- The author was diagnosed with urinary tract infection and gastroenteritis simultaneously
- Initial symptoms included diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and a persistent high fever
- Urine culture identified Escherichia coli, leading to a higher antibiotic dosage prescribed
Nearly, a month ago, I was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and gastroenteritis at the same time. My initial symptoms were diarrhoea, stomach pain, and vomiting, along with fever. While the other symptoms subsided on the second day, the thermometer still showed a reading of 103 degree Celsius. There was a significant weather change during the time, and I brushed off the fever. However, the fever was still at 103 degree Celsius on the third day and now I also started experiencing chills. That's when I visited the doctor and he asked me to get a few tests done and the reports said that I had a UTI.
The First Few Days
The day I visited the doctor in the evening, that morning, I experienced a foul smell in the urine. I ignored it since I had no other symptoms like a stomach pain or burning sensation. However, in the evening when the doctor asked if I had any symptoms, I shared it with him. To this, he asked me to get a blood test, urine examination and urine culture done. Noting my symptoms, he advised me to start antibiotics. Amidst this, my blood pressure levels had dropped to 100/60.
The blood test and urine examination reports came the next evening, which confirmed that I had a stomach infection as well as a UTI. While it was confirmed that it was a UTI, the bacteria was still unknown since I hadn't received the urine culture report, which was supposed to come three days later.
I started to take antibiotics and other medicines religiously, but, there was no improvement in my symptoms. The thermometer was still stuck at 103-104 degree Celsius, with a frequency of every 7-8 hours. I had gotten extremely weak and could barely walk a few steps without feeling dizzy.
Three days later, the urine culture report came, which confirmed that it was an Escherichia coli infection. The doctor then advised me to start on a higher dosage of antibiotic for five days, which was a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.
Other Symptoms, Diet And More
From the very first day of the infections, food had started to smell for me, like it was rotten, especially non-vegetarian food like fish, mutton, egg, prawn. Hence, I started to avoid it and was mostly eating vegetarian food. I also increased my fluid intake considerably. I was drinking nearly 4-4.5 litres of water every single day. Along with water, I also drank fresh homemade juices, coconut water, water-rich fruits and more. One thing that I noticed during this time was, while I felt hungry, my appetite had gone down immensely.
While I was eating nutritious food and drinking ample amounts of fluids, the symptoms didn't seem to go away. Walking a few steps made me dizzy, I felt fatigued most of the time, blood pressure was still low at 100/60-110/60, and the fever didn't improve.
The Combination Of Low Blood Pressure And Persistent Fever
After nearly 8-9 days after the initial symptoms, my blood pressure was still low, and I still had a fever with chills, however, the duration between two episodes had increased to 11-12 hours.
The symptoms didn't subside and hence, I visited the doctor again. My first round of antibiotics had ended and the second one was set to end in a day or two. At this point, I was prescribed another round of antibiotics along with prebiotics. After this round of medicines, it felt like I was only taking medicines.
However, I started to feel much better in the next 6-7 days as my fever improved. Sadly, there was no improvement in my blood pressure levels and also the weakness and dizziness.
After nearly three weeks, my blood pressure levels improved to 110/70. I still had to be careful about movement because there was considerable weakness which made me feel dizzy.
The Situation Now
After almost a month, I am able to do daily tasks by myself. But the extreme heat in Delhi-NCR has made certain tasks difficult. Stepping out during peak sun hours is difficult as I feel like I might faint. My blood pressure still hasn't reached 120/80 and I also feel fatigued and weak a lot of times. The doctor has said that it might take a few more days to resolve completely. I am still taking medicines and picky about the food I eat. On most days, it is usually a vegetarian diet. However, I am trying to get back to my usual diet, which included eggs, fish, chicken and mutton, along with vegetarian options.
The illness might still take a few more days to resolve completely. These infections together at the same time, has affected my health severely. I am not sure how I contracted the bacteria, even though I am someone who is very careful about hygiene at all time. However, I have become even more mindful of my hygiene at every step, at home, at work or anywhere else.
Nearly, after a month, I am still recovering and will take a few more days to get better.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
