Chlostridium difficile infectiion...

by titch 16 Replies latest jw experiences

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  titch

  To Everyone That Has Responded: Thanks for your input. Like many persons, I got it when I was hospitalized a few months ago. While I was theree, in the hospital one attending physicain thought that I had pneumonia, and prescrbed an antibiotic. Another physician said that I DIDN"T have pneumonia. Talk about conflicting diagnoses!!! Anyway, I continued to take the antibiotic for the supposed pneumonia, while I was in the hospital, and after I was released. In early July, I had to be hospitalized again, for observation of a particular condition. I told the attending physician about the symptoms that I was having, and he directed me to give two stool samples. By the day that I was released, they FINALLY came back with a diagnosis of C.Diff. I was prescribed Flagyl, which I immediately went and obtained. I took3 pills per day, for 21 days. BUT---about 5 days after finishing the regimen, c.diff came back. I told my Primary Care Physician about this, and he prescribed some more Flagyl for me. I took two rounds of the dosage, for two 10-day periods. While taking the Flagyl, it seems to bring bodily functions back to normal. But, once again, after finishing the regimen, the malady came back. This time, my Primary Care Physican prescribed Vancomycin for me, in pill form. But, the Vanco in pill form was extremely expensive. My insurance plan would not pay for it, even part of it. (I think, depending on dosage, it would cost anywhere from $400.00 to over $1000.00) So, I got information ffrom reliable sources, that Vancomycin could be obtained in compounded, liquid form, for a LOT less money (about $75.00 for a full bottle of it). That's what I got a prescription for, from a compounding pharmacy, and I consumd it. And, while taking Vancomycin, bodily functions seem to get back to normal. I have finished the bottle of Vancomycin, but there are some days that I think that the c.diff has gone away, and some days when I think that it has recured.

  Anyway, my Primary Care Physician has advised me to take at least two probiotic pills every day. Does anyone else have experience with probiotic pills? Do they help at all, with regards to c.diff? Your input is appreciated. Thanks!

  Titch

  Titch
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  disposable hero of hypocrisy

  My mate had it bad , they even thought she was on her way out.. It had been treated with all sorts with varying low levels of success, but finally after getting fed up, they paid for the stool transplant in a different state, and that sorted it within the week..
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  snare&racket

  C diff is very common. It is a bacteria that releases toxins causing diarrhoea and fever etc. It is a bacterium found in the bowel and it can become problomatic by two mechanisms. Most commonly, someone will take antibitics which will alter the gut bacteria present in us all in such a manner that the CDiff bacteria become a more dominant colony, with opposing bacteria colonies reduced by the antibiotics

  It is a crude rule of thumb, but most of the antibiotics beginning with 'C' can cause C-Diff (by chance not design).

  Secondly, it can be passed via the faecal oral route. Yes, that is when someone touches an item or area contaminated with the bacteria that then touch their mouth , nose etc.

  Normal treatment is vancomycin. If vanc doesn't work, it means the colony in you has evolved resistence (yes evolution takes place right in front of our eyes) and this is becoming more common due to people not fonishing their course of antibiotics, allowing bacteria to get exposed but not killed by the vancomycin.

  Faecal transplant simply rebalances the colony sizes.
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  Island Man

  Faecal transplant? Is that what it sounds like?
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  AlwaysBusy

  Correction: I apologize! I just talked to my son. He said he had C Diff for 2 1/2 months....he has tested negative for the disease, but has to go back to the doc twice more....If he continues to test negative the next two visits, then the Doc feels he will be ok. The anitbiotic he was on, for 14 days each time is, IC MetroNidazole. He is also on a high dose of Probiotics, but doesn't know if they are helping as he still has problems with diarrhea, and hasn't felt well since it it all started. I hope you feel better soon.

  Anyway, Take Care,

  AB
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  kneehighmiah

  Always busy, your son is on flagyl. That's Another name for it. Probiotics work to restore the natural gut flora. Some people suggest also drinking kefir and eating yogurt.
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  snare&racket

  If you look at the research, one would have to consume an ocean of probiotic drinks and yoghurts to influence colony sizes, it is kind of an in joke with microbiologists. They all have very legalsitic writing on them as it is very ethically dodgy to claim they do anything and they are pricey!

  Vancomycin and metronidazole work well. It is unwise to see it as one being better than another, simply put, depending on the local genetic make up of the c-diff populations they wil be sensitive to one or both or neither, or others etc etc. Someone elses advice is not valuble to you.

  You need a poo sample taken, where they will match the antibiotic to the cdiff you have. This is how quickly bacteri are evolving.The species have evolved defences to drugs depending on what drugs are used locally in that area.

  If you are already on antibiotics, it is likely already done and the drug you have been given was chosen on what your sample was sensitive to i.e. what killed it in a petri dish.