need to vent about my doctor

[peanut]

I wrote a post in the questions section about testing positive a few days ago and having extremely mild symptoms. (which seems odd considering my past relapses). basically my only symptoms are mild mucus/blood and some stomach gurgling. no diarreha or anything else. before i did the stool samples my doctor said oh let it go for now until you start seeing straight diarreha its probably IBS and your hemmroids acting up. so i decided to take it upon myself to have the 3 samples done seeing the blood/mucus, i wanted to rule out the cdiff. but i tested positive. so i said to my doc...could it read a false positive and she said "no obviously they detected the spores in your stool so that means your active" so i dont get it...ive heard on here that some folks can test positive and not be active. but how do we know for sure? im assuming its the symptoms we have to go by. well i hardly have any. uugggh these doctors!!! she also told me...why are you taking culturelle and reuteri with your florastor. there not gonna benefit you while your taking florastor. uugh...now i just dont know what to do. whether i should just keep taking the probiotics or not. seems like alot of folks on here sometimes take matters into their on hands with certain things. I mean is it it me or is it the inexperience of these doctors that is just so sad. its so discouraging to hear this stuff from a so called professional. i mean were supposed to rely on these people to help us. this is my third GI so far. guess i need to start looking again....

[fire7163]

Peanut:

Trust me it's not you and you're preaching to the choir. The last GI who was covering for my usual GI who was on vacation, when I started to relaspe refused to treat me because I didn't have the right symptoms, I finally called him an idiot, got his attention and rethought his attitude. This is such a complicated disease and there's no set course of treatment, that a lot of good Doctors are uneducated on it and flying by the seat of their pants. I've actually referred and taken articles from this site and handed it to them to read while I'm seating there. Hang in there and keep looking until you find one who you can actually talk to and will listen and be honest with their answers.

[TheVike]

Guess I am ONE of the few lucky ones who ONLY havebeeen seen and treated and admitteed to hosp by a Burse Practitioner a 20 year Navy officer. He knew and guessed C D iff from the outset. I truswt him like no other don t know if that is good or bad but I am well now after months and one course of IV then oral Flagyl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was probably untreated and highly CDIFFED from about noon on the 27th of MArch before he diagnosed it got me on flagyl IV before ordering me admitted on Mon Apr 2nd my 45th Freakin birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bobbie]

peanut,
If your symptoms are mild, even though you tested positive for C. diff., some docs. elect not to treat you. Some on this site tested positive for weeks/months after a bout with C. diff. & were not on meds. as their symptoms weren't severe.

If, however, your symptoms become worse, contact your doc. ASAP.

Re. the Florastor and the probiotics, I can't tell you what to do. If they make you feel better, I'd take them but do space them. Also, call the manufacturers of the products (toll free # usually listed on the packaging) & ask their advice. Remember, however, they are "selling" something.

Many think probiotics helped them -- they made others' symptoms worse -- same with Florastor. It's all trial and error with C. diff.

Sounds as though you are getting better. Hang in there. Many of us who had C. diff. are not "thrilled" with their docs. If you continue to distrust or dislike yours, find a new one.

[peanut]

thanks all. im still somewhat undecided. unfortunately i started the xifaxan last night so ive been on it for 24 hours now. after reading everyones posts in the questions section im thinking of stopping it in hopes that it doesnt flare up the colitis. but i just dont know. i tested negative 2 weeks ago and now positive so its not coming out positive every time. i feel as if i cant win either way. but i dont want to keep complaining about my problems so thanks all for your support.

[carrie]

Hey Peanut,
sounds like a tough week, hopefully things will fall into place for you soon. I tried to find a balance with my Doc and and GI. Some advise I would take but at times I decided to make my own decisions. The first GI specialist I saw said please do not waste you money on probiotics but after speaking with a Physician friend he said get on VSL#3 he basically said if I had your issues this is what I would try. No one recommended the Florastor to me but after reading on this site I thought I would add it to my pulse. When I went back to my GI he had just gotten back from a conference where they discussed Cdiff and said I should try Florastor, I said to late I've been on it for the last month. So it can be a tough call. I always take articles with me and use them for reference when coming to a decision along with my GI. I can't say I've been totally happy with the way some situations have been handled but he is open to what I think is best for me so I guess I'm lucky that way. I read on this sight so much of treatment is trial and error, go with your gut even if it is a bit out of whack right now.

[peanut]

Well, my GI finally sealed the deal for me to find another doc. when i tested positive 2 weeks ago, my symptoms were mild. well now, for the time being they've seemed to have went dorment again, except for the mild cramping. And aside from the fact that it took my doc over a week to call me with the positive stool results, her opinion on the matter is we have to treat even if the symptoms are mild so it doesnt get to that severe stage again. Now heres the real kicker...she wants to put me on 1000mg vanco along with 800mg xifaxan daily. thats more mg's then ive ever taken before even when my symptoms were full blown. Is it me or does that sound just totally crazy??? It is my misunderstanding that with mild symptoms if treatment is suggested, that too should also be mild. Otherwise what is the sense of knocking out all the good bacteria again when not necessary...makes no sense to me. Well thanks to some wonderful referrals on this site, im scheduled to see a new GI and an ID. Thanks all.
Peanut

[Christina]

Usually, Xifaxan follows Vanco.They are not given together. I'm glad you have scheduled those appointments.Seems like it's time. Keep us posted.


Christina

[diane]

Peanut.. my doc said if all is good and your just occasionaly having a problem.. it might be better to leave well enough alone.. so I agreed with him.. after I was 90 days with no c diff.. (some pretty good scares) I chose not to get tested cause I didnt' want the stress of being positive and going crazy thinking should i or shouldn't I go on vanco again... Good luck with the new doc..