Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

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DianaLyn
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Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:32 am

Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby DianaLyn » Fri Jun 05, 2020 3:02 pm

I'm a 56 year old female who had cdiff 4 years ago, got a successful FMT and have been good. I am so thankful for this forum which got me through when I wanted to die. You guys are great!

Day 2 of Macrobid for a kidney infection. Wedding is in 10 days, 3 days after I stop it.

The culture says Macrobid (Nitrofurantoin) works on this bacteria but my doc says it's good for bladder but not so for kidney infections. Oh nooooooooooooooo! I can't be sick at the wedding. Please help! I have the dress and everything and it's 8 hours drive from here.

1) Has any been successfully treated with Macrobid for a kidney infection?

2) Plan B. The culture also says any of the following can work against this strain. Sadly, Bactrim is not one of them.

Amoxicillin
Cefepine
Ceftriaxone
Cipro
Ertapenem
Gentamicin
Imipenem
Meropenem
Nitrofurantoin
Piperacillin/Tazobactam
Tobramycin

I know some doctors prescribe vanco along with another one of these antibiotics. It seems sometimes the cdiff comes back even with vanco.

Has anyone been successful in not getting Cdiff by taking vanco and an "no no" antibiotic?

None of these are great choices but anyone who has had experience or suggestions about what not to do would be much appreciated. I know you aren't a doctor. Just friendly advice.

I'm meeting with a urologist on Monday and the ID doc on Tuesday.

Thank you!

beth22
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Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby beth22 » Sat Jun 06, 2020 9:51 pm

I took one of the cephalosporins a few years back and did not really relapse, well sort of. I was given heavy IV doses in the hospital and then had to continue with pills at home for a few days. I felt okay until about a month or so later and got a positive test for c diff, but I did not have to treat as I only had D for a couple of days. The positive kept showing up for two and a half years though and then no more. The PCR was positive, but the toxin tests were negative, so it was considered a negative result.

My mom had c diff and she took several antibiotics after and never relapsed.

I did not do well when I took vanco along with an antibiotic. I got way worse symptoms. Macrobid is fairly safe. If you think it may not do the trick, explain to your doctor about the wedding and ask if you can get the Rx extended for a few days covering you through the wedding.

DianaLyn
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Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:32 am

Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby DianaLyn » Sun Jun 07, 2020 9:53 am

So it is possible to take a celphalosporine and not have a full onset of cdiff. That is so very encouraging.

But then you found vanco and an antibiotic to be worse.

Has anyone else been able to recover from a kidney infection without getting Cdiff?

Are there any other options for me or suggestions?

roy
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Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby roy » Sun Jun 07, 2020 11:16 am

Macrobid is a very low offender.
Reason for that is its filtered by the kidneys and expelled from the body in your urine.
Hopefully as it passes through your kidneys it does the job.
High offenders including celphalosporines are filtered by the liver and dumped in your colon, there they damage the gut flora and c.diff can overgrow.
Best to avoid them if you can.

DianaLyn
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Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:32 am

Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby DianaLyn » Sun Jun 07, 2020 11:38 am

Thank you, Roy!

But sometimes, if you can not get rid of the infection, one must go on a high offending antibiotic and I I can tell it's only partially working as I still have a sore throat, swollen gland.

If anyone has ever had it come back a 2nd time due to required antibiotics, it would give me hope to know how you got through it again.

Last time I thought I was going to die........

Can you go on cipro and Dificid or must it only be Cipro/low dose Vanco combo?

Or Can you do the Cipro and then wait to see and then only if need be, go on Dificid?

I do not want to destroy my FMT with Vanco.

Please, any advice you could share I will bring to my ID and urologist doctor this week.

I really, really don't want to go sick to the wedding .....

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby beth22 » Mon Jun 08, 2020 1:42 am

The sore throat and swollen gland are separate issues??? You are taking the Macrobid for the urinary problem, right? A sore throat is most likely viral. Some people relapse after antibiotic use and some don't. If you can stick with the Macrobid, even if you have to take it for a longer time, you are probably better off, but talk to your doctor about your concerns and see what he/she says. Hopefully, you can get something to take with you to the wedding in case you have a problem.

DianaLyn
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Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:32 am

Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby DianaLyn » Tue Jun 16, 2020 7:13 pm

I made it through the wedding! No one even knew I was not myself but I am sooo thankful I was there and 80% myself.

I still don't feel great and the ID doc is concerned that I may still have a kidney infection since she says Macrobid does not work so well on kidneys.

Looking at Keflex as an option. Waiting on more cultures.

Thank you to everyone on here. This is a great community to help us walk through this on our good and not so good times.

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Help me not miss my son's wedding! Kidney Infection!

Postby NanciT » Wed Jun 17, 2020 11:55 am

Great to hear you made it through the wedding, at 80%! When you wrote a few weeks ago I was reminded when I had CDIFF the first time in 2014/2015. My son was married January 2015 and I was finishing up a very long Dificid taper at the time. I felt terrible but no one knew.....got through the day and was thrilled to have pulled it off!!

You are doing all the right things waiting for the culture results to see if the kidney infection has cleared or if you must take something else. Follow your doctors orders. Not everyone gets CDIFF back. I did take Keflex twice over the last 5 years and did OK. This last time they felt I needed a longer (10 days) for a kidney infection instead of the 5 days and I did test positive and get it back. I will say I did my Dificid taper and it has been nearly 6 weeks. I have post IBS but I am getting through. It was much different this time, I have an ID who listened and treated me right away. I stuck to my bland diet etc.

Hang in there, hoping the culture is negative but if it isnt, follow through and hopefully all will be well

Take Care

NanciT


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