Campylobacteriosis and CVID: Another Story About a Boy and His Dog

I finally bit the bullet and scheduled a endoscopy and colonoscopy with my new gastroenterologist here in NY. It was a really good move. At initial glance, she said that my inner workings are in good shape. I have a few diverticula in the old colon but this is normal for my age. Apparently you get them from straining too much when you are on the pot. Nothing to worry about. Oh, and the serious GI issues I have been having are related to a chronic campylobacter infection. Apparently, this is quite a common infection for CVID folk. Something like 30% will at one time or another get it.

I am still awaiting the results of the numerous biopsies that my GE pilfered from me while I was under sedation. I assume they show nothing serious since she hasn’t called me in two weeks – either that or they are so oddly pathological that she needs to send them out to other specialists for interpretation.) I feel relieved knowing that I don’t have colitis, Crohn’s or colorectal cancer.

This particular journey isn’t over yet, though; I took a  5 day course of erythromycin and after a couple of days of relief the symptoms have returned. I understand that “campy” is becoming resistant to antibiotics. Interestingly, my dog has come down with a suspiciously similar affliction. He is now on antibiotics as well. We look at each other each night while watching the late news and silently commiserate…I am confident we will both be in top shape soon.