Cdiff thoughts

Postby **administrator** » Mon Aug 13, 2001 4:47 pm

tracy User ID: 9301033 Aug 15th 6:42 PM Info Tracy's Case History Asymptomatic Updated at the bottom of the page 2-3-99 I have been an RN (Registered Nurse) for 9 years and I am a 33 year old female with 3 kids. My experience with C diff started in March, 1997. I was 27 weeks pregnant and developed a bad kidney infection with a stone. I was hospitalized for 5 days and on IV antiobiotics. I was being tx (treated) by my OB. After 24 hours he took me off an iv antiobiotic of Keflex and put me on oral pills. Less than 24 hours later I became septic and back on IV antib. I went home on oral macrobid. Thats when the trouble started. I developed painful diarrhea with a strange look and the need to bear down like in childbith everytime I went. There is a name for that need - but it escapes me at the moment. I had cramping in my back and stomach. The stool was very mucusy at times. I called my OB and he thought it was antiobotic diarrhea and to just stop the drug. I did, but it got worse with up to 40 stools in the waking hours and 6 or so at nite. I began losing weight and running a low grade fever. I saw him 2-3 times for this and he got annoyed with me. I dont think he thought is was serious. By this time several weeks had gone by and I was becoming very ill, more weight loss and I was 33 weeks pregnant. I started to suspect C diff myself. I went to my regular doctor - not my OB and he did a culture and it was positive for C diff. I was so happy- "HA, I thought I would be treated and well." I started on flaygl (metronidazole) at 250 mg. I felt better almost immediately, but when I was finished with the course the symptoms would return within a few days. This went on from March until June. The flagyl was increased to 500mg. That didn't work, so we went to vancomycin as soon as my baby was born - as the doctor would not let me take it while pregnant. In June it stopped and in October I had my tubes tied. I had an iv antiobiotic prior to surgery and guess who reared its ugly head again??!! Tests confirmed it was back and another 7 months of c diff. This time I could not get rid of it. I had spent a lot of money on Immodium by now and drugs. I went to a specialist Gastroenterologist (GI). He had never seen anything like it. By now I had lost 40 lbs and was constantly dehydrated. I became septic at one time with a white blood cell count of 23,000 (that's very high), my fever was high and I had difficulty breathing. By this time I was desperate - as were my doctors. I was scheduled for many tests (upper and lower gastrointestinal colonoscopy, etc.). My husband and I decided to research and we came up with the "pulse dosing". I was willing to try. I did it without my doctor's knowledge. I don't think he would have cared anyway. I did it with vanco. I can't remember the exact way - I think is was 3 days on and 2 off. The research said you could do it with a wide variety so thats what I chose. I took acidophilous on my off days (must use a good one - that's a whole other subject). I did this until all 40 vanco pills were gone and followed it up with collodial silver from my health food store for 7 days. I have been free for 8 months!!!! Except, I had to take augmentin for a sinus infection in November. It (c diff) came back, so my doctor gave me flaygl at 250mg and said, "Do your thing" (pulse dosing - as I did share with him later what I had done). He was very interested! You see, the spores of C diff must germinate to be killed by the antiobotic. They will not germinate on antiobiotics. This is why I had "off days" - then when the first group has germinated you go back on medicine and kill them off. Then, back off to allow for more to germinate etc. etc. It makes sense all the while you boost up your "good" intestinal bacteria with the acidophilus to help in the fight. I hope this helps. Please speak with your doctor about this. Update 2-3-99 It was nice to see some updates on everyone! I continue to be c difffree!! It has been almost 10 months ( with the exception of its returnin nov. due to antibiotics for a sinus infection. I pulse dosed withflaygl and it worked.) But it was not an easy road getting here and Ijust want to encourage all of you out there that are still suffering with this monster not to give up! I am hoping and praying for each oneof you and have enjoyed talking with many of you via e mail. I am always available for support and or questions I will help in anyway I can, I still beleive in pulse dosing I just think that it may take more timefor some than others. Whatever your treatment course may be I just want to say dont let this beast take your spirit as it has already taken so much else, and reach out to those here on the support site whenever andas often as necessary. Keep posting and sharing and Good luck and God bless. Tracy's address <a href="mailto:colanier@earthlink.net">colanier@earthlink.net</a> Copyright 2000, Clostridium Difficile Support Group Site tracy User ID: 9301033 Aug 15th 6:51 PM Hi, this is tracy. I wanted to put an update, . As of today, aug. 15 I continue to be c diff free. I am not the same however, I think when you have had reoccuring cdiff so many times you never are. What I mean is that my colon is weak, I almost never have a formed stool, I think c diff left me with chronic IBS as I have heard from others as well. I am now just inconvienced, not like with c diff, fevers wt. loss, stools 30+ times a day, pain etc. you all know. Anyway I feel good, and just wanted you to know there can be releif. Take care Tracy

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Wed Jan 09, 2002 9:05 pm

The following quotes go through my mind every time I have a relapse: (1) "I try to take one day at a time but sometimes several days attack me at once". (2) Every time I close the door on reality, it comes in through the window" [Guest Posted by: 'Jennie']

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Thu Jan 10, 2002 4:29 am

Jennie, Very good. I'm sure everyone has heard of Murphy's Law: Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. Here's another: Everyone said, "Cheer up, things could be worse." So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse! Humor and laughter have been medically proven to improve the immune system. I think we all need more humor. Sick people can get very glum and grim. Sometimes if we can find humor in the most bizare situations, it helps. Years ago, when my youngest son was three months old, he got a severe GI infection and was very, very ill for a long time. He lost almost a l/3 of his body weight. The ped. had me keeping the baby's diapers in a closet in the hospital room, and then he would open them on rounds and look at them. One day, I looked at the scene sort of from outside myself and what we must have looked like. I said, "Someday we'll laugh about this." The doctor looked at me as though I had lost my mind, but it really helped me get through the long ordeal. When my son was four, he had a reaction to Amoxicillin and wound up in a coma in the hospital with (you guessed it) C. diff. His favorite show at the time was "The Incredible Hulk." I swear my son came out of his three-day coma when he heard the theme music from the TV in his hospital room as the show was starting. He spent the next several years pulling his shirt off, growling, and pretending he was "the Hulk." Since the "big green man" had superhuman powers, maybe those imaginary powers helped. Guess we find support and comfort where we can. [Guest Posted by: 'Bobbie']

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Thu Jan 10, 2002 2:11 pm

Bobbie, Your stories are great! Keep 'em up! Here are a few more quotes I thought you might enjoy: (1) I am a marvelous housekeeper. Everytime I leave a man I keep his house. By: Zsa Zsa Gabor (2) The hardest years are between 10 and 70. By: Helen Hayes (3) " Thirty five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart." (4) "Things are going to get a lot worse before they get worse." By: Lily Tomlin (5) "Old age ain't no place for sissies." By: Bette Davis (6) "Laugh and the whole world laughs with you. Cry and you cry with your girlfriends." I saved the best one for last...here goes...... "A male gynecologist is like an auto mechanic who never owned a car." These quotes were written by women for women. Hope you enjoy! Bobbie, I am a writer also...... I think writers just automatically enjoy humor! Don't you? Also, I wondered if the posters on this site are aware of the "HUMOR" category. It doesn't appear on my screen unless I scroll down. [Guest Posted by: 'Jennie']

Guest · Postby **Guest** » Tue Jul 16, 2002 11:47 am

Why is it doctors call what they do "practice"? [Guest Posted by: 'Jennie']

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