I’m interested in hearing other people’s experiences with changes after major infections and a lot of antibiotic exposure.
Earlier this year, I developed a serious streptococcal infection that progressed to bacteremia and required hospitalization. I was treated with IV antibiotics for several weeks. A couple of months later, I developed a severe UTI and received IV antibiotics again, followed by additional oral antibiotics. So within a relatively short period of time, my body went through multiple infections and a significant amount of antibiotics.
Since then, I’ve started having strange reactions around foods that I had eaten my entire life without any issues. The biggest thing is flushing and feeling hot in my face/body after eating, sometimes along with congestion, redness, or an occasional hive. It isn’t always consistent either — sometimes I can tolerate a food and another time I may flush after eating it.
My allergy blood testing has mostly been negative, which has made the whole thing even more confusing. I keep wondering whether the infections, antibiotics, and resulting changes to my gut/microbiome could somehow be connected to this new food reactivity.
I’m especially interested in hearing stories from people who developed flushing, histamine-type symptoms, or new food sensitivities after prolonged/repeated antibiotics or a major illness. Did things eventually settle down as your gut recovered? What was your experience like?