In recent years, there have been quite a few outbreaks of Listeria (recently, 11 have died from Listeria in supplemental shakes). In my twenties, I experienced listeriosis, caused by Listeria monocytogenes. I was literally concerned that I might die. 

I'm not a particularly dramatic person, but my 11 days with listeriosis left me in an emotional state far worse than the one I experienced when my heart stopped for 25 seconds. I couldn't imagine that the listeriosis would ever end.

While they would never know for sure (contact tracing wasn't quite as serious in the '90s), doctors surmised that I had acquired it through a Greek salad at a local restaurant...either from the produce, or from the feta.

I went to the doctor on the 2nd or 3rd day of diarrhea. They simply recommended that I take Imodium and let my body fight it. If I was still sick on day 10, I was supposed to return to the doctor. Presumably this would have been good advice for norovirus. However, my problem stemmed from a bacteria--and it continued to multiply, exponentially.

On day 10, I was too sick to go to the doctor alone. I got an appointment for day 11, by which time my fever had been as high as 104°F for several days. I had all of the typical symptoms. But what was most shocking was that I looked so different in the mirror--dehydration significantly impacted me. My normally pale skin had no color, and I could see fear in my eyes. It was the first time since childhood that I had experienced high fever.

At that point, they wanted to put me in the hospital. Since I had already gone through the worst of everything--and presumably because the antibiotics would make a quick improvement--I wanted to stay home. I already had a vacation planned for the following week.

The first prescription they gave me turned out to be one I was allergic to (the pharmacist called me to tell me not to take it). Then, I purchased a replacement prescription. However, soon after that the bacterial results came back, demonstrating a high bacterial load of Listeria. At that point, the most effective antibiotic to use against it was Ciprofloxacin. It was the first time I had ever taken it, and they were very strict about the warnings.

The vacation we had planned would have been a good deal more active, but we kept it fairly simplistic (I was not supposed to be exposed to sunlight). I was not allowed to eat anything with dairy, which definitely impacted my choices while eating out. We went on a fairly easy 1-mile hike, but I had to stop probably a quarter of a mile in and wait, while sending my husband on alone. (Not the only time I've done that.) My body was just not ready.

Aftermath

Although I had previously experienced a pattern of monthly diarrhea, now it was an ongoing issue. 2 years later, I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease on my ileum. Presumably, the listeriosis had been the inciting factor that triggered long-term impacts to my gut health.

What would I do differently 

1. If I were to be the sick again, I would never follow a doctor's direction to not contact the doctor for such a lengthy period as 10 days. I can call my insurance company nurses, as well. Doctors don't know what they don't know. This event occurred in 1997, 20 years before Hereditary Alpha Tryptasemia was identified. It was also 25 years before I was diagnosed with mastocytic enterocolitis (caused by HATS).
2. I would not continue with such a high fever without seeking an intervention from a doctor or critical care center. Harvard identifies 102.4°F as a high fever. 
3. I also would have pushed back more to my primary care doctor for accidentally prescribing me a prescription to which I was allergic. 

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