SO SICK OF BEING SICK

[Bobbie]

Amy,
Sorry you are worse. I survived a Z-pak for pneumonia twice. I took VSL3 both times although I usually don't take probiotics. Believe I was also on Vanco. It's never prevented C. diff. for me B4 but it has for some. I'd ask your doc. about this. Know it's the weekend but most practices have a doc. on call.

Feel better.

[amyc]

I hope so, and soon! I had a mild case of C diff and have been good for a year and a half, so really I know it's kinda silly to be worried about the zpac. I'd guess the 80% who get rid of the C diff with the first course of flagyl never think about it again, and take prescribed antibiotics without a second thought. It's reassuring to hear of people like Beth's mom who can apparently take antibiotics post-C diff with no problems. But...I'm still going to worry, lol.

[seekingcure]

I don't think it's silly at all to be afraid of antibiotics. That's what got most of us into this mess to start with. The doctor at urgent care gave my husband steroids and a z-pak, but said he could hold off on the z-pak for a few days unless he got worse. At that point, he did not have pneumonia on chest x-ray. Three days later he started running a fever and the next day we went to his regular GP and he had double pneumonia and was very sick. He ended up taking a round of Levaquin followed by a z-pak. Now he's had some diarrhea the last two days and I'm kicking myself for telling him to wait about taking the z-pak.

I thought I was going to dodge the bullet myself on this virus but now I seem to have the virus that he started with. I'm still hoping I can kick it with mucinex and my trusty Vick's, but I'm pretty miserable right now. Can't get any sleep at night for coughing, but I'm afraid to take my codeine cough syrup because I've had varying degrees of D for three weeks now. Had a negative c-diff test the end of October, but I feel like it's back. Will be retesting after Thanksgiving unless I get really bad before then. And the kids are here until after Thanksgiving. Don't really feel like company and I'm scared they will end up sick too. Happy Thanksgiving! Bah Humbug!

Seriously, hoping and praying that we all can at least be better by Christmas! Wanted to let you all know why I've been sort of "scarce" around here lately.

[beth22]

One of the posters on here from a long time ago had an URI with a bad cough, fever, etc. and her doctor gave her doxicycline, which I know is an unusual choice for URI, but it worked and she did not relapse with c diff. She had an ng stool transfer in Duluth about 9 months before that unlike mine, worked for her. Amy - ask your doctor if tetracycline or doxy might work. Those are less likely to cause c diff as well and if the z-pak isn't going to work, maybe it would be better to try something else. Just a thought.

[seekingcure]

Beth, I think I wasn't clear about the z-pak my husband was given for his URI. He did not start it, was waiting to see if he got worse as the doctor instructed, but then when he got worse with fever and chills, his lungs looked so bad that the doctor opted to put him on Levaquin instead of the z-pak. She said it was better for pneumonia. Then when he went back for a recheck, there was still some pneumonia left in one lung and she had him to take a z-pak. Those two together cleared his pneumonia, but maybe if he had started the Z-pak earlier, he wouldn't have had to take the Levaquin. What I was trying to tell Amy was not to wait until she's so bad that she has to take one of the "big guns" like my husband did. I think I was rambling a little last night. Sorry for the confusion.

Hope everyone is feeling better today.

[Bobbie]

seeking cure,
Sorry you are ill again but glad your husband is better. Oh, don't we wish we could take that wonderful silver bullet - an antibiotic? wondered why you hadn't posted and fear the worst. I do hope you can enjoy Thanksgiving with your family. Why don't you buy it? Most grocery stores have catering departments and you can buy a complete turkey dinner.

I used Mucinex, an inhaler, drank lots of water and chicken broth, did saline irrigation, used the Vicks Vapor Rub, and recovered from my URI although I am still coughing. Went to church today - and it was one big collective cough. One woman came out to the Connexions Desk where I was stationed to ask if I had any alcohol wash. (This was after the "greet you neighbor" segment. How strange - hugging is actually safer than shaking hands - spread less germs. Perhaps we should institute "national hugging" and no hand shaking.

Better health to us all - but afraid this is the "season of bugs" and good health might have to wait until Spring - my favorite time of year - when most of the bugs depart and the flowers and butterflies return.

[beth22]

Seekingcure - No, it was Amy I was telling about the doxicycline vs the z-pak because she said her doctor said the z-pak was not working for some of these cases. In your husband's case, don't feel bad. My daughter had pneumonia in July of all months, but we had just come back from vacation to Alaska. She took what I consider to be a very high dose of Augmentin (875 mg twice a day) and it did not help her. She wound up in ER and on Levaquin as well and the levaquin knocked it out. So, the Z-pak by itself might not have helped him anyway. Don't beat yourself up. I felt guilty about my daughter, because the doctor wanted to start her on Levaquin right away and I talked him out of it because it is one of the worst offenders for c diff as you know. It probably would have saved her 4 or 5 days of misery though and running fevers of 104. I decided to stay out of her health issues the next time around. Easier said than done.

[seekingcure]

Thanks Bobbie and Beth for the kind words.

Beth, you might be right about the z-pak not working anyway. Seems like I read on here recently somewhere that someone had pneumonia, took a z-pack and Levaquin and that still didn't knock it out. Fortunately, my husband's pneumonia has cleared, although he has a lingering cough. He had diarrhea for several days after finishing the second round of antibiotics and, of course, I feared the worse, but he seems to be fine now. He must have a gut of steel.

I am still fighting the URI, but so far it has not gone to my lungs. I'm coughing every breath, though, it seems, and not getting much sleep. My D is progressively getting worse and I just plain feel bad, so I went ahead and dropped off a stool sample today. I'm fully expecting it to be positive. Hope I find out something before Thanksgiving. I've been taking some Pepto. Does anybody know if that might cause a false negative on the PCR?

Bobbie, I'm so glad you were able to get rid of your URI without antibiotics. I'm using pretty much the same things you did. Buying Thanksgiving dinner sounds like a plan for this year or maybe I'll just send the rest of the family to Cracker Barrel while I rest. I certainly don't feel like cooking. My heart's just not in it this year.

[amyc]

I don't think pepto messes up the C diff pcr test, so it's good you dropped off the sample. When I first called my doc with my sore throat she asked me if I was having D, which seemed odd. She said the crud that is going around now has the URI and D...together! Lovely. If your test is negative I'd suggest taking the codeine cough syrup. It will certainly slow things down.

[beth22]

I had a little D when I was sick last week too. I think it was the virus. I have tested positive when on Pepto Bismol and in fact, once got the worst relapse of my life while on it. I don't think it should mask anything. If it does, then it is so mild, that you would not want to treat with antibiotics anyway. Good luck with the test results. It could very well be the virus. Hopefully, you will feel better by Thanksgiving. I would just order a ready cooked turkey and the trimmings. I've had those turkeys before and they are really pretty good. Don't overdo, especially with the URI.

[Bobbie]

To Beth, Seeking Cure, and Amy,
Hope you are all feeling better. I had "the crud" last month and am still coughing but am much better.

BTW, "gunk" dripping down your bronchial tubes can affect your GI tract and cause diarrhea.

I went to church Sunday, and everyone was coughing. Went to a woman's Bible study, lunch out, book club, hair stylist's, and Jazzercise yesterday -- and almost everyone was coughing. Don't want a second bout of this! Was tired last night so know I am still not up to par.

Wish people would stay home for awhile when they are sick (I do) but it "ain't going to happen."

Hang in there. "This, too, shall pass," BUT there is a lot more "gunk" out there. Let's just fast forward to Spring!

Rest, fluids, Mucinex (an expectorant), Vicks, or whatever else makes you feel better. Dairy products usually thicken mucus so you might want to forgo for awhile if you are taking them now. Vit C.used to be the "biggie" of resp. cures. Not so any longer, and it can cause diarrhea.