sedimentation rate), which has actually increased to 34, where the reference limit is 24 (it was 29 the first time).
My lymphocyte count was 14.2 against a reference of 20, but it has now risen to 31, with a reference up to 46.
TSH is 2.46.

I am still enduring excruciating pain in my lower back, hip, and throughout my entire right leg.
I was prescribed 600mg of ibuprofen and 2mg of Normabel.
The pill "masks" the pain for part of the day, but not entirely, and by morning, everything starts all over again. I can barely move.

I would appreciate some advice on whether I should request an X-ray of my spine, as the sensation of the pain suggests that
everything is radiating outward from the center of my lower back.
Or should I be asking for other therapies? It seems my doctor has decided to simply "shush" me with pills
that will ultimately do nothing more than hide the symptoms. This has been going on for two and a half weeks now without relief, and the pain is steadily worsening. Between the exhaustion caused by the pain and the frustration of being unable to fix anything, I feel quite overwhelmed. I have been applying Neofen gel, but it provides no respite whatsoever. I even bought some aloe vera ointment thinking a herbal approach might help, but to no avail.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU!

Thanks for the reply! I actually sought out a second opinion from another doctor, and she was just as puzzled as I am about why I was prescribed Doxycycline in the first place.
While I was taking it, I dealt with intense dizzy spells and noticed my eyelid swelling up—which I even saw listed as a potential side effect.
I’m heading back tomorrow to redo my blood work, so we'll see what happens once the results are in; I'll be getting my TSH checked then as well.

One more thing. Wouldn't it have been more logical to refer me for testing to isolate the specific bacteria involved, rather than just guessing which antibiotic to use?

velvetmoose9 said:I find myself in agreement with Nicholas Myers.
The symptoms described could certainly stem from an inflammatory process in the dental area (which, based on the description, appears to be untreated).

I haven't reviewed any specific lab results yet, such as:
-CRP
-Lumbar spine X-ray (or potentially a CT or MRI if necessary)
-Dental X-rays (panoramic) of the specific region where the inflammation was located

It is entirely possible that we are looking at discitis—as Nicholas Myers suggested—which would necessitate a coordinated effort between a dentist (perhaps an oral surgeon?), a radiologist, a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, and an infectious disease specialist...

However, it is also quite plausible (and perhaps more likely) that we are dealing with two distinct issues:

- An untreated infection in the dental region (where Clindamycin would be the antibiotic of choice)
- An independent flare-up of previously documented lumbosacral spine issues.

Regarding the current symptoms, I would not initially recommend an NSAID (such as Voltaren, Naproxen, Advil, ibuprofen, Ketorolac, or Lupocet), as suppressing a fever might mask the very indicator we need to confirm an active inflammatory process, likely bacterial in nature.

There are other possibilities that could explain these symptoms, though they are statistically less common.

I also have this result: http://postimg.org/image/mdisq18n7/
It was on a separate sheet, so I didn't include it originally.

And here is today's panoramic dental X-ray: http://postimg.org/image/oapoby1ar/
My dentist claims he doesn't see any signs of an issue there.

At this point, I am truly at a loss... I am repeating my blood work next Monday. Since I take my last dose of antibiotics tomorrow morning, will that provide enough time for the blood tests to reflect anything meaningful?

Maria Fisher46 said:Which antibiotic were you prescribed? Have any tests been performed besides a standard blood count? Are you running a fever?

It is impossible to state with certainty whether this sudden onset of lower back pain radiating down the leg is linked to what is happening with your teeth, though theoretically, it is possible—for instance, if bacteria from a dental infection entered the bloodstream and migrated toward the spinal area.

Given that you mentioned feeling generally unwell, it would be prudent to contact your local emergency room for further evaluation.

I was prescribed Doxycycline, one tablet every 12 hours.
The pain in my back and leg persists. It isn't subsiding even with medication; I was given Naproxen. I actually went to the ER today because I felt truly terrible—dizziness, headaches, and general weakness, though no fever.
I was seen only by a nurse at the ER and sent home; she told me to just continue the antibiotic and suggested that if the dizziness, headache, and weakness are side effects, they are considered normal. 🤔
By the way, I am allergic to penicillin (it causes a rash).
Aside from a blood count, no other tests have been conducted.

Good afternoon, everyone. My back completely seized up on me recently, so I went to see my doctor for some pain relief injections and medication just to take the edge off. For about a year now, I’ve been dealing with morning back pain, but I always managed to push through—I swapped out my pillow, bought a new mattress, but nothing seems to work. This time, however, the pain was paralyzing. It’s radiating from my right lower back down through my hip and the entire right leg; it’s a constant, burning stiffness that is driving me crazy. My physician ordered blood work, and these were the results:
http://postimg.org/image/iba8ek0c3/
I’ve been prescribed antibiotics and have a follow-up in ten days.
If anyone has a moment to take a look, the labs seem to suggest systemic inflammation, though
my doctor couldn't confirm if that's directly related to this sudden back spasm. She asked if I was coming down with a cold, which I'm not, or if there were other underlying issues. Since this past spring, I've also experienced significant hair loss. I initially dismissed it as seasonal shedding since it started in the spring, but it hasn't stopped... my hair is falling out in clumps. When I first consulted a specialist about it, the advice was simply to take vitamins and use specialized shampoos, but nothing has provided relief.
Additionally, about two months ago, I dealt with a granuloma on a molar that had an old root canal from several years back. It caused a terrible odor and a fistula on my palate, so the tooth had to be extracted. Could an issue like that still leave traces of inflammation in my system? Generally speaking, I feel like a wreck. Between this intense pain in my back and leg, I can barely get out of bed in the morning. On top of that, I'm feeling incredibly weak and exhausted. Age: 30.

I started my period this Sunday, and honestly, things are a mess. I can't even use a tampon because the area is still so raw and sensitive from the pad, which makes everything feel incredibly irritated 🙂. To make matters worse, I tried calling my doctor, but they refused to see me, claiming they won't perform an exam while I'm on my cycle 😕. I then went to a private clinic, only to receive the exact same response—they told me to come back once my period is over 🙂. Meanwhile, the irritation from the pad is absolutely unbearable 😢.😢😢

I am still struggling with this 🙂 ... I used a Monistat vaginal suppository because I thought I was dealing with another yeast infection, but three days later, there hasn't been any improvement whatsoever. Since yesterday, I’ve started using Gynopro because just trying to stay dry wasn't doing the trick... but as of this morning, things are still terrible. Everything is swollen externally 🙂 so much so that I have to carefully position myself just to use the restroom; the moment even a drop hits the area, the stinging is so intense it makes me see stars. To make matters worse, a crack in my skin has developed into what looks like a small, white, elongated blister—the kind you get when you burn yourself.
I can't seem to reach a gynecologist. I'm calling the hospital information line now, but nobody seems to know who is on call or where I can go for an exam 🙄 ...
And the worst part is that my period is due this Tuesday. If things haven't calmed down by then, the onset of my period is going to be absolutely unbearable 😢

hmmm... I’ve actually just realized I have a small sore 😢 right near the entrance of the labia, just above the midline, and it’s actually stinging at the moment. The area seems to have healed somewhat, if I’m reading it right—there's a bit of a whitish layer of new skin forming. I've found that I feel much better simply washing the area and ensuring it stays thoroughly dry... rather than constantly applying various ointments or creams.

Almond cream or St. John's Wort oil... those are the only two things I have on hand right now. Would it be wise to use either of those down there?

I am not entirely sure if there is an existing thread regarding this topic, aside from when it comes up during childbirth discussions,
so I thought I would ask... I developed a small tear in my perineal area following a lengthy sexual encounter. To be honest, I didn't even realize what had happened until the next day when I felt a sharp stinging sensation while urinating. Upon inspection, I noticed a small wound
in the perineal region... I didn't have anything on hand except for some Tyrosur powder (similar to Bacitracin)
so I applied that... but it isn't doing much; the area is far too moist for the powder to stay put🙄
I am wondering if anyone can recommend a topical treatment to speed up the healing process, because the stinging is quite intense...
My husband is currently away on vacation, and I have no intention of seeing the man covering his shifts since we haven't gotten along well in the past. This has been going on for three days now... does anyone have any "quick fix" advice?